Itchy dog

Tonight's oatmeal bath was a soak instead of the usual rub down. I have to say I think it worked very well. And for those who think their dog will always respond to verbal cues, try asking for a sit or a down in a tub of oatmeal water. I'm pretty sure she thought I was nuts. I had to bring out the treats and do an in water training session so she understood what I wanted. The good news is that while her skin isn't looking so great she seems to be less itchy. So the oatmeal baths may be time consuming but I think it's working.

On the food front I will be headed to a local butcher tomorrow to pick up some organ meat and the grocery store for some sardines. All I have from the deer is muscle meat and there is a certain method to feeding raw which means making sure there is a balance to what you are feeding. It isn't just throwing some raw ingredients at your dogs and hoping for the best. For those interested in a great how to book on the subject check out Raw Dog Food by Carina Beth MacDonald. I know there are more books on the subject out there but this is the one I have found that takes the stress out of feeding raw. And if that isn't enough information for you there is a great e-mail list called Raw-Lite which is also extremely helpful.

In the vet visit front I have decided to hold off for now. After talking to a few different people it turns out that allergy and itching issues are hard to pin down for ANY vet, holistic or otherwise. What I am looking for, a definitive diagnosis and treatment that will make it all just go away, is like asking for my unicorn to be blue instead of pink. Yeah right. Neither request is very probable. So I'm going to try to relax and go with what tips I have been given and see how it plays out. My biggest worry is just in keeping her comfortable while waiting for the new diet to kick in. (and I hope it works for her because there are sometimes cases of raw not being right for all dogs)

I also think I came up with a better way of storing the meals that is more "earth friendly" so to speak. I'll keep you posted after I give it a try.