So, I was out for a Jamba Juice break with my husband this evening when I noticed an older looking German Shepherd mix sitting with his owners. It is not uncommon for me, "Dog Mamma" as I am known, to go up to dogs and start a conversation. In fact, some people may think me rude at first because I usually have less to say to the owners than I do to the dogs!
Well, Winnie reminded me immediately of my beloved and departed Belgian shepherd mix, Nyla. I gave Winnie the once over with my Groomer's eye and noticed she seemed itchy. I asked the owners if Winnie was on monthly (or any) flea protection. Turns out Winnie was not allowed any chemical-laden product because she has cancer, which she has developed as a result of receiving rabies injections. I had heard of this before. While it does not appear to be very common, it happens.
Winnie's mom said she given up on vets and is treating Winnie holistically. She bathes Winnie but the fleas keep coming back. I recommended a few holistic flea products to her and made an appointment to come to her house to bathe Winnie. I cannot stand to see an uncomfortbale dog and I would go tomorrow but I have to groom at the shop all day and night.
Anyway, turns out Winnie's story is a sad one. The reason she is named Winnie is because she "won" by finding the current owners seven years ago. She arrived on their doorstep in horrible condition, to the point where they weren't even sure which type of animal Winnie was. She was starved and missing fur and they could see her heart beating in her frail body.
The couple took her in and she refused food. So, they gave her a ball of soft meat and she held it in her mouth because she wanted it but was to weak to eat it. A mobile groomer came out and bathed her and she got better. The owners wanted to call her "Magic" but she wouldn't respond to that. The reason they called her Magic was because it was magical, they thought, that she rang the bell. She was hardly strong enough to do anything at all and yet she rung the bell that night to be taken in. What is even more interesting is that the couple had just lost a miniature greyhound who loved to ring the same bell to let the owners know she be wanted to come inside.
Winnie's bottom teeth are all nubby because she is terrified of thunder and actually chewed through a door out of thunder anxiety once. Now, her owners take her everywhere with them if they fear rain is coming.
Winnie also became very ill six months ago when her owner fed her raisins. Raisin toxicity is not very well-known by dog owners. However, raisins are highly toxic to dogs and Winnie is lucky she survived the bout as she ingested many raisins.
Winnie is clearly not only a winner but a survivor and I can hardly wait to clean her up and get those fleas off of her!!!
