Heidi's Medical History

I bought Heidi in July 2011 from the Guardian Angel Basset Rescue. Their link is on my left sidebar under "basset hound rescue". It was documented in her medical records and her paperwork that she had skin allergies and would need monthly treatment during the high allergy seasons. I had no problem with that.

July 30, 2011

Here is a list of medicines given to her with a short summary of each.

June 29, 2011
2.25 cc
Steroid - anti inflammatory for allergies and skin conditions.

Given only one time prior to my ownership.

June 2011 - February 2013
200mg
Anti fungal for fungus infections

Months Used - Oct, May, Sept, Nov, Feb

Stopped working after 7 days.

March 2013 - September 2014
Dose amount not known

Steroid - Rapid Relief, treats inflammation and skin conditions caused by allergies.

Months Used - March, June, August, October, November, May, September

Stopped working after 7 days.

New Vet
October 2014 - December 2014

Use along with Atopica Treatment. Shampoo was used until the bottle was empty around May 2015.

This shampoo irritated her skin more than it help as if it was too strong.

October 2014 - December 2014
100mg daily

Immunosuppressive to treat skin conditions. Plan to cut dose gradually.

Great results with daily does but bad for long term use and strong side affects.

While trying to reduce the dose to every other day, skin condition went back to where it was when started.

New Vet
January 2015 - March 2016
500ml

One time injection to treat demodectic and sarcoptic mange

Was recommended as a "just in case" situation.

No change in skin condition.

February 2015

Her skin was in such bad condition, the worse ever seen, this shot was given only for rapid relief.

It did give relief and reduced the inflammation.

February 2015 - May 2015
.1ml - 1ml
Non-Steroid
Regionally Specific Immunotherapy

A gradual build up in dosage, weekly shot. After 15 weeks no improvement.


Between September 2014 - May 2015 her weight dropped from 49 to 36 pounds. From May 2015 - March 2016 she has remained at 36 pounds.

After trying all of these different treatments and her skin showing signs of being the worse conditions ever from September 2014 to May 2015 I decided to take her off of any medication. I wanted to cleanse her system. I also wanted to go to a dog food that had just one protein source and off of grain free.

To help her immune system which was obviously out of sync, I bought Probiotic Miracle to add to her food. I told the vet what I was doing and he approved.

I started this supplement in September 2015 and still give it to her today. I am not sure there is any way to tell if it is working. The vet that I had in 2015 and her original vet that I have gone back to in March 2016 both said it would be good for her and wouldn't hurt.

During this time nothing has changed as far as her skin.

When I bought her in July 2011 she had been eating Purina One with Chicken. I moved her to what Sadie and Winston was eating. I was rotating Diamond Naturals and Fromm for Large Breeds ... both with grain.

From July 2011 until September 2014 her skin rashes were only mild due to allergies and most of the time the Ketoconazole and then the Vetalog did work. Her skin rash would go away. It was toward the end where it would stop working about 7 days with her skin going back to being bad.

For some reason that four different vets have not been able to figure out, her skin condition worsened in September 2014 and it has been an ongoing battle every since.

I have tried single protein source food, grain-free foods, grain free without potatoes. Vet #3 in February 2015 recommended duck or venison as a protein source. Neither of those made a difference.

Protein sources have ranged from chicken, lamb, duck, bison, wild bore, salmon, venison.

Different lotions, creams, salves, have been tried with a zinc oxide base. Aloe vera gels, K9 Klearup and now Wounded Warrior Ointment.

I have also checked to see if her bedding might be the cause. She has slept on Mexican wool blankets, flannel blankets, cotton sheets, nylon on the outside of a sleeping bag, fleece blankets ... there were no changes in skin condition.

As of this morning her skin does not look any different than it did in September 2014. Something happened yesterday to take away what little improvement was seen. As always during this 20 month period, her skin always looks it's best first thing in the morning after she wakes up.

Any comments or suggestions are welcomed.

Heidi Is a Happy Hound Again

FINALLY -- Heidi returned to being a happy basset hound yesterday, like her old basset hound self.

Where has that been after months and months of little activity and more hours of sleeping than I care to count? No, it's not the food change. I did give her a portion last night when I got home for her 3rd feeding of the day. She had the new Earthborn Great Plains Feast for breakfast this morning. It's WAAAAY to soon to show any kind of changes in her due to food.

It might be the Epsom Salts soak she had on Wednesday. That usually takes a couple of days after the soak for her skin to really calm down. Since that soak she has spent a lot of time in her old favorite spots in the living room instead of hiding out in the bedroom. Her spots in the living room are usually where the sunshine hits the floor or couch, while shining through the window.

