1/25: Pearl the dog gets hives

[Undertoad]

Had enough of dog images yet?

Well this is the second time that I've posted one of my own pics. This is Pearl, a Boston Terrier, one of my dogs. Her fur is all tufty because she is shown having a severe allergic reaction to her annual vaccinations.

Beyond the image, there are a bunch of interesting facts about the whole matter. Firstly: the main treatment for this kind of allergic reaction is Benadryl. Benadryl is one of the medications that works for both people and dogs. Pearl was given an injection of it along with some steroids. She was later put on an IV so they could get it into her blood really fast if necessary.

I find it interesting that there are meds that work for both species, because dogs are built quite differently from people. For example, chocolate can kill dogs -- it's poison to them. A high cholesterol diet, however, is no problem; they are built to digest fats well.

The second allergic reaction is generally worse than the first, in cases like this. What is shown here is actually Pearl's second case of hives.

The allergy to the shot can be to the substance used to preserve the vaccine, not necessarily the vaccine itself.

There is a rabies vaccine that lasts three years instead of just one year, but most county health departments don't have up-to-date laws about such things.

The emergency vet reports that real life isn't like the Animal Planet TV show "Emergency Vets". It turns out that many people have trouble with the idea that emergency vet services cost a lot of money, balk at the price, and wind up putting their animals through suffering and death. People, don't get a pet unless you are prepared to pay for all its needs for life.

Pearl made a full recovery in about 24 hours.