George behind bars

Remember George? Half of the dynamic duo that I used to post about regularly 

until a certain puppy came along and took over the blog?

He's been confined to a pen during all daylight hours since the end of July,

as I've tried to manage his skin allergies. 

He asked me not to post pictures of him in jail, 

but I'm making an exception today to update you on his condition.

But before I do, I have to take you back to this time last year,

when his allergies were out of control and he foundered

from the medicine he was prescribed. It was an awful time,

and I didn't share this picture because it was gross:

 

 His chest, his face, his belly line...ugh...it all looked like raw hamburger meat.

When the summer ended and the bugs retreated, George's skin finally cleared up,

but I was determined to never let it happen again. 

So this year's allergy abatement plan has included:

1. No turnout during the day when the bugs are out.

2. The liberal application of Pyrannah fly spray, Vetericyn and SWAT, 

as many times a day as necessary.

3. Almost hourly visits to his pen to scoop poop and keep the flies away.

4. Two nutritional supplements (Platinum Skin and Allergy and Spirulina) 

to help maintain normal histamine levels.

5. Every-other-day bathing of problem areas with a prescription shampoo.

 

Much better! Or so I thought until Justina and Don came to visit a few weeks ago

and mentioned that Bernard's allergy-prone skin looked better than George's.

They were using a product recommended by their vet in Virginia,

along with generic Zyrtec. I got the ok from our vet to add both to George's program.

This is the stuff that is now saving my sanity and George's skin, 

Kinetic Vet's EquiShield IBH Salve: 

I've never been so impressed with an equine remedy. (And nobody is paying me to say this.)

If you have an equine with insect bite hypersensitivity, I can't recommend it enough.

And it's even available on Amazon.

I've been using it on George's problem patches for two weeks, 

and his skin has never been more clear.

In another month or so, the bugs will die off, George will return to his normal 24/7 turnout,

and taking pictures of the burrito brothers will be fun again.

George finally believes I'm not trying to poison him

George has seasonal allergies which make both of us miserable all summer long.

Last year, they got so bad by the end of August that I had to put him on medication,
which caused him to founder, which meant he had to be confined for several months,

which made both of us miserable all fall. This year, I was determined to get ahead

of the problems and worked with our vet to develop a treatment plan.

The cornerstone of the plan is this stuff, Platinum Skin & Allergy:

One teaspoon a day and maybe he won't suffer.

I gave it to George for the first time 45 days ago.

Since then, he has been convinced that I'm trying to poison him.

You think I'm kidding. I'm not.

 I don't know what the powder tastes like, but I do know that it smells very fishy 

and nothing I've tried masks the odor and makes it palatable to a very smart ass.

Here are some of the ways I've tried to get it into him:

- sprinkled on top of hay pellets

- mixed with molasses and sprinkled on top of hay pellets

- mixed with molasses and crushed peppermints and sprinkled on top of hay pellets

- hidden in a Fig Newton

- hidden in a fruit roll-up

- hidden in a piece of bread spread with jam

- hidden in homemade oat/applesauce treats

- hidden in homemade oat/molasses treats

- mixed with applesauce and squirted into his mouth using a syringe

- mixed with molasses and squirted into his mouth using a syringe

- and on and on and on.

I should note here that Alan, who does not have allergies,

scarfed up every powder-laced tasty treat that George spit out on the ground.

Each failed attempt was followed by a day or two of rest so that George wouldn't

become defensive and suspicious. Since burros are born defensive and suspicious,

the breaks did nothing but prolong our agony.

Finally, remembering that dealing with a burro is akin to dealing with a perpetual toddler, 

I changed my approach. Just like when my parents wouldn't let me

leave the kitchen table until I ate all my vegetables,

George would have to stay in a stall, by himself, until he finished his poison-laced pellets. 

And guess what...it's working!

For six days in a row, George has eaten all of his pellets.

I mix the poison powder with a bit of apple butter, then add that mixture to soaked hay pellets.

Yesterday, I added another foreign substance to the recipe, spirulina, 

which should also help his allergies.

Sir, your breakfast is ready.

I learned the hard way to place the soaked pellets directly into the hay tub.

(The first day we tried this, George merrily flipped his breakfast bowl out of the tub, 

dumping all the pricey ingredients into the dirt.)

Watching him eat makes me ridiculously happy

and cautiously optimistic that we'll have an itch-free summer.

There's more where those came from

George has been wearing this grazing muzzle for two summers. 

It is held together with duct tape.

Alan has been wearing his grazing muzzle for two summers as well.

It is held together with electrical tape.

Lucy has been wearing this grazing muzzle for three and a half summers.

Though made of what appears to be the same stuff as my truck tires,

she has worn the bottom to a micro-thin layer.

Never underestimate the power of a donkey to destroy a grazing muzzle.

I'm convinced that they're convinced if they shred them to bits,

they won't have to wear them anymore. Silly them.

I purchased spare muzzles at the end of last summer just in case

and found sheepskin scraps on eBay to make extra liners.

Have I mentioned how frugal I can be?

I'm thinking my liners are going to outlast the purchased set,

and I saved 81% by going the d-i-y route. 

I didn't even swear too much making them.

Smooch: I've always wondered how I'd look with black hair.

Me: It's not a toupee. Forget about it.

 The new muzzles and liners looked pristine for less than five minutes.

Lucy, George and Alan proceeded to the pasture to pout...

...and contemplate new ways to destroy them, including but not limited to bulldozing.

It's a Monday thing

Monday morning chores take a little bit longer than the rest of the week

because that's when Lucy and the boys get their weekly tick prevention treatment –

a thorough application of Frontline Flea and Tick Spray in their ears. 

This has been going on for 83 Mondays, so it's no longer a big deal.

Had I made this video back when we started, it would have been much more exciting.

They taught me early on that they prefer not to be haltered and tied for the process,

and just because it comes in a spray bottle doesn't mean it has to be used that way.

If I were them, I would demand a helluva lot more than one cookie

for this level of cooperation.