Savvy's Truck

Savage's blue truck has come a long way from when we bought it in 2006. Not only has he completely destroyed the back seats to the point where we actually removed them, the back doors are pretty well permanently covered in dog slobber. Much to the disgust of any passengers who dare to ride with me and Baby Dog, they will find their headrests stiff with dried drool, and their seats covered in dog hair. And in short time there is sure to be a big Great Dane head resting on their shoulder. The truck has certainly seen some changes since then, and this picture really made me realize the extent my life has changed from the moment I brought my little guy home.

New Medication Pros And Cons

Savage has been struggling with allergies all season. It started with an ear infection and continued with itchy red skin on his tummy and inside of his back legs. Now we are trying something new. Temaril-P is an antipruritic medication; it's used to treat itching, skin disorders, and complications from allergies. It contains prednisolone, which worried me because of the side effects associated with corticosteroids, but I was hopeful that it would alleviate his symptoms in the recommended 14 day regimen. The doses start out higher (though the amount of cortisone in the pills is still very low) and then taper off, allowing his adrenal glands to resume their normal function. He is on day 10 of Temaril-P at present, and his swelling (the medication is also anti-inflammatory) and redness have all but disappeared. I'm treating his recurrent ear yeast infection with Malotic ointment, which has worked before. He only scratches and licks occasionally, and I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that this is the final solution to his allergy problems. My vet encouraged me to start giving him omega-3 fish oil daily to help keep the allergies away after this initial treatment.
The side effects were more pronounced in the beginning. He was noticeably hungrier and somewhat thirstier. The one concerning side effect I noticed the second day was heightened aggression. A little background on Savage is in order to understand this- he has always been a mellow, relaxed boy. When meeting other dogs he is either completely uninterested or very "puppy-like", enticing and displaying "play bows". On very few occasions he has got into dog fights, ending with no visible injuries. (I feel that it's important to point out that in all but one case, the opponent has always been an intact male adult.) After starting Temaril-P, he needed absolutely no provocation or stimulus to fight. He actually attacked two other dogs with no second thought on that day, drawing blood from small wounds on both. One of the dogs he knew well and had never had an issue with, even off leash together all day. The other was an un-neutered male that has displayed aggression toward him in the past, but I had never let them meet eachother face to face.
After those incidents I began keeping him away from other dogs, which will continue until he's finished with all his medications. Because he has been such a good dog in the past regarding aggression toward any other animals, I'm not really worried about that brief change in personality. I do think it's important to let dog owners know that this may be a possible side effect if they choose to put their dog on any kind of steroid. After researching the drug more, I found many instances where dogs had serious mood changes, irritability, and agitation. One site even listed "viciousness" as a side effect.
On a lighter note, Savage's symptoms are fading, and he has been acting normal (though he hasn't been exposed to other dogs for over a week). With his human friends he is the same lovable guy he's always been. We're staying optimistic and will keep everyone updated on his progress.

Slobber Contest!

Just for fun; head on over to Honey's blog and check out the great photos entered in the Slobber Contest. For dane owners it will all seem quite familiar and laughable, and it will definitely give prospective owners something to think about. Savage himself is not normally an excessive drooler, but when he is excited, anxious, or hungry, he really turns on the "face faucets". After a drink of water, of course, he's a complete mess. You'll find Savvy's entry at #11 on the list. Don't forget to vote!
Update: Voting is now closed. To see the winners click HERE! Thanks to all who voted for my sweet Savage.

