The Kennel Club has revealed that eye related problems were mainly to blame after six breeds failed their vet checks at Crufts.

Vet check

The winners of the Bulldog, Pekingese, Clumber Spaniel, Mastiff, Neapolitan Mastiff and Basset Hound classes were not allowed to progress to the Group stages of judging, and were not given their Best of Breed awards.

Vets were asked to look for conditions related to eye disease, lameness, skin disorders and breathing difficulty. These included inflammation related to poor eyelid conformation, signs of chronic damage to the corneal surface of the eye, dermatitis associated with skin folds and long or heavily coated ears, signs of respiratory difficulty or any lameness or hind limb weakness.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “We want to ensure that only healthy dogs are rewarded in the show ring and also use the show ring to help move those breeds forward that are the most inclined to suffer from health conditions that affect their health and welfare.”

Attention to breeding

Kennel Club Chairman, Prof Steve Dean, did point out that most of the high-profile breeds passed the vet checks. “It is very encouraging to see nine of the high profile breeds pass their health checks,” he said. “I am aware some exhibitors were disappointed about those breeds that did not pass but this should not detract from the very real progress several of these breeds have made in improving breed health.

“The trend noted with eye problems is perhaps a signal that across all breeds we need to pay particular attention, when breeding, to the health of the canine eye to ensure dogs have the best chance of living life with good vision, free of discomfort.”

END OF ARTICLE…

I have always been mortified that Emma’s sister, Diva, (Ch. BoBac Duluxe of Switchstand, ROM) was recently awarded the top producing bitch of 2009 as reported by the Tally Ho.

Diva was only 5 when she crossed over the rainbow bridge with stomach cancer and glaucoma. Howl many pups did she have aka “top produce”?  Howl many were sick?  Howl many went on to breed themselves? When I heard that the BHCA had awarded Diva this title I was furious and I still am.

Diva would have never made past the vet check at Crufts.  Someone has to step in for the dogs.  It appears that the folks of Crufts are doing just that.  Bravo…Bravo!

More standing up for dogs later….Cat, Chaps and Emma

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and new resident lovers.  The new residents are Izzy and Abby.  I met them through their Mom Heather who was interested in learning more about glaucoma:( for Izzy.  Izzy has already lost one eye at 2 years of age and will most likely lose the other eye.  The remaining eye is showing signs of pressure increases and Izzy is now on drops.  I was telling Heather to start talking to Abby a lot more now.  Also, I suggested she start using code words and sounds to alert Abby.  For example, I was telling Heather that I tap on the dishwasher when I am going to open it and Emma will leave the room.  Heather had to laugh because this is what Izzy does when she opens the dishwasher….

Izzy is in charge of the rinse cycle!  Too funny!  I love it.

Izzy has a sister named Abby!

I was also telling Heather that Abby will probably be a big help to Izzy when and if she goes blind.  I know Chap became much closer to Emma.  That is when food is not around!  LOL

Welcome Izzy and Abby!

More loving new residents later….Cat, Chaps and Emma

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• ‘Maddison will lead and Lily will walk nearly touching her so she knows where to go. It’s lovely to watch. Maddison is always looking out for her’

When illness forced vets to remove Great Dane Lily’s eyes, the prospects of a fulfilling life didn’t look good.

But then no one had reckoned on her pal Maddison stepping in to turn guide dog.

The pair have been inseparable for years but now find themselves looking for a new home because their owner could no longer cope.

The catch for anyone interested is that the Great Danes come as a package.

They have been waiting at the Dogs Trust re-homing centre in Shrewsbury since July.

Homeless: Blind Great Dane Lily and her kind-hearted canine carer Maddison

Forever friends: Lily, left, being guided while walking with Maddison right. The pair have been inseparable since Lily lost her sight

Manager Louise Campbell said: ‘Maddison is Lily’s guide dog. If they are out and about, for the majority of the time Maddison will lead and Lily will walk nearly touching her so she knows where to go. It’s lovely to watch. Maddison is always looking out for her.’

Lily, six, was barely a puppy when she was struck down by a condition that caused her eyelashes to grown into her eyeballs, damaging them beyond repair.

It was after this traumatic event that her relationship with seven-year-old Maddison developed as she took her under her wing.

The best buddies lived together until their owners decided they couldn’t look after them any more.

Miss Campbell said: ‘With her lack of sight, Lily’s other senses have heightened so although we don’t split them up often she can tell if Maddison is nearby.

‘They curl up together to go to sleep and they are very vocal with each other.

‘We haven’t analysed their different barks but if Lily wants to go forward and Maddison is in her way, the bark will have a different pitch.

‘They are very close to one another and enjoy each other’s company’.

Playful: Lily’s lack of sight has heightened her other senses so she can often tell if Maddison is nearby without the pair touching.

Miss Campbell said that Lily does all the things normal dogs do and if you saw her from a distance you wouldn’t realise she had anything wrong with her eyes.

She added: ‘They are really happy with life, the glass is always half full with these two.

