Ask Your Pet

Dear Jennifer,

I help care for a friend’s dachshund, named Benny. He hasn’t been eating well, mostly chicken and rice in small amounts, and is gnawing at his back paws. My friend took him to the vet, and after spending over $200 for the examination, the vet said there wasn’t anything wrong with him and gave her no explanation, no medication, ran no tests, nothing.

Do you get any sense of what’s wrong with Benny? What should I tell my friend to do?

Thank you,

Anny

Dear Anny,

I’m very sorry to hear that Benny isn’t doing well. Whenever I do a session that touches on issues that are potentially medical, I always give the important reminder that I’m not a veterinarian, and my advice is never a substitute for veterinary advice or care. I’m always relaying impressions I receive from the animals, or information from my own knowledge, and never my session should never be considered medical diagnoses or medical advice.

With that being said, my suggestion would be to take Benny to another veterinarian. The symptoms you’re describing, while they could have many causes, are often associated with allergies. So, after ruling out other causes, such as fleas, or a more serious issue causing the lack of appetite, many vets I’ve known would look into whether treating it as an allergy might help. For example, would a steroid (or integrative medicine equivalent) reduce the gnawing and increase appetite? Would a trial of a hypoallergenic dog food be beneficial? Is allergy testing necessary? It just doesn’t sound like Benny has had the veterinary care he needs.

When I connect with Benny, I feel very itchy. I feel it on my feet, which would correspond with his back paws, ankle area, hands (his front paws), and my left shoulder and elbow folds. Again, itching can come from many causes, and this is best evaluated by a veterinarian. If Benny likes baths, perhaps a bath with a natural, anti-itch product for dogs might be soothing until he can get to another veterinarian. But, with the degree of itching I’m feeling, and the fact that Benny isn’t eating well, I’d recommend getting him to a new veterinarian quickly. I’d recommend a holistic vet, as they can work with a wider variety of remedies and diagnostic tools, combining allopathic medicine and testing with things like herbal remedies, flower essences, acupuncture, muscle and meridian testing, etc. But, if your friend can’t find or afford a holistic vet, I would still urge him or her to take Benny to a new vet as soon as possible. A second opinion never hurts, especially when the first opinion didn’t prove to be helpful, and the issues remain unresolved.

I hope Benny is feeling better soon!

Many Blessings,

Jennifer Dickman

Jennifer Dickman is an Animal Communicator, Intuitive Counselor, Reiki Master-Teacher, and Animal Reiki Specialist. She conducts sessions worldwide via phone and email. Please contact her at jennifer_dickman@ymail.com  www.jenniferdickman.com and follow her on Instagram @jenniferdickmanone, and on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/AnimalCommunicatior/