# 486 - Mange = "No-Fun" Farm-Life Lesson

Yesterday was one of those days where you rush to one obligation, then rush to the next, and so on x20, throughout the entire day. The stinky part was that some of our appointments were in the Houston area, so that added another three hour round trip to our already hectic travels.

By the way, as we get closer to home, this is our beautiful view. Coming home feels more like going on vacation!

 

 

The new puppy that found it's way to our property last week has now been to her first trip to the vet. We arrived to find our veterinarian in the back with a herd of cattle, tagging ears and doing multiple things which caused one young bull to put up such a fight and issue mean snorts and loud noises that I ran back inside.

 

 

Gracie did not mind waiting. And yes, Sgt. Dave is a DIE-HARD Texans fan.

 

 

Living in the country is a much different lifestyle than city life. I do mourn the loss of some city life luxuries, but that's for another post on another day. For now, we're staying on track with the puppy visit to the vet.

The vet was amused when I asked, "Do you know what kind of breed might this puppy be?"

 

The vet looked at me and said, "Dog."

 

 

Actually, the staff thought the puppy looked to be part Aussie/Collie and she must be part Labrador because she has webbed feet. Gracie got two shots and she didn't even make a sound or move an inch.

 

However, imagine my horror after a skin test came back positive for MANGE! Mites!

 

WHAT???? I AM 45 YEARS OLD AND HAVE HAD DOGS MY ENTIRE LIFE WHILE LIVING IN THE GREATER HOUSTON AREA, AND I THOUGHT THIS WAS KIND OF A "MYTHICAL" CONDITION THAT NO LONGER EXISTS!!! NO ONE IN HOUSTON SEES THEIR DOGS WITH "THE MANGE!"

 

Okay, let me respond "appropriately." Oh my, this poor, poor baby. Her scratching has been terrible and painful; she is my only concern. Well, now I am feeling a tad like Obama must feel as my nose grows longer by the moment.

 

 

So, I learned there are two different kinds of mange seen more frequently in the country: Red Mange and Sarcoptic Mange. She has Sarcoptic, which is high contagious and transmits to people, but then it is called, "SCABIES."

 

Oh joy.

 

Immediately, while standing in front of the vet and his staff, I began to feel a severe case of itching. I began pulling up my sleeves for the vet to inspect my arms, and I pointed to red bumps for the Doc to inspect. Yes, he knows I am from the city.

 

He had the dry humor to say, "Don't scratch and it should resolve itself within ten days because the dog is going to be cured and that means YOU'LL be cured."

 

Of course, I'm picturing these microscopic critters. I am totally freaking out and can now feel the  bugs crawling under my skin. Later, I would give myself a napalm shower with NO cold water added, thinking it will "help."

 

The vet then gave us a history about the old saying, "Seven Year Itch." He said it came from a time when people slept with their dogs, and very often, the dogs had Sarcoptic Mange, which gave people Scabies, so the people would have horrible itching. The dogs lived, on average, for seven years. After approximately seven years, the dog died and the itching stopped. So, they were finished with their "Seven Year Itch."

 

He told me to be thankful that any itching would not take place for seven years, continually.

 

Thanks.

 

Then, he said, "Welcome to the country."

 

 

My best-friend from Houston, a nursing student, told me that we can't see each other this month because "Scabies is awful, and you can't be picking up mangy dogs in the country."

 

I didn't want to catch the mange or get scabies --- I promise! Now, I officially have COOTIES!

 

This little puppy has cost us a LOT of money. Now, we are also having to treat our other two dogs and the medication was $100. which is called "Advantage Multi for Dogs" and it treats heartworms, fleas, hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm," but supposedly treats the mites that cause Sarcoptic Mange as well. There are multiple treatments in one box, so it will last us quite a while. I think I will start checking out some of these meds at the feed store because they'll be at a reduced price.  

 

I've had to refrain from giving myself a dose of the dog's medicine.

 

As for the feed store, that was one of our trips yesterday...dog food, chicken crumble and scratch.

 

 

I love going to the feed store. It's like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna find!

 

 

And lastly, my old gal, Liyla was feeling a bit sad about the puppy getting attention. Liyla NEVER tries to sit in my lap, but I often sit on the ground with her and she'll lay her head in my lap. However, since we found the puppy, she actually came over to me and CRAWLED into my lap.

 

I had to arrange the ottoman next to us so she would fit across me. I had forgotten how BIG she really is...she's such a sweetheart that I never think of her as a "big" dog.

 

 

However, today, the puppy got into BIG TROUBLE because she tried to use the ottoman as a chew toy. She would not "drop it" so I gave her a LIGHT pop on the snout to FORCE her to release the ottoman, and you would have thought I was the most evil human being on the earth because she actually got her feelings hurt. Yep, she's part Aussie.

 

Usually, my big girl Lilya won't let the puppy get too close to her, but after puppy got into trouble, she RAN straight to Liyla as she whined, and Liyla let the puppy lay on her, as if she knew what it was like to be in trouble at that age.

 

By the afternoon, Liyla had transformed from this week of "no contact" rules to this...

 

 

And Howdy has gone from a week of being like this...

 

 

to this today...

 

 

Good Grief!