HI all
Just need to vent a bit I think as I doubt there's much anyone can do to help on this matter!
Jagger is a nightmare when it comes to his monthly flea/worm spot on treatment! As many of you know, Jon is currently deployed with the RN and is only home for short spells. So the treatments are applied by me on my own. Not easy with one pair of hands - or even two pairs come to think of it! But whilst Hendrix also hates the treatment and is a pain over it, I can apply it to him and he gets over it quite quickly even though he really isn't happy about it.
Jagger is another matter entirely.
Trying to apply this to Jagger on your own is nigh on impossible. It gets put off quite a lot as I know its going to be hellish and I have to time it to him being relaxed and sleepy, as well as in the right position for me to apply. Or I try to distract him with treats while I do it. But as soon as he suspects even the slightest thing, or I have started to apply it - he's off! And then won't talk to me and runs away in fear when I am in his vicinity. I never hurt him as like I said, I only have one pair of hands and one hand is parting the fur and the other applying.
Last night we went through this debacle. I try to do it fairly early in the evening but the days are longer and trying to get him indoors early enough is also a trial in itself. It was already a couple of weeks late and I'm conscious it is flea and tick season, plus the mild winter apparently means they will be rife this year. So I felt I had to get it done.
Well its done. However, he shoots off so quickly I never have any idea if I've got it in the right place! When I do finally track him down, I'm sure he has an owls neck as he's always managed to lick it somehow. Which means he will have an upset tummy. Aaggghhhhhh!
I try to make it as trauma free as possible, but every month this is a horrible experience for both me and Jagger! Last night I had to keep checking on him until he finally settled down as he was howling and trying to open windows and move the barricade from the cat flap. Eventually, about 1am he came into my bedroom and got on the bed with myself and Hendrix, but on the proviso I don't try to touch him. This morning I went to give him a chin scratch and he was off!
I absolutely despair. In one respect, it's calmer just me doing it (Jon immediately gets wound up over it as he knows how Jagger will react which transfers to Jagger before we even do anything) but nothing I can think of makes this an easy and trauma free experience for the poor boy! I'm hoping my mum will be able to help with the next one, but even she can see what a problem child Jagger is with this!
Rant over. {big exhausted sigh}
_________________ Clare Hendrix and Jagger, Brown Marble Boys (born 18 August 2013) Hampshire, UK
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