Bindi’s struggle with itching and allergies has been an ongoing journey, and one that seems to ebb and flow. There are times when she does much better, especially when we make changes to her diet and use medications to help ease the itching and inflammation. Then, just when we think she is finally comfortable, the symptoms return, and we notice her pulling at her coat again.
But there is another part of Bindi’s story that makes this especially difficult.
When we lost Monroe in 2024, Bindi lost a piece of that familiar world and last year we got a new puppy, Coco and we saw Bindi pulling more at her coat.
It's incredibly hard to watch your dog in discomfort, especially when she can’t tell you what’s wrong. We tried soothing oatmeal baths, hoping to give her some relief, but that didn't help much so we called the veterinary hospital and got her in to see the veterinarian.
After a thorough exam and diagnostic testing, the veterinarian reassured us that everything appears treatable. Hearing that lifted a weight off our hearts.
The veterinarian informed us Bindi weighed 18.4 pounds and had no fever, which was an important sign that nothing serious or systemic was going on.
The likely cause of her discomfort we were informed was allergies—something that can be tricky and unpredictable, but hopefully manageable with the right care. Bindi was prescribed several medications to soothe her itching, calm the inflammation, and prevent any other issues. These worked well and we thought she was in the clear but as Buddy became increasingly tired, we could see that things were changing again with Bindi.
We can’t know exactly what she was feeling, or whether stress contributed to her symptoms, but it was hard not to wonder if she sensed the changes happening around her.
We lost Buddy recently. Since his passing, something about Bindi seems different. She appears calmer, and we’re seeing much less tugging at her coat.
Perhaps her allergies are simply settling down. Perhaps the changes in her diet and medicated shampoos are helping. Or perhaps, in her own quiet way, Bindi is beginning to adjust to a home that feels very different without Buddy.
Dogs grieve too, even though they cannot tell us what is happening inside their hearts. We will never know exactly how Bindi experienced losing Monroe, and then losing Buddy, but we know how deeply she loved them. We saw it in the way she lived alongside Monroe and Buddy, looked for them, and shared her days with them.
So we’re watching her closely, giving her time, love, and the care she needs. We know her allergies may continue to come and go, but for now, we’re grateful to see her a little more peaceful and comfortable.