*******UPDATE ON WOLFIE***************
Well, here's what's going on. He has a severely infected anal gland, infected right eye, arthritis in the front left leg AND lick granuloma also on the front left leg.
The lick granuloma is almost healed and the vet is pleased with the various treatments I've done to cure it (he says curing is difficult because the licking is usually due to boredom). The treatment that eventually worked was Tea Tree Oil. Lick granuloma is when they lick a spot so much it becomes a sore that won't heal because they won't leave it alone. This started when my other dog Baxter was so sick and dying and poor Wolfie was not getting the attention he deserved. Now that Baxter is gone, Wolfie is getting so much attention that he's leaving it alone and it's almost completely healed. Then we have the goop in his eyes - turns out that he has an infection in one eye, which he has had in the past, so I have to put ointment in 3 times a day.
The anal gland problem is not so good. The vet examined and blood squirted across the floor! It's infected, so now he's on a topical fluid as well as antibiotics. Then in 3 weeks he has to go back in to be sedated and have the whole thing flushed out again. Yuck! But the good news is that it's not life threatening! I'm so relieved. I guess it's hard not to expect the worst.
We did take our first trip in our motorhome and the only problem we had was on the last day (day 5), we parked in a lot and went into a casino for breakfast before our trip home. When we came out, we noticed Wolfie hanging out the window next to the passenger seat! He had torn out the screen, tore it up and chewed up the metal frame. Then I noticed he also chewed the corner of the upholstered valance above the dinette which I had made into a bed for him. AAGGHH! I don't know what got into him, if he got scared or what. We had spent 5 days in 3 different camping locations, leaving him in the coach on several occassions and he had been fine. It never occurred to me that the cats could have gotten out til my husband informed me that both cats were still inside. Speaking of the cats - they did great. My older cat, Tiger, 11 yrs., was his normal affectionate self the whole time. Our other cat, Spicey yowled while traveling, but calmed down. She hid most of the time, but when she did come out she was fine. So, our maiden voyage was pretty good.
Thanks everyone for your thoughts and prayers for Wolfie - it worked! He'll be okay! I'm so relieved...now if we can keep him from eating the motorhome.....
Carole Winch, husband George
Wolfie-Malamute/wolf mix
Tiger-cat/Spicey-cat
07 National Pacifica Diesel Pusher, 36'
05 Honda Pilot - toad