I, much like my snaggle toothed companion, have a significant aversion to doctor/dentist visits and go to great lengths to avoid them. A routine teeth cleaning once resulted in my biting the dentist, which ultimately led to my expulsion from that particular practice. I now prepare for my nerve-racking appointments with a hearty dose of Atavant and a stiff gin and tonic, which, according to most animal husbandry experts, is not a viable option for Chance. So he will have to continue to work through his veterinary-visit woes. Our most recent trip to the vet was no exception.

The weekend was off to a rocky start with an early morning appointment to have his skin re-examined to try to determine the cause for his itchiness. Chance has suffered from skin issues since we’ve known him, possibly as a result of a severe food allergy or some other underlying problem. Thus far, we have been unable to get a firm diagnosis except that an overabundance of yeast was what was causing the itchy scabs that seem to have overtaken his glorious coat. We had tried a variety of fixes in the past two months including antifungal baths twice a week along with a prescription oral anti-fungal medication and a topical cream. This combination was successful at first, but after weaning him off of the oral meds, the scabs have returned with a vengeance.

The vet’s first impression was that yeast was definitely responsible for his discomfort, and that a combination of antifungals, antibiotics and steroids would be our best option for easing his irritation. She did, however, make it abundantly clear that Chance would never be completely relieved of his itchiness, and would have to remain on some form of medication for the rest of his life. This gloomy diagnosis is one of many unlucky breaks in a string of hard-knocks that Chance has been forced to endure. Poor guy just can’t seem to catch a break.

On the way home we stopped off at the drugstore to pick up a daily pill planner which would make administering his cocktail of prescriptions faster and easier for all of us (we made sure to choose one that coordinated with is coat.) This, along with the other items in our doggie medicine cabinet (medicated shampoos, special brushes, creams, hypoallergenic foods) will hopefully help in prolonging his time with us and decreasing his chronic discomfort.

One unpleasant consequence for me is that Chance doesn’t enjoy taking his meds, so we are forced to hide them in soft, meaty treats. This wouldn’t be an issue except that he is lacking in the manners department and has "accidentally" nipped me on several occasions. Despite our continued efforts to work on his etiquette, these unintentional "love bites" have progressed into full on attacks, one of which resulted in spilt blood and hurt feelings. Although he and I have been on shaky ground since Monday, he is using his canine charms to slowly work his way back into my good graces. I just can’t stay mad at my Mongolian Monster.