It started when we got home yesterday from our 60 mile round trip where we bought the Earthborn dog food. She didn't want to ride in the FJ, plus the last couple of local trips she has acted car sick although she never got sick. So she stayed at home while Stella, Sadie and I headed to T&T Feeds in Bloomington Indiana.

To keep the bloodhounds occupied on the return trip I also picked up a couple of slim bully sticks, 2 feet long. I thought they would probably be gone by the time we returned home. As I opened the back of the FJ, Stella took off to the backyard with about 6" left in her mouth.

Sadie headed for the house with nothing. Since she had spent most of the return trip standing and looking out the window I had a sneaky suspicion that only one of those bully sticks were chewed and the other was somewhere in the FJ.

I was right. One of the two had fallen down inside between the front seats and the folded down back seats. So I cut the remaining one in half and gave each piece, about a foot long, to Heidi and Sadie. Heidi started wagging her tail as I handed it to her, trotting off to one of her spots on the floor. She never stopped chewing until the bully stick was gone.

I was only able to get a few photos plus every time I thought I had a good shot she would move, so these are the only ones I could come up with.

Afterwords she takes off sprinting in around the house, barking, going from room to room wanting me or Sadie to chase her. We did, without my camera in hand. Stella in the meantime had finished her bully stick and was standing outside the screen door wondering what all the excitement was about.

By the time she had wore me and Sadie out, she nose dived into the living room floor, wiping each side of her jaws of any left over drool from chewing the bully stick. She was growling to herself while cleaning the sides of her mouth.

While barking she rolled over on her back for a good long scratch, barking and growling at herself .... finished ... hopped up on the couch in the sunshine and thumped her tail against the back of the leather couch.

I am thinking her lack of activity was a combination of not feeling good and boredom. Even though there a LOT of balls and different bones to chew on ... she never uses them. She might feel those belong to Sadie and Stella. Yet she rarely played with them after her first few months of arriving in July 2011.

She obviously liked the slim bully stick and maybe that helped getting her out of any bored feelings she may have had. She has been going outside these past few days more and more, snooping around ... so hopefully she was just feeling the "winter blues" these past few months.

It was great to see her finally acting like she felt good and being the basset hound I remember before her skin issues started to get really bad. Maybe it's the warmer weather like I predicted a month or so ago ... that she likes it when the temps get above 70°. Hopefully we are close to where she will join us in the daily walks that she use to like so much.

An order for a bigger quantity of bully sticks will be placed this morning from Chewy.

We will see but I can tell from her activity yesterday she was feeling good, here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Some Friday Rambling

I hate to complain about weather but it's April 8th, 38° and raining?? What about that global warming? El Nino? Where are those 70° temps I had in March??

As I type this, my hands are freezing, I'm wearing my NorthFace jacket, I feel freezing air from somewhere ... yes I am inside my house ... where it's 54° in the living room and 58° back here in the computer room. It's April and I refuse to turn on my heaters because of that.

Heidi has the right idea ... hibernate under a stack of blankets, sleep and stay warm ... thus no photos of her.

I am back with an urge to blog today, something I have not had recently. I'll be back to posting here on a regular basis, sometimes multiple times per day depending on the weather outside and/or mood.

I will also keep posting on my new blog on Wordpress that I started a few weeks ago. It's located at http://bhoundsblog.wordpress.com or to the left on the blog list sidebar. It's a little different with few words, a few photos, sudden thoughts or a good picture.

No particular order for the photos and paragraphs today. These are the photos I took this morning up to noon. I'll squeeze in some paragraphs between the photos as I go since it feels like I have a lot to say today. It's okay to skip over my rambling and check the hound photos if you want.

Last month on one of those 72° days in March I was washing my FJ with my camera with the 18-50mm lens attached, my 55-200mm lens sitting in the chair at the corner of the carport. I was taking photos at different times of the hounds as I washed the FJ. It wasn't windy but "Murphy" was watching me as he usually does anytime I am involved with activity away from my computer ... a gust of wind blew into the carport ... lifting the chair, the camera and the lens into the air where they landed 15ft away on the gravel driveway.

Since that time I could swear that the photos I take with the 55-200mm lens are not as clear and definitely not as sharp as they use to be. Maybe it's my eyes, maybe not. So, recently I've been taking photos with each lens and I can tell the difference in sharpness between the two lenses. Anyone else see the difference or is it my imagination? I think it might be time for a new zoom lens.

Sadie woke me up a little earlier than normal. A rude awakening since I didn't get to bed until 2:30am and then couldn't sleep after that. Although both hounds took their last trip of the night at 1:30am, they still had to go outside this morning I guess around 7:45am ... we were up for the day.

