Mangy dog sounds funny ... until you have a mangy dog. Our nine year old greyhound, Phoebe, has had a rough go of it these last few months. It started with a little patchy balding on her thighs that became increasingly more expansive and alarming. Anywhere that her tongue could reach became bare as a baby's bottom and somewhere between hot pink and bright red. We had her at the vet the minute the problem started, but it was misdiagnosed and then, again, misdiagnosed upon a return visit a few weeks later. Allergies it was not. As a result, we had been giving her prescription medication that made the problem far worse rather than better.
Thankfully, we were referred to a specialist who put her finger on the real issue ... adult-onset demodex. It's often referred to as red mange and stems from a suppressed immune system, with her thyroid as the root cause and, thankfully, not cancer - although further testing may be needed. We've been assured that she isn't contagious to other animals or people. This doctor has helped us to get her care and recovery on track. The treatment protocol is rather heinous. I will spare you the details. It's potency and potential side effects scared me at first and to the point that I was very resistant to proceeding. Making peace with it and finding my way to yes has been a tremendous learning experience for me. In faith. In trust. In letting what needs to be, be. Yet another reminder that sometimes the only way through it is through it.
Of course, her medications are supplemented with Reiki treatments. For her. For me. For our whole family. It's been an important reminder that Reiki isn't intended to replace conventional care but rather to support it. Despite how she may appear in this photo, this is a tremendous improvement over just a couple of weeks ago. Her fur is starting to grow back. Her appetite is returning. We are trying hard to get some much needed meat on her bones before winter comes. In the meantime, I am grateful for all of the love that surrounds her ... especially from her pal, Garrett. May we all be so lucky to have someone lovingly sit by our side as we mend.
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