Sacrifices made for Izzy’s itch

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Isabella the Terrible, my pup, has been in a terrible state the past two months.

It started with some casual scratching, but, before it crossed my mind that something more serious was wrong, it developed into full-blown allergies.

Of course, it was the weekend, so, by the time I got her into the vet Monday, she literally had chewed herself raw and even was bleeding in spots. She cried when she scratched. I felt like the world’s worst dog mom.

Hoping to ease her discomfort, I bought some aloe spray at the drug store. Aloe is fairly safe and, I thought, maybe it would relieve the itch.

Well, you would think I was trying to spray her with acid. My neighbor held her down, and I managed to get some on her paws, but it helped very little.

So, she has been on meds and is now a lot better, but it came at the expense of time, worry and unexpected bills.

Other than to whine, why am I telling you this? Saturday is national Responsible Dog Ownership Day.

In hindsight, I’m happy it wasn’t anything more serious, but I did give up going out with friends the day she was at her worst. And the money I spent on vet bills came out of the fund I lovingly had saved for a special home project.

But that’s what responsible pet owners do. We care for our animals and, at times, that might mean sacrifice — big and small. Having a pet is somewhat like having a child, except our pets never grow up and become self-sufficient. With the benefit of all the love that comes back to us also comes an awesome responsibility that should be taught at an early age.

Callie Jorgenson, 9, Cedar Lake: “My job is to walk my dog, Daisy, each day when I get home from school. In the summer, she just plays outside with us all day. It’s like having a friend because when I’m home, she just wants to hang around wherever I am. I don’t think of it as a job because I love her a lot.”

Cameron Conrad, 12, Merrillville: “I’m the dog bath-giver and, if you think that’s easy, you’re wrong. My dog, Max, weighs more than 100 pounds, and he doesn’t like baths, but he likes to roll in things. When Mom says, “Max, you smell!” I know that’s a hint for me to get out the hose and bucket. I usually get wetter than he does.”

Jack Simons, 16, Dyer: “My black lab, Marco, is almost 13 now, and that’s old for a big dog. He has a lot of arthritis and, sometimes, it’s hard for him to get up and down to go outside or to get into the car. He’s been my best buddy since I was a little boy, so I never mind helping him up or waiting for him when he’s slow. That’s what best friends do for each other, right?”