I knew something was up when I felt coldness inside the house as we migrated toward the door to go outside. I always take the photo of the field across the highway to catch the weather the first time we go outside. As I glanced at the carport thermometer it was somewhere between 35° and the 40° mark. It felt even colder than that. Needless to say the hounds did not stay outside long ... only because I did not want to stay outside long.

When the camera flash works automatically you know it's too early to be up especially when you have the job of retirement. Seattle's Best Coffee #5 was the quick fix and all things were better after just a cup.

I took a look at my blog that I reactivated last night and decided it was time to look for more blogs to add to the blogroll I had deleted. I must have backed up my blog after I deleted them instead of before because they didn't show up when I tried an update. I could remember a lot of them and could find them with a Google search. Others I found on other blogs that I follow. I think right now I might be missing just one and their name will come to me sometime today.

A side note to the photo below. Back last fall and winter I thought Diamond Natural dog food was giving Sadie indigestion problems and it was one reason I switched to Fromm for Large Breeds. Well a few weeks ago she was frantic to go outside to eat grass ... so then I knew it was not the Diamond Naturals kibble, nor was it the Fromm for Large Breeds.

What was it??  I caught her licking a blanket obsessively ... then today I saw her doing it again so I waited. Sure enough, within the hour that she finished, she was frantic to get outside and go immediately to the spot the photo was taken and started to eat the wet grass.

I spent this morning finding most of the blogs I have followed since October 2011. After they were added, of course I had to spend time to get caught up on each one. A few of them I had not read in a while so that was a lot of reading. Since it's freezing outside with rain off and on ... what better things did I have to do? So I am caught up with everyone in blog land.

I did add a new section to the blog list called 'Retirement Blogs'. It started with a blog I have followed for a while called A Satisfying Journey. I grabbed a few retirement blogs from his list, then some from theirs. It will probably stay at the number I have listed and will not increase. For those interested that list is located on the left sidebar below the list of 'Blogs I Follow'. Some good information put out by bloggers in their retirement years.

Stella's separation anxiety has seemed to improved. I left yesterday to grocery shop and when I got back there was no damage. There again, maybe she has damaged all she can and there is nothing left to tear up?  LOL ... I will always be paranoid though when I leave the house for longer periods of time.

They both like to ride in the FJ ALL the time. At times now when we go outside they will stand by the FJ in back wanting me to open the door for them. I do take them on more short trips around town but not all the time.

As I write I am forgetting all that I wanted to ramble about ... seems typical anymore.

My old friend just got back from a two week vacation to Cuba. She traveled with a group of 20 people, saw the Rolling Stones Concert with photos close to the stage and once she is caught up with texts, emails and work she will tell me more about her trip. I'll post any interesting nuggets of information. I wonder if she could ship me some of those cigar she brought back home?

Oh, here's one ... the boxes in the upper left to subscribe to posts, comment by RSS or by email both work. One reader told me she was no longer getting email notifications when I posted new stuff so I added a second feed as a test. I joined the old feed by email and found out that also works now. 13 HOURS later I got an email notice a while ago about the blog post I posted last night around 11pm ... so it does work but Google takes their time notifying you.

One the right side of the blog under 'Popular Posts' I've gone back and forth on what period of time to choose. Currently it is set on the past 30 days instead of All Time. The difference is from the way the blog changed over time from a focus on RVs to Hounds ... each of those periods collect the most popular posts and may not be of interest to the current readers. So because of that I have chosen the option of 'posts from the last 30 days'.

Bloodhounds demand a lot more attention than basset hounds ever did. Or it might be that Stella is that more jealous of Sadie that makes it seem that way.

I survived tax season and filed early. Mine are easy and I will not go into the details of the reasons why. I still find it somewhat amazing the amount of taxes I have to pay as a single filer with a lot less gross income than when I had a job. I'm not into socialism so I will not even go there for ranting about where my taxes go.

The iPhone SE brings up a lot of interesting questions for me. I went back to a flip phone and basic service sometime back in Nov/Dec time frame. That saves me about $400 per year in phone bills ... but there are a few things I miss by not having an iPhone. I had one since the first one that Apple released. I miss having a good camera to taking inside photos of the hounds in a situation of spur of the moment. I miss the 'notes' program for when I go shopping, reminders or different lists I have made and were only a touch away.

So with the SE being the same size as my old 5S and with the technology of the 6plus ... I may have to eat that $400 per year for my sanity and a new toy for 2016. Time will tell.

Time out ... the hounds want fed lunch.

