Spring

Spring has definately made it's presence known recently.   Last week I noticed an azalea in bloom and this week the cherry trees are blooming like crazy and the grass is growing.  This likely means the alder trees are not far behind and the beginning of my itchy eyes for the next while.  Riley also has some seasonal allergies and this year I am hoping to head those off.

Two years ago in early May he developed sores on his foot pads that took forever to treat and heal properly.  I thought the sores were from something he had stepped on but last year right around the same time (late April) he had almost the exact same issue.  He gets sores between his toe pads and they are in a very awkward place to heal.  He wants to lick them constantly, hates to wear booties and I didn't have the heart to make him a cone head (he would be freaked).  A friend introduced me to Bag Balm which was the thing that finally worked but we dealt with the problem for a good few months each year.

This year I hope to head off the allergy attack.  I tried a homeopathic remedy for him this fall when he was having a lot of red, runny eyes, icky ears, and and seemed out of sorts.  That really seem to help him and as luck would have it that particular remedy also helps with allergies for a lot of dogs.  I have been using it every few months or so and will adminster it again soon as we head into spring. 

I have researched some supplements which might help.  I have been giving him local honey over the past few months.  Honey that is local theoretically that will help Riley build an immunity to the local types of pollen.  I am also giving him coconut oil which is supposed to help with allergic reactions and preventing skin conditions.  The final "targeted" supplement is grape seed extract which is supposed to help regulate histamine production in our bodies. 

Riley generally has wonderful health and a shiny, luxurious coat so I am hopeful that these measures will help head off any sorts of allergic reactions this spring.  Now that I have identified it as a seasonal issue I can also closely monitor his feet and treat any reactions before they develop into sores.  I will also use real allergy medications (benadryl etc.) if necessary but would prefer not to.

Spring also means lots of happy, crazy dogs with zooming energy enjoying the sunshine.  We had another Vizsla puppy stay with us last week and the girls had a crazy good time together.  The other puppy is approx threee weeks older than Stella and their mothers were littermates which makes our pups cousins.  Here are a few pics of the fun times enjoyed.