Lizzie By a Nose

One thing about Corgis (short-legged dogs), their noses are always conveniently located close to the ground. It's so easy to sniff-as-you-go when you don't have those "pesky" long legs keeping your sniffer up in the air. Oh yeah, all those heavenly smells that attract dogs' noses to the ground. Lizzie is much more interested in sniffing than going most times. I've never given much thought to the health of my dogs' noses before.  It must be because they've never had anything bothering them...before Lizzie, that is. Oh, her nose is still busy as can be when she's outside for a walk and inside when it's meal time, but the little darlin' now has a runny nose. Okay, so I went online to read about nasal discharge in dogs. Sneezing often coincides with a discharge, but Lizzie isn't sneezing. It could be...a lot of things. Being worried enough about it we took her to the veterinarian yesterday. 

A slight discharge from both nostrils. One has only a clear discharge. One not always clear. A slight fever. She weighs the same as she did her last visit. Her fecal was negative. Her left eye (the one affected by "dry eye") looks pretty good, but the doctor puts some ophthalmic ointment in it anyway. He checks her teeth and gums (a root infection is one of the causes of nasal discharge) and everything looks great. No evidence of nasal mites (another cause of discharge). I treated her with a Melaleuca grooming mist after I brushed her on Sunday. I've used it several times before with no apparent side effects. Is she sensitive to that now? It's almost spring and allergens are in the air and on the ground. Maybe this sinusitis is related to allergies. Treat her for 7 days with doxycycline (for possible sinus infection?) and if it doesn't clear up we take her back. Of course, I really want it to clear up. She is extremely timid and her health seems so susceptible to every little environmental thing—loud things (wind, thunderstorms, certain household sounds), big things (boxes, bags, things that flap, loose dogs) and now, maybe itty-bitty things (dust, pollen). Sheesh, what next?

She certainly doesn't mind taking her pills twice a day. Painless medication delivered in a spoonful of soy nut butter...mmm good. Great, no trauma there. Get better Lizzie. No more nose trouble, okay? Your "reward" for getting better? Vaccinations at the end of the month.  Aww, I feel bad for her already.