Speaking of dog food ... Heidi looks like she is gaining weight. It's visible and also I can feel muscle again along her spine, her shoulders and around her rib cage. It's enough that when I get off my lazy butt, I'll take her over to the vet and use their scales. She is still itching way too much ... is it a habit?

Compare from March 5 to April 8 for weight gain?

March 5

April 8

Maybe not ...

I know that most retirement advice is to downsize your house (already did 20 yrs ago) and vehicles to one if not none depending on your local public transportation ... but I like having two vehicles, especially the ones I have. I don't drive the Mini Cooper more than 2,200 miles per year since I have retired but it's there when I want that change of pace and need to drive fast with the feel of a sports car. :)

The hounds need the FJ for transport and for those 'rare' times we travel.

The sun is trying to come out but just a few minutes ago it was blowing freezing rain. It's either more coffee or stop writing, climb into my sleeping back for warmth and take a siesta. Retirement is a rough lifestyle even in a sticks 'n bricks environment.

I think that is about all I have to ramble about. As I have noted earlier in other posts I stay way from the topic of politics because all that does is make me mad. My ranting would then go over the top and the men in blue might end up at my door ... you never know with this administration.

Freezing in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.

Afternoon Winds Are Howling

It wasn't long after their lunch we went outside as usual. Like I said in my post this morning, I was going to take up the rope tethered to the anchor and put it back into the FJ.

Like they always do, no matter what ... if the back door to the FJ opens Sadie and Stella are jumping in without me saying a word. 

They like to ride and the past few months I have been taking them with me on short trips around town. So far Stella has not tore up anything when I spend time in a store but she does move to the front seat and looks out the front window for me. You can see in these photos it didn't take long for her to get in the driver's seat.

After I talked them into getting out of the FJ, they headed for the field while Heidi spent some time in the front yard. She seemed to like walking around but didn't get to far today ... not even into the backyard.

Sadie is becoming addicted to her walks as much as her food ... to the point that she wants to go for a walk every time she goes outside. That will never happen. Both of them don't seem to roam the field as long as they use to. This is the 'stare down' that Sadie gives me inside or outside when she wants to go on a walk.

Later in the afternoon I decided it was time to burn off some of their energy, after all they had been sleeping all afternoon while the winds outside were strong enough to move the large branches of the tall sycamore tree and rattle all of my vintage storm windows. 

As Stella shakes her head ready to go, Heidi wants to stay outside but she doesn't want to go with us on the walk. Once I would walk toward the door to let her back inside she would turn around and head back to the driveway, wanting to stay outside. So the bloodhounds and I took off.

As we got near the corner where Stella likes to veer right and take her time, I called her to 'come on' to keep her near me as much as possible. I didn't want to wait or have to go get her if she got too far behind. I still had Heidi loose at the house and even though it would be very rare for Heidi to get in trouble I didn't want to take that one chance of saying "what if ... ".

When it got to this point I was telling Sadie that I was walking home and Stella could show up when she wanted. I was tired of calling for her and being ignored. She finally figured out that Sadie and I were not waiting on her and she came sprinting, fast enough that I couldn't catch her with the camera for more than a couple of photos.

I guess it is easier for her to turn left running full speed if she holds her left ear up. The thing is she would never be able to hold her ears up on her own. Not possible. Flopping ears and fast speeds.

As we got near the house Heidi could be seen. I really expected to find her in the front yard enjoying the sun but she must have spent the time we were on the walk, just snooping around the house. 

Of course with Sadie being the 'leader of the pack' she had to make sure that Heidi was okay when she returned.

She might have a clean bill of health with her blood tests but for many months I have thought her back legs must be bothering her bad enough that she doesn't want to go on the walk in the field, when she use to love doing that. She never missed the chance to take the daily walk. 

The vet and I have rubbed, squeezed and moved those rear hocks but she never reacts as if they are painful. They look painful and swollen but they have looked like that for many years. The skin on those are very soft like they should be. I guess I couldn't tell when they were covered in white hair.

I've been discussing with a friend how can you help a large breed dog lose weight. Some people say cut portions of food and supplement with green beans. Others say weight management food or portion control and others say raw food. Any suggestions?

Sadie has been losing weight but I cut her portions many months ago and at the same time with warmer weather she is getting two walks per day. By the way she looks in the photos and the way she feels on the sides, I can tell she is losing some weight but she is a big hound. My friend's mastiff is 136#, so we have been discussing what to do with him. Their vet says the mastiff has to lose some weight.

I may go back and update older posts and hope when I push the update button that Blogger does not move that older post to the top like the newest post ... it did that to me a few times in the past.

It's above 60° but really  really windy here in 'the tropics' of Southern Indiana.