That Morning Disaster
Woke up to find Boba, my fluffy corgi guy, scratching like crazy behind his ears. Fur everywhere. Like little tumbleweeds rolling across my floor. Thought, “Ugh, fleas again?” Checked him over. Nope. Skin looked red and kinda bumpy. Gave him a bath using his regular oatmeal shampoo – usually calms things down. Didn’t work. He kept rubbing his face on the rug.
Later, saw him struggling to hop onto the couch. Usually jumps like a spring. This time? More like a sack of potatoes. Whined a little. Thought maybe he just slept funny. But then, caught him walking stiffly after his nap. Oh boy. This wasn’t good.
The Vet Visit – Unpacking the Mess
Took Boba straight to Dr. Chen, our vet. Told her everything: the itching, the weird walk, everything. She gave him a really thorough poke and prod session.
- The Itching: Said it wasn’t fleas. Nope. Classic corgi allergies. Could be dust mites, maybe something in his food, or stuff floating in the air like pollen. Explained their skin is just super sensitive. What a pain.
- The Stiff Hips: Felt his hips and watched him walk. Shook her head. Not surprised. Said corgis are basically built for back problems. That long back and short legs? Perfect storm for IVDD risk. Needed X-rays.
- Extra Fun: Mentioned his slightly chubby belly. Yep, she called him “a bit portly.” Said extra weight is killer on those little legs and his spine. Great. My dog’s overweight too. Felt like a terrible owner.
What We Actually Did (The Nitty-Gritty)
Dr. Chen dumped a whole action plan on us.
1. Stopping the Scratch Fest:
Wrote Boba a prescription for some allergy pills – Apoquel. Expensive? Yeah. Worked? Almost overnight. Also told me to switch his food. Ditched the chicken kibble he was on (common allergen, apparently) for some fancy limited ingredient salmon stuff. Wiped his paws with a damp cloth after walks to get rid of outdoor junk. Vacuum way more now. Thanks, allergies.
2. Helping Those Hips & Back:
The X-rays showed early signs of issues. Not full-blown IVDD (thank god), but definite wear. Vet orders:
- No stairs! At all! Bought pet ramps for the couch and bed. What a hassle, but he uses them.
- Short leash walks only. No running wild at the park for now. Five minutes, three times a day? Boba thought this was absolute garbage.
- Started him on daily joint supplements – a glucosamine/chondroitin chew. Mixes it with his food, seems to like the taste.
- Weight loss mission. Portion control! Measured his food carefully. Cut out most treats. Found some low-calorie ones for training.
It’s Working (Mostly)
Took about three weeks to see real changes. The itching basically stopped with the pills and new food. Big relief. No more red, angry patches.
His mobility improved slowly. After a month, he was moving much better. Less stiffness getting up. Way more willing to use his ramps, thank goodness. Still keeping walks short though.
Weight-wise? He’s down almost 2 pounds! Feels lighter when I pick him up. Vet says another pound would be perfect. Still a work in progress.
Biggest Lessons? Don’t Ignore Stuff
Seriously learned my lesson. Thought the scratching was no big deal. Thought he was just getting older and stiff. Wrong. Corgis have these built-in weak spots.
- Listen to their bodies – weird walks, constant scratching, changes in energy? Vet time.
- Weight is CRITICAL. That extra fluff isn’t cute on a corgi. It’s bad news.
- Prevention is way cheaper than surgery. Ramps, supplements, the right food? Worth every penny.
Boba’s basically back to his happy, grumpy self now. Less itch, more bounce. Still misses his marathon park sessions, but hey, health first! Worth the effort seeing him comfortable again.
