Pic: Vincent MounierVincent the Valiant Frenchie, continuing his all-points explorations of the subway system, is in the throes of poison ivy contamination. Not the three-leaf kind. I didn't know there were other kinds.
I feel responsible. I have not briefed him well enough on what it means to live on this coast.
Read the story .
Scratch scratch scratch.
We are treating him with baking soda baths, 1% cortisone creams, benadryl pills...and Bactroban for one small infected spot on a foot, when he thought the Itch might still be mosquito, and scrrrrrratched...
Bring on any advice...
Postscript.
no poison ivy/oak in western canada?
ReplyDeletemy father is very allergic; he gets a shot for immediate relief.
this may be your chance to brief the frenchie on what it means to need medical attention anywhere in our great land.
I don't know if it will help to dry it a bit now, but next time he heads off into the brush of Staten Island he should shower immediately after with Fels-Naptha laundry soap. It removes the oils and is far cheaper than the other preventatives you'll find at Duane Reade.
ReplyDeleteIf you can find Jewel Weed, that's supposed to work. It's a tall weed that grows in damp places with small yellow orchid-like flower on top. The juice is kinda like Aloe Vera.
ReplyDeleteAloe vera (either the raw leaf or pharmacy-type tube) will help to cool itand is light enough to carry in the bush.If it has not eased in a few days, might need to see a doc.
ReplyDeleteFor minor bites and itchies I take a leaf from the cats' book -- lick it! One's own saliva contains natural anitgens. But, of course, humans find it difficult to lick, say, a foot!
But the bicarb should be helping by now.
Commiserations, Beence.
Estorbo, make sure Beence does not make scratcha on the furniture or you will be sued!
ReplyDeleteIf you "believe" in such things (but you don't really need to), the homeopathic remedy for Toxicodendron is Toxicodendron -- and it's available at Vitamin Center stores and Mrs Green's (if there's a Mrs G's near you). Other health-food type places that carry homeopathic remedies would have it. It's useful for many things, once diluted and succussed. The Vitamin Center at Broadway and Astor Place (I think that's its name and I think that's the intersection) carries homeopathic remedies.
ReplyDeleteI've become fond of tea tree oil for the relief all things itchy. Available at the same places.
Sadly, if you don't wash thoroughly with soap immediately after contact (and burn your clothes -- not really, just soap for them too), the only thing that really helps is time. I almost died from poison ivy when I was very young. We learn from these experiences. I learned not to trust my brother quite so naively. To be fair, at the time he was also too young to recognize poison ivy but, as it turned out, he wasn't affected by it. Life is so unfair. But, also as it turned out, for the rest of his life he was stuck with the assignment of weeding it. Karma can be a beautiful thing to see.
Donna: already briefed! The bottom line is: don't.
ReplyDeleteP.S. It would seem poison oak was discovered on the Vancouver Island! But I sure never had trouble with it.
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Thank you all for your support. I am writing this from my sick bed, death waiting patiently at the door. Sick puppy, that Grim Reaper. I thought he carried a scythe, but right now it looks like he has a branch of poison oak... But I'll fight.
Our health food store sells a jewel weed soap, which is good for poison oak and, I believe, poison ivy as well. As a preventative or mitigating measure, if Vince thinks he might encounter poison ivy on a future expedition, he might look into picking up some homeopathic Rhus tox and taking it for several days before his foray into enemy territory. Hope he recovers soon.
ReplyDeleteKeli'i
oh no! poor vince. he might just have to take one of those anti-itch sticks, tear off the rubber padded part which delivers the meds and just use it to scratch with. that's what i do.
ReplyDeletefeel better soon vince...