Diaper Rash Doggie...

Yeah, diaper rash. Well, not actually, but close enough. Our middle elkhound has been spayed and she was not leaving her shaved area alone - but she was leaving the stitches alone. She ended up with abraded lips and some sores. We put the "inner tube" back on her neck, got a stink-eye that you'll recognize, and then used Dr. Boudreaux's Butt Paste on the open sores.

Yes, that's the name of the stuff. It's like A & D Ointment, but it's creamy and less greasy. Since she now thinks that the couch is her personal space (who's idea was that??), even though we put a cloth on it (the couch, not the dog), we figured that going with a less-greasy ointment would be better.

Today, the rash looks much better. We were concerned, because we were afraid she might have been allergic to the sutures. She has about a week left till she gets them clipped. And also, since the vet felt that there were signs of another infection, she's on yet another round of antibiotics. We think that part of the issue is some clipper burn. I think the vet tech got a little over-zealous.

You can see she's got a little bit of a belly. Poor girl has had 2 litters in quick succession (not our idea - we adopted her AFTER that, and are fostering one of her pups, too) and we joke that she "needs a tummy tuck." She's within her correct weight range, and as soon as she's better, she'll be out running in the dog park again, which will help her fitness level and certainly will help her mood. Which has been pretty crappy lately!!

So we're also using something she just loves: plain yogurt. The active cultures will help her poor little tummy get all its good bugs back. She loves it - to the point of "I like this more than canned dog food."

Luckily, this is the last one in this Pack who needs to be spayed. We're all fixed now, and her next task is obedience school, on her way to getting her Canine Good Citizen, and then certification as a therapy dog. It'll be a long road, but I know she's got it in her.