[Dailydrool] refusing to kennel & scratching

[Mr Shannon R Gerdel]

Hi Drool family,

Boomer's miserable, and we have tried many things to no avail. I am writing
this to see if anyone notices a connection of any kind that we missed, or
did not know about. About a week ago, Boomer started itching like mad. He
does not have any bumps that require "scratching", like a bite or a sting. I
read the 'archives', and noticed that this is not just Boomer right now,
however, he is also 'biting/chewing' at parts of his body. I do not notice
any blood, just a couple of very small raw spots.

He is also refusing to crate, or get in his box. He and Babe and Arnie all
learned to crate very easy last year. Now, all the sudden, he refuses to get
in his box. He was "Mule Like" this morning when we tried to crate him
before going to church. After we got6 home from church, I noticed something:

Boomer had stuck his nose in his crate and sniffed, and backed out. It was
as if somone else made a 'deposit" of urine, drool, etc, and he did not like
the smell. Cathy just cleaned the inside of the crates with a Swiffer, and
some deoderizer, hoping that maybe the smells are causing his reluctance. He
has not gone near his ceate yet, but we will see if having it wiped out will
help. Just in case not, the rest of the story.

I thought that maybe it was just me, as Boomer truly is my Assistance
animal. I have not felt very good due to some new prostate inflammation, and
I have been in a lot of pain since a couple of months ago. I woke up the
last couple of nights to find Boomer between the edge of the bed, and me. He
usually acts like this on week-day mornings, but not when Cathy is home.
This is what he does every morning after Cathy leaves for work. Boomer wants
to be between the door and I (he's being a guard dog).
                                     OR
Boomer is laying there to get in my way, to tell me something. It's kind of
like Boomer already knows that I will be in a lot of pain that day. Or that
I am in danger of falling when I transfer to my wheelchair or whatever. He
will lay there to be saying in effect, :Dad, be carefuk. I know something
that you do not. Please slow down, and take extra time. The first couple of
times he did it, I was vey irritated, but I almost fell down after I got up,
so I learned very quickly to listen to my son. (Even though he's a
knot-head:))

I read the archives, and we started him on Benadryl. Sometimes it seems as
if he is getting better, and then at others, he is right back to scratching
and then biting, and then scratching again-NON STOP.

I remember a couple of years ago he needed steroids, because he had itched
himself raw.

If anyone has any ideas, please answer off list. Thank you!!

Houndie Hugs and Snooter Kisses from the Caspaw Cwew!

In Drool,

Babe: dogster.com/dogs/261208
Boomer: dogster.com/dogs/235129
Arnie: dogster.com/dogs/281040
Shannon (an absolute, total, complete BassetCase)
Facebook: facebook.com/shannon.r.gerdel
MySpace.com/shannongerdel

Mr. Shannon R. Gerdel
3583 Meadowlark Drive
Casper, WY
82604
bassethoundbutler at gmail.com
(307) 472-0163
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