‘They have been with us for a considerable amount of time but they are quite happy and go about their daily routine – they are very affectionate.’

She believes the dogs’ size and advancing years, as well as the fact they have to come in a pair, may have put off potential owners and she warned that anyone contemplating taking the dogs in should look at their lifestyle and think of the responsibility involved.

‘They are not gigantic when you see them outside. These are two lovely big girls who deserve to live out the rest of their lives together in comfort’, she said.

Dogs Trust cares for around 16,000 stray and abandoned dogs every year through a network of 17 re-homing centres.

The Great Dane is seeking an owner who would be willing to give both her and best friend Maddison a new home.

END OF ARTICLE…

Turns out that a new home was found recently but fell through.  Howl ever since this article has come forward there seems to be a line of folks waiting to be considered.

Speaking from experience the thought of a blind dog is scary, but as many of the residents know it is a journey that is so worth taking.  Wow, look howl much Emma has taught us all.  Who ever is fortunate enough to have Lily and Maddison in their life will be forever blessed.

More keeping up with the girls later….Love, Cat, Chaps and our Emma

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Darling Emma Lovers….

Emma has a carpet runner in the living room that actually lets her run towards the kitchen.  OMDawg she loves her runner.  I on the other hand was not so thrilled with her runner!  I referred to it as a dog hair magnet.  It was hard to sweep and just smelly.  So, I did something about it!  Throw rug runners, that I can wash!  Do you likee?

Emma loves them!

Bless her heart, she is so smart and cute!

Here she is flipping her ears.  She always flips her ears when she is learning new paths.  They act like radar.

Of course, Chaps was worried…..

Turns out he hates the new IPhone’s flash.  Poor boy thinks it is lightening.  I don’t have a flash on my other camera.  He has been heading towards his storm center everything I take a picture.  I really need to figure this one out.

We can’t have my new Iphone scaring the Mayor!

My pictures might be dark for awhile!

More figuring out stuff later…Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Lady update lovers!  I just love this girl.  She is pretty. Cindy, went to visit Lady at the vet yesterday and provided us with all of these pictures and updated information about Lady!

Well, Lady now has a foster Mom.  Her foster Mom will pick her up on Monday.  She did not want to leave Lady over the weekend but she had plans to go out of town.  It really was very fortunate for Lady.  The first week after the surgery is very hard on both human and hound.  You have to try and keep them quite and make sure they don’t rub the surgery site.  Anyway, look at our girl.  Herz swelling is down!

Is that a smile I see?

The technician, pictured with Lady, gave Cindy some of her favorite treats and boy did she ever go for them!

Just look at that sniffer going! Again, this looks so much like Emma.  Grandma always says, “Show me your teeth, show me your baby teeth”!  Too cute…..

Cindy really enjoyed her visit with our darling Lady.  Hey, Cindy – if you want to give us some more details that would be great!  I am sure I am leaving out plenty!

Yummy!  Those treats are really good!

Well, tomorrow is a big day for Lady.  Her new foster Mom comes to get her.  I sure hope the foster Mom keeps up with us and provides updates on Lady.

More Lovely Lady news later……Cat, Chaps and Emma

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and TX Lady Lovers…..

EMMA’S GULLY BLANKET SOLD – SOLD – SOLD – TO SANDY GASTON OF CAMP TOAST FOR 70.00!

SANDY IS GOING TO RE-DONATE THE EMMA GULLY TO BASSET RESCUE OF PUDGET SOUND!

THANK YOU SANDY, LADY IS LUCKY TO HAVE SUCH GIVING FRIENDS IN HER LIFE!

Lady is a new resident of Bassethoundtown thanks to Cindy, Rugs, Jethro, Ozzie and Harriet Doyle.

Cindy volunteers for Basset Buddies Rescue of TX and helps with their ongoing efforts to aid the homeless hounds of TX.

Even though BBRTX was full they agreed to help Lady with her urgent medical needs.  Poor Lady was raging with glaucoma and was basically in an emergency situation. She needed her eyes removed pronto!

Cindy gives us some background….

“Lady was found on the internet by a young lady who took her and was going to care for her.  After a few days she realized that she had too many health issues and she would not be able to afford to do the vetting.  So, she called Galveston County Animal Shelter who called Basset Buddies Rescue of Texas to see if we would take her.  BBRTX didn’t have a foster home for this sweet girl but agreed to get her to the vet and start her journey to getting well while they searched for a foster home.  Lady had glaucoma, light heart worms, intestinal worms and needed spaying.  She is very thin and her nails were long and chipping.  She has started her journey to getting well by having her eyes removed, relieving her of much pressure and pain.  Her heartworms can be treated with heartguard and she was spayed while she was under having her eyes removed.  She was wormed for intestinal worms and her nails have been trimmed.  She already looks and feel much better.  She’s slowly gaining weight and has a big jump on her road to recovery.  She’s young and strong and it won’t be long before she’ll be enjoying her new life ahead.”

Well, as Cindy told us, Lady had her eyes removed a few days ago.

