help with poodle (not grooming)

[Poodlestar]

I'm having issues with my parti poodle... both morally, and health wise.

First the health. She was totoally fine until in the summer we discovered my sisters dog had lice. My dogs are always with her dogs at work, in the kennel, and they play together, so we treated everyone with advantix (I'm pretty sure that's the one we used) Well, Jemima almost immediately got so itchy... she was ripping at her self, and scratchin constantly. She had a hot spot that was almost healed and she scratched so much THATflaired up again... the next morning I took her to the shop and bathed her, trying to get as much of the medication off as possible. It helped a bit. she continued to scratch, but I figured it had to work it's way out of her system. She was still scratching weeks later, so i bathed her in Nature's Specialties Lavenderm (it helped with the hot spot before). It relieved the itching a little for a few days. The itching started to slow down, but never went away. She is always itchy. I tried oatmeal baths too... still itchy. I tried anti-histamines, but she still scratches. I just recently swtiched her from a raw diet to GO natural, endurance formula (I was tired of my dogs refusing to eat, and having to doctor up the raw food) and I think she's even more itchy now, but I could be wrong.

None of the other dogs are itchy, and I'm really feeling bad for her now. I'm worried the only answer the vets will give me is to give her the little pink steroid pills. I could try switching her to a hypo food, but i don't understand why giving her flea/lice medication would trigger a food allergy.


Now Morally. I LOVE my dog, and she's absolutely fabulous with my kids (she likes to snuggle the five month old, even though she's pulling on her and screaming in her ear). But I never really truly bonded with her the way I did with my other two. Maybe it was just cause she came into our family right between babies. She also would be a star agility dog, i'm sure of it... but I don't have the time right now to dedicate myself to that. I also really want to focus on my breeding. My white girl is having pups again, and even if there is a fabulous specimin... I can't keep it cause I'm maxed out for dogs with the kids being so little. I don't think Jemima is going to be a good breeding candidate. She has droopy eyes, is very slightly roached in the back, and now with this asumably allergy thing... I'm thinking spaying her is probably the best option...

My dilemma is do I keep her. She loves to play with my other dogs, she's fabulous with the kids, everyone loves her... She makes me laugh (most of the time hehe) But She is limiting me in my breeding program, and i'm not truly able to stimulate her fabulous mind.

Or, do I re-home her with someone who CAN stimulate her, and really wants a silly, loving, sporty dog, and possibly give her an even better life than what I'm offering. And in a year or two, keep one of my breeding pups and continue doing what I love; showing.

I'm really torn... I only want what's best for my dogs.

So if you have any input on her itching, or what you would do... please let me know

[alabamagroomer]

Wow - what a delima...

but I will say that in your heart you know what is right for her and you. I suggest you start looking for a great home and take your time. She deserves to be #1 in someone's home - even if it isn't yours. you know, "If you really love it, set it free..."

I know it is a hard choice, but I wouldn't want to keep a dog that doesn't fit just for sake of keeping her. I know it will be tough, but if you decied to rehome her, you will feel better in the long run if she is the center of someone's world.

Good luck and keep us posted.

As for the itching, have you tried benedryl? Perhaps help block the allergin until you can get this under contol. Ask your vet for a dose.

[Smart-n-Pretty]

Option #B. I know exactly Jack Poo about showing and even I can see that. Spay her and re home her. Then you don't have to worry about her being bred by someone with less that honorable intentions.

[A1Mobile]

Dinovite has done wonders for my Bouvier..that and the fat supplement they sell...Lick o Chops..

[4Sibes]

I would eliminate sarcoptic mange as a possibility (as to the origin of the itchies) and if you come across the perfect home for her, that,...one that as you said would "stimulate" her and perhaps also give her and another person the opportunity to establish the bond that is lacking in your relationship...I would go for it in a heartbeat. Even if it means you have to actively seek out the home.
I feel like I know your ethics well enough to know you are not looking to dump a dog on someone else....solely to make your life easier.

I will also add, though I have never personally re-homed a dog, I HAVE been the recipient of 3 dogs over the years...whose owners/friends found themselves in similar scenarios.
I often look back and thought how much my life would be lacking...had Yukon, Raven and Sasha never come into it. Yes, it took awhile, but I was always supposed to be their "forever" home.

I would hope that if I ever had a dog that was just destined to be w/ me for an interim period of time...that I would recognize it. I am always afraid I might tend to let my selfishness over-rule what is truly in the best interest of the animal. You know how stupid "principles" can be? Good luck.

[gr8danlvr1]

One of my mutt dogs has awful fall time allergies. These just started maybe 3 years ago (shes 9.5 now). The first 2 years we had to take her to the vet to get a cortisone shot, that seemed to clear up the problem. This year I was bound and determined that would not happen. She even gets that allergy skin smell around that time of the year too, very weird. Anyway, I bath her in coal tar, tea tree shampoo, pretty much anything that is supposed to be for itching, doesn't seem to matter what brand because, like you have experienced, it only lasts a few days anyway. I supplement her food w/ fish oil, you could also use Vit E, or flax seed oil, all are good for the skin and coat. If the increased bathing is drying her skin out, these will help to put some oils back into it. I would bathe her about every 2 weeks (I usually only do her about ever 6-8 weeks), to helps not only to get the allergens off the skin, but to help w/ that nasty smell, yuck. Then in between if she was having some bad days I would give her benedryl, 1mg/lb., so for her I only used (1) 25mg pill as she is usually between 25-30 lbs. This year she only got one little hot spot, which I dried up w/ gold bond powder, and after that I was able to get control of her itchies w/ the other methods. I think she may be allergic to what ever goes to seed in the fall. I can almost time my allergy flare up w/ hers.

As far as rehoming, that is going to be yours and yours alone. I don't think there is anything wrong w/ a breeder rehoming a bitch not quite up to their breeding program. If you feel like she would benefit more from someone who had less on their plate and could stimulate her in ways that you just can't, well then that seems to me like it is in the best interest of the dog, and you can never go wrong there. When I finally have room for a Standard Poodle, I will be looking for a breeder like you, w/ a dog like this. I really prefer a dog out of the puppy stage, of my 4 dogs only 1 was a puppy when I got her and I said never again! So, there will be someone out there who would be super excited to take your girl in and give her what she needs. And though she would be missed by you, you will know that you did the right thing for you and her.

[Poodlestar]

Thanks everyone

I'm still so torn. I always wanted to be a "pets are for life" person, but I see now how so many people benefit from an adult dog...

It's tough. And my baby loves her, and she loves my baby... but i'd also love to know she's the centre of someone's world... sigh...

I guess if the perfect home comes along, i'll have to decide then.