Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy from Batman... if only this is what it looked like in the field, I would have no problem finding her. 

Poison Ivy the plant... looks like every single plant growing in my yard.

It's green and has leaves.....

I just came into contact with some Poison Ivy. I can't find it anywhere. Thankfully the hubster didn't come into contact with it, he has a tendency to turn into a giant swollen blister it's disgusting.

 I on the other hand don't get blisters. I get something that looks like a heat rash, and a raised tuft of skin with small bumps that weep.

So, how does one get Poison Ivy even though they can't find it anywhere in the garden? I thought at first it was Ron my cat... who came running in from outside and gave me a nice cuddle. I have it all over the inside of my arms which almost outlines the cat that I was cradling.

However, now I have it on the tip of my nose on my cheeks, on my stomach, on my legs, and a few patches on my shoulder blades.

Ron didn't touch most of these places.... and I was exposed to more areas after I gave him a bath. Who could be the culprit?? Nobody else seems to have poison Ivy... just me.... and then I started to realize...

I was out in the field last night grooming the horses. First Giselle, and then Raven came up and was rubbing her muzzle all over my neck and my back, especially the shoulder area, and then when I went to ride Ellie bare back I felt my shirt lift up and my belly touched her coat.... exactly where the poison ivy is.

And who do I make facial contact with? Raven. Raven gets so many kisses.... which would explain why my lips are swollen.

Do horses get poison Ivy? Raven has strange looking marks all over her muzzle. So....

Yes. They are up to their arm pits in it... out in the field. Now I have it, and I'm in hell. My face is so itchy. I wash my face with dishwasher detergent every half hour and then cover myself in calamine lotion. My skin is taking a beating.

Please be careful of your pets fur this summer! I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with my animals this summer without constantly coming into contact with the Ivy. I suppose I could go and find it....but first I would have to identify it, and that seems to be impossible.... I suck at plant identification almost as much as speaking another language.