She is doing remarkable and is probably experiencing massive relief from the intense pain of glaucoma.  Now she needs a home and some money to pay her tab at the vet.  Cindy thinks that the bill will be about 1000.00 with everything she has had done.  Lady is also boarding at the vet as well.  So far someone has donated 300.00 towards her vet bill.  I think it is someone that is on BBRTX facebook page.

Chaps and Grandma donated 50.00.

Cindy is doing a fundraiser at work.

Now, Emma wants to do her part.  Emma wants to donate a brand new fresh gully blanket!

THERE IS ONLY ONE!

The cost for the blankee is 35.00 which includes shipping and a free blank Lily collection greeting card.  100% of this sale will go to BBRTX towards Lady’s tab.

First come first serve to help defray the cost of the eye enucliation surgery.

One blind girl helps another blind girl.

REMEMBER THERE IS ONLY ONE GULLY BLANKET.  AS SOON AS SOMEONE BUYS IT I WILL POST SOLD AT THE TOP OF THIS BLOG.

TO PURCHASE THE EXCLUSIVE EMMA GULLY BLANKEE SEND ME AN E-MAIL AND TELL ME HOWL YOU WILL BE PAYING.  I WILL USE THE TIME OF THE E-MAIL TO DETERMINE WHO WAS FIRST!

cat@bassethoundtown.com

If you would like to donate to Lady please visit the BBRTX website.  You will find the Paypal donation button on the left hand side.  BBRTX WEBSITE

Cindy, please keep us posted on Lady’s progress and her bill.  I an anxious to find out about her foster home and if they need any advise from me.  I am willing to help anyway I can.  This is a major surgery and the recovery is a solid 2 to 3 weeks.

More blogging about about Lady later….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

P.S. I wonder if Emma has anything else up her sleeve?

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and pity the dry nose lovers…Poor Emmers….

OK, Emma has a dry nose. I am pretty sure it is because she bumps it so often. Oh, I watch her every step of the way and I never change a thing in the house. But she still bumps:(

I have a tube of vitamin E that I dab on her nose after she eats.

I feel her bump my leg about 50 times a day. I see her bump Chaps about that much.

Emma is the best girl in our world. We love her nose so much….

More putting some Vitamin E on her nose later…Cat, Chaps and Emma

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Amazing tails of Chaps Lovers…..

I love having a blog for many reasons and this tail about Chaps and Emma is just one of the many reasons. This blog posting will take a zillion times longer to write than the moment I am about to write about. Really, the amazing thing that Chaps did only took one moment.

We were in the kitchen this morning and I was getting some clean food bowls out of the dish washer…..

Of course I did not have my camera at the ready so I re-created this picture to the best of my ability.

OK, so…..every time I open the dish washer I have to tap, tap, tap on the edges to warn Emma that I am opening the beast. When she first went blind I stupidly left the door open and she rammed into it. It scared her so bad that every time I tap on the dish washer she freaks out a tiny bit and scurries out of the way. With a blind dog you have to learn stuff like this. I tap on a lot of things that are in her way. I also use the word OOPS to warn her she is about to hit something.

Well this morning, I was needing coffee so bad, that I forgot to tap. As I began to unclick the door Chaps realized that I had not tapped. He whirled around and side bumped Emma to the corner of the kitchen and stood guard as I retrieved the bowls. She stood right behind him and did not move.

Well……Guess who got a bit of extra potato mush this morning? OK, both of them but it was so incredibally cute and poinante. It’s moments like this one that make me happy I have a blog. I can share, inspire and record it for myself.

Chaps is an amazing man and he inspires me everyday. I noticed a bit later she licked his chop. Maybe getting a drop of potato mush or maybe a quick kiss…..

More Amazing Moments Later…..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and weeeeeeeeeeee lovers! I cannot believe that today is the day of our trip. We have been planning this adventure for about 7 months. The timing worked out great because I was able to have a friend of mine come and stay at my home. He is doing some much needed maintenance around the homestead. His wife is looking for a job in the area so it is going to be a win win for all of us.

We loaded up early and off weeeeeeeeeeee went like a herd of turtles!

Charleston, WVA here we come!

We packed a lunch and a dinner. The kids did so good. They were so comfy in their beds. Chaps had his worry bed and I bought Emma one to match.

Emma had a bit of a ruff time when Grandma left and went to her room next door.

As you can see I am watching Project Runway…Love it!

She finally gave in and explored the room.

I cannot tell the residents howl absolutely incredible Emma is doing with all of these new places. She is such an inspiration.

Of course her security blanket did not hurt! LOL

OMD! I am so excited about the 30 item free breakfast tomorrow!

More dreaming of waffles later…..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and bassets as baby bear cub lovers. Our Emma seems so sleepy. She seems like a hibernating baby bear cub! Here she is this morning. I just had to capture it!

I was just wondering about something. Since she went blind Emma seems to sleep more. Do you think that it is because when she dreams she sees Chaps and I? I know this may seem a funny question but I was just wondering???

More wondering later….Cat, Chaps and Emma

Ever since our Emma went blind I noticed that she like to sleep a bit more.

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