Relaxing

Bug Bites

This summer has brought with it a host of bugs (blackflies, ticks, mosquitos, etc.), and therefore neverending frustration for Savage and me. Each year he gets insect bites all over his groin area and the insides of his back legs, but this year it seems worse. Each bug bite gets red and raised and extremely itchy, so he licks the area a lot, which eventually causes more irritation. I've not found a safe, effective insect repellant to use on him, though I have experimented with making my own at home with essential oils and aloe. I started applying Benadryl Itch Stopping Cream (diphenhydramine hydrochloride) to his bitten-up belly and in two days it improved immensely. I only apply it once a day and only when I can supervise him for a while so he doesn't lick the cream (though so far he hasn't tried). Savvy is allergic to hornet stings, and one of his vets prescribed oral Benadryl for such situations as what happened back in May of 2007. I've been cautioned not to use both topical and oral Benadryl at the same time, but the topical cream alone is working wonderfully right now.
On the other hand, while researching causes of skin irritations in dogs, I'm considering the possibility that Savage may have some kind of seasonal allergy. In addition to scratching, he nibbles on his feet and footpads often, and is chewing his butt area lately, which can be a sign of atopy or inhalant allergies. I've also read that dogs with seasonal allergies will often develop an ear infection. I'm planning on taking him to the vet very soon for his annual heartworm test, so I'll be asking for their opinions on the allergy theory. Further updates soon!

Quote IIII

"You ask of my companions.
Hills, sir, and the sundown, and a dog as large as myself."
~Emily Dickinson

Ear Infection

It started a couple weeks ago with Savage shaking his head a lot and scratching excessively at his left ear. And then in a couple days he actually couldn't (or wouldn't) hold that ear up at all. His right ear stood up smartly, while the left hung out to the side, reminiscent of when he was little and I would take his ear tape off for a day before taping them upright again.
It's been quite awhile since he's been to a vet, and I realized immediately when we arrived at our local vet's office that Savage has become a lot more anxious about vet visits now. After coaxing, begging, and pleading with him (none yielded results) I finally had to physically push him in the door, with his collar tight on his neck and much frustration on my part. This refusal to see the vet will, I suppose, have to be addressed soon, but at the moment I was just relieved to have him in the door!
The vet allowed my puppy to stay in the waiting room for his examination, thankfully, and diagnosed him with an overgrowth of yeast in his left ear, and possibly in the right. After the diagnosis the decision was made to completely clean out his ears, which involved some kind of soapy cleaner and lots of warm water. Knowing my dog's never-ending capacity to drool when stressed, and his obsessive head-shaking when his ears are uncomfortable, I suggested we take the whole operation outside and the vet agreed. Savage was a little difficult to control while his poor ears were flushed with water, and he proceeded to show his exasperation with the vet tech and me by doing his best to drench us with water also. After that the vet gave him some MalOtic brand ear drops; anti-yeast, antibiotic, anti-imflammatory and advised me drip this into his ear canal twice a day for two weeks. He also prescibed an ear cleaner solution, OtiCalm, which may be more effective than the alcohol I use to swab out his ears bi-weekly, and I'm intending to use it after swimming to prevent swimmer's ear and further infections. I'm using the anti-yeast ointment up before I start cleaning Savvy's ears again, so I'll see if that works after this infection is cleared up.
The good news is that almost immediately after the MalOtic was administered (and after all the slobbering and head-shaking in the vet's office) Savage stopped scratching at his ear and started to relax a little. It's been a week or so now, and he is holding his ears up normally and the terrible ear itching has pretty much stopped. As we left the clinic, the vet was scrubbing his hands and arms in the sink and the vet tech was mopping up the linoleum with a Swiffer sweeper. At the very least, my dane left a big impression!

Savvy Summer

Internet Access

Savage and I are having some problems with our satellite internet equipment, and have not been able to update the website for the last few weeks. I'm working with my internet provider to correct the problems, but it may be a while before I can devote any quality time to The Story Of Savage. In the meantime, my boy is doing well and enjoying the warmer weather (ticks and all!). Please check back next month when I will hopefully start posting again. As always, thanks for visiting.

New Spiked Collar

Here's Savvy's new "Rodeo" brand dog collar I ordered online from Hot Dog Collars. It's a full 2" wide with two stitched layers of black leather and rows of metal spikes and studs. I got it to replace the old spiked collar, which was only 1" wide, and this one seems to be better quality. At the wearable length of 21" to 25" it's a bit large on my dane, but looks fantastic and cost me under $30.00! This collar is also available in brown, and for an extra charge; pink and baby blue!