posted
Hey everyone, I lost my min. schnauzer 5 years
ago. She was my baby we went to college together
and grad. school she was so much apart of me
that when I lost her I suffered greatly. This is
when my symptoms began I guess the emotional
trauma allowed the infection to take over my
body. I am home now doing IV for the next 3
weeks. I am now longing for a new baby. I am
supposed to go look at one tonight. I am highly
allergic to dogs and have to be careful what
breed I get. There is a terrier mix that I am
interested in. Should I do this or wait until I
am finished with the IV? I am home now and will not be after?????
Thanks for your input.
mimi Posts: 343 | From usa | Registered: Dec 2004
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mlkeen
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1260
posted
Mimi-
As much as you need a furry friend right now, it is probably not the best time.
1. Allergies are often worse during acute phases of lyme. I may have beem allergic to my pets for awhile. I developed asthsma! But got an air purifier and then realized I had lyme. Not an issue now after long term treatment.
2. By the time I was finished with IV I was thankful my dog was older and could walk himself in the fenced yard. I was sleeping 14 hours a day. Of course I had two kids as well and it was winter.
Maybe you can care for one for a while to see how it goes first? I most concerned about your allergies. An accute asthma attack almost killed me. I was so out of it because of low oxygen levels that I nearly died. It was my son who was about 7 at the time asking me if I was going to die that finally penetrated my brain and got me up and treated.
You said you are home? Do you have others there to help, then it's a bit different.
5dana8
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7935
posted
Hi Mimi
I am so sorry to hear about the lose of your beloved dog. They are always with you in spirit but another friend can do wonders for the soul.
Mimi-there are breeds that don't shed! You might want to google it. The allergies in lyme can really set you back.
You may want to look for a more grown up dog. While on IV? My IV herx's where brutal and slammed me into the couch for some time. If you can't wait till IV is over-maybe to find an older dog that is already house broken and not so much destructive puppy behavior?
I had to baby sit my moms puppy recently and he really wore me out. I had to watch him every second because when I wasn't he would be chewing something! Yikes
Take care and may God lead you to find a good little soul that will bring you comfort.
-------------------- 5dana8 Posts: 4432 | From some where over the rainbow | Registered: Sep 2005
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Andie333
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7370
posted
Mimi,
I agree with what others have said about caring for a dog during initial treatment. For me, the daily trips to the dog park became impossible and shifted to my SO.
As cave said, puppies require an enormous amount of consistency, vigilance and love...and in early treatment (and for about 7 months), those were things I was incapable of providing.
Also, if I understood your post, it sounds like you plan to work outside of the home once you're feeling better. If that's the case, it seems that the dog would suffer from a lot of loneliness during the periods of time you're not around.
All animals, including hamsters, thrive when around people and need a lot of care. Seems to me that, right now, you need to focus completely on caring for yourself and getting well.
I've been on antibiotics for 13 months, and I'm just beginning to make daily visits to the dog park with my Aussie.
Andie
Posts: 2549 | From never never land | Registered: May 2005
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posted
I certainly know the feeling of losing your beloved friend. We had to let go of our beloved 16 year old beagle 1 1/2 years ago. We have tried several times since then to "foster" beagles (puppies and full-grown) from beagle resque groups. I lost my job of 13 years because of my illness, and really felt "alone". Kids are all grown-up and moved out. I have to tell you, I NEVER expected what happened when we brought a dog back into the house. I am now severely allergic to dogs. I have had them my whole life with never, ever a problem. So please be careful. Our bodies seem to change dramatically with this disease. I am now also severely allergic to several antibiotics, which I never was before. Allergic to paint, perfume, cleaning supplies now also. Think long and hard, because it is heartbreaking to develop allergies and have to give the dog back. I don't know about you....but I get attached very quickly. Best of luck to you with your IV treatments. Take Care.
-------------------- Corinne Posts: 529 | From Raleigh, NC | Registered: Jun 2006
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