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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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and remembering what it was like to look out the window lovers!

Close you eyes for a few moments. No, a few more moments. Walk around with your eyes closed. I can not do it for more than a few seconds…..I know, most people say it’s different for a dog. But I wonder how much? I see Chaps laying by the window every day looking out. It’s actually a big part of what he loves to do.

Emma still goes to the window when she hears a sound because she remembers how she could see…..

Times like these are a bit hard, but I get over it. She is my child and I have every right to feel a bit sorry for her as she stumbles toward the window.

More closing my eyes and trying to see what she sees later…Cat, Chaps and Emma

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and needing a great search tools like this lovers: OK – I was just reading some backed up e-mails and I am so happy I took the time to review all of the links because I found this about searching for an ophthalmologist in your area. I am going to add this link to several sections of my website so we can keep it handy.

It’s critical that you make sure you get a definitive diagnosis. You need to know what the animal is going blind from so you can decide on the proper course of treatment and so you can know what to expect in the future. If your vet can’t give you a definitive diagnosis, please insist on a referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist.

SEARCH FOR AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST IN YOUR AREA

{ LOCATE AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST }

{ SEARCH FOR OPHTHALMOLOGISTS }

This list contains ONLY those board certified veterinary ophthalmologists who have agreed to have their contact information posted on this web site. You will receive the best results if you search by state, since there are typically only a couple ophthalmologists per state. Some rural states do not have resident ophthalmologists. If your search by state returns nothing, then you may wish to search a border state.

Search for an ophthalmologist

(Note: Search by location or doctor’s name…species information is also provided when available.)

Search for an ophthalmologist by species

(Note: all ophthalmologists treat dogs and cats.)

{ SEARCH FOR PROFESSIONAL OPHTHALMOLOGIST SPEAKERS }

If you would like to invite a board certified ophthalmologist to speak at your next conference, the following database search will provide you with basic contact and topic information. Please contact the speakers directly to receive a copy of their CV, expanded topics and speaking schedules/fees.

Locate a presenter

The sad truth is that some vets simply aren’t very good at diagnosing eye diseases. They often don’t have the diagnostic equipment required to make definitive diagnoses, like slit-lamps and Tono-Pens. The eye is complex, the symptoms are often confusing and/or hard to identify, and many vet schools offer little in ophthalmology training to vet students. One important point to make: Many people think blindness is the end result of the disease process, and that once an animal is blind, nothing more will happen to the eye. Not true! Blindness is only a symptom of disease. The eye disease may often continue to run its course, causing pain and discomfort, long after the animal is blind. Glaucoma, for example, can be terribly painful, and humans with the disease say it’s like living with a constant, throbbing headache at best and with a head-splitting migraine headache at worst. So eye diseases require the best possible veterinary care. And the earlier you can treat it, the better your chances of preserving vision. Also: Old age is not a cause of blindness! You wouldn’t believe how often we hear that an animal is going blind “because he’s old.” The best resource we can recommend is a fabulous book called “Living with Blind Dogs” by Caroline Levin. You can order this book directly from Amazon here. MORE LATER….LOVE, CAT, CHAPS AND EMMA

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Howllo Fellow Basset hound and Eye brow whisker lovers: Is that what they are called? Eye brow whiskers? This morning I was laying in bed with Emmers and the sun was hitting her in just the perfect manner that I could see every eye brow whisker she had. It reminded me of when she had her eyes removed and I was frantic with the doctor about making sure she kept her eye brow whiskers. I knew she was going to need them more than ever.

You have to click the picture to see them clearly. The whiskers are right above her scar. I was so afraid that the doctor would need that skin to seal her shut. I kind of forgot all about that until this morning. I waited until Emma when down for her morning nap and snapped this picture.

Something so small as eye brow whiskers can really make a Tuesday special. I love that about Tuesdays.

More chapters in the talking book of life later…..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

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Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Chaps being fine lovers: I swear, if it’s not one thing it’s another. I had a huge scare this morning with the Mayor. We woke up and I looked over at him and his eye was sealed shut with gunk. I gently wiped a few of the harder pieces away and he was able to open his eye. I then went to get a warm compress and worked until the area was clean and free of gunk. I then flushed out his eyes with his eye wash which is just saline solution that I keep handy.

When we got to the kitchen, under the bright lights, I looked closer and I saw a