Poor Chappy. He’s not a happy camper.

So, you remember yesterday when I told you about the nasty, expensive bug bite? But, well, figure … bug bite. We have ointment, things should be fine, right?

Except that, he’s been licking at his sore spot. A lot. Because, one, the vet thoughtfully shaved the fur away, making it extra easy for him to reach it. Okay, whatever, that’s what dogs DO with injuries of all kinds.

Of course, then there’s that $20 ointment. The one that apparently makes the shaved area that much more tempting.

And, since he’s been licking at his sore spot, he hasn’t been feeling well.

As in–this morning especially–restless. Clingy, when Chappy is almost never clingy. Itchy. Warm.Panting.

And, oddly, every time he settled down, it was with his right side pressed up against something. Now, his bite is on the left side, so not lying on that side makes sense, but it was weird that he wouldn’t lie down just in the middle of the floor, or curled up on his pillow.

My only guess is that he’s having some kind of reaction to the medicine. Of course, it’s an external medicine and not meant to be taken internally, which could be making a difference.

At lunch time, we were all agreed–me, Mom, Dad, and my sister and nephew who were visiting–that he should go to the vet. I called and got a 3:15 appointment and headed back to work to get another hour or so of work done … but Mom called around 2:15 and said he seemed better. He was sleeping, he wasn’t scratching so much, and he felt cool to her, so I called and cancelled, but I said that I wasn’t planning to use that ointment, and should I use something else instead?

The answer was no, to just leave it alone.

So, $131 later, I’m left with a dog who has greater access and therefore greater temptation to lick at his sore spot. I’ve got an ointment which I’m guessing is making him sick, because yesterday, he just had a boo-boo; today he’s acting ill. And, anyway, I can’t use the ointment, so … I’m doing … nothing.

Yep. That makes me feel just great. Like I’m really doing my job as a mother.

On the plus side, Chappy hung out with his cousin this afternoon, and followed him around the house, which apparently made Chappy more relaxed and made Tyler feel pretty good about himself–it’s nice to be appreciated, you know? (Thanks, Tyler, for making Chappy feel better, too!)

Hopefully by tomorrow he’ll be more himself.

Hey, the Fall Interweave Knits preview is up!

Tags: Chappy, General // 6 Comments »