Calling All Allergic Dog Owners (poll)

[Kavik]

I understand where you are coming from Crysti-Lei.

Diesel is my accident prone very expensive doggy.

Broken leg (very $$$)

grass seed

allergies (ongoing $$$)

ear ripped open by another GSD

auraL haematoma in same ear

Also need to feed him a lot of food (5 times as much as my next biggest dog) to keep him looking not too bad (he could still put on a bit more weight to look better)

OH unhappy about the amount of money spent on him.

While I have not managed to compete with him as I wanted to, at least he is well behaved, is the only one of mine that actually enjoys socialising with other dogs, and thank goodness is easy to handle for pilling/medicating/at the vet.

[Bjelkier]

I noticed Misty's allergies from about 7 months or so and only figured out what the problem was recently, beef.

He still gets itchy every now and then when he has been in the cat food or litter trays or if he hasn't had a bath in a few weeks (sensitive skin apparently) but other then a scratch or a nibble he is pretty much ok.

It really hasn't stopped us bonding at all, he is such a smoothy little monster.

[KitKat]

I have found it harder to keep a strong bond with Sabre as he is my problem child - not sure if it's to separate myself from any decision i feel i may have to make? Have often wondered if i should give him back to his breed to rehome him for various reasons - eg seems to be allergic to some of our grass as well as the pumpkin vines (vines now removed), not sure i put as much time into him as he needs as he seems to have ADHD lol, he has issues being left alone etc etc. Compared to his golden child of a half brother who is close to being perfect (lol) except for the tendancy to put on weight and desire to eat the cats...lol.

Sabre has always has something going on with him - be it coat itches, skin itchies, injuries from running head on into hard wood beams (chasing cats through the house - eg the cats in the house and him under it!), he also gets fed a lot more then Bronx as he seems to burn through hsi food faster, matts that are created overnight, barking, pushing the fence boundaries to get to the pond/possums/rats etc. Currently it's all of the above - doesn't seem to matter how much they are walked etc it's still there - not enough to give up on him but enough to consider it. An awful lot of money, time and effort have gone into him for various reasons and i wonder if that is part of the bond issue - eg will i have to make a hard decision that i don't want to due to health etc.

In general his behaviour isn't too bad - it's just like he's never really grown up - but Bronx is the grown up so he doesn't have to be...lol. Healthwise - he seems to go from one thing to the next be it relative eg dry coat/matts/sores when Bronx's fur etc is soft and lush, Sabe's dropped oodles of weight but Bronx is putting on more then he needs do - tho will be on half the food Sabe is, now it's the fur falling otu and itches from grass/vine allergy - yet of course it doesn't even get through Bronx's lush fur to be an issue...lol.

Tried all sorts of things on Sabe and nothing completely works food/treatment wise - end up settling on the 'works best-ish' nutil the next option worth trying comes along...lol

[Elfin]

Our older boy was itchy and scratchy from about 18 moths old.

Our veterinary dermatologist blames over-vaccination/over-worming/over-chemicalling... but who knows?! (We know his bloodlines on both sides back several generations and keep contact with his littermates, and there is no report of atopy, but they all had minimal- or no vaccination, and the breed is not know for allergies)

But no probs bonding... he is a mummy's boy!

[Golden Rules]

Crysti_Lei - you had certain expectations of Naut and they weren't only not met, but you and she have been through an awful lot in her short life so far. She is a gorgeous smoocher but I can understand there have been some obvious obstacles to forming the usual or expected bond.

I'm not really sure when Diesel's skin problems became really apparent. But I have had numerous health issues starting with him breaking a leg at 6 months. I don't think I have as good a bond with Diesel as I do with my other dogs. Not sure if it is a personality thing, or whether the contsant stress and worry about his health has anything to do with it. I don't think his personality has changed.

Yeah, that's another thing to factor in, whether it is just the dogs personality that affects a bonding process.

Although I think now seeing a healthier dog and a better bond, I 'think' the two would go hand in hand.

Personality has a lot to do with it, I have had a dog with no allergy issues and I didn't bond with her. Everyone who met the dog bonded with her just not me.

No trouble bonding here. I agree with the person who said they bonded even more. I really felt for my dog and had no bonding issues at all on boths sides

And I have had a couple of rescue Goldies who came with either allergies or numerous other health issues, I believe it made the bond even stronger. Both dogs have gone to Rainbow Bridge and my heart broke each time.