Teenage Tup Tup

We pay into a scheme at our local vet's practice. It's a neat idea. We give them a small payment each month and we get all of Tara's flea treatments, her worming treatments and booster jabs (and even better, we don't have to keep track of what needs doing then because we head in once a month and they hand over what she's due). It's great.

It also means that she gets a biannual 'service'.

In April and October we take her in, she's given a once over and any areas of concern can be raised. Traditionally this involves getting her Kennel Cough jab (because that one's an optional extra not included in the package), checking she's not overweight and getting her anal glands squeezed (if you don't know what these are, count yourself lucky).

This time around, along with her bottom issue, we'd noticed that she was looking a little spotty around her mouth.


On her chin and occasionally on her top lip below her nose, she'd get these little bumps. They'd develop a little head and then disappear after a day or two. You can see one of them here:

They didn't seem to bother her, but having things growing on your pet is never a good thing, so we decided to raise it with the vet.

And it turns out that Tara basically has acne.

I think technically it's caused by being a messy eater, which is why it cleared up whenever we made a big effort to wipe her face after every meal, something to do with bacteria on her face, which just sounds lovely.

But it's easily treated. Poor Tara's been on a course of antibiotics, which have done wonders for her face.

It's also done wonders for her energy levels. I think I've gotten a glimpse of Tara in five years time this last week. She sleeps a lot already, but she's been practically comatose since last Wednesday! She didn't even wake me up on Saturday morning (normally she lets me know when she thinks I've had enough of a lie in).

I don't think she's enjoying them a great deal, but she's become very good about submitting to Mr Click sticking his hand down her throat twice a day. She'll be thrilled to discover that after tomorrow the course is done and there's no more pills.

And fingers crossed she won't get spotty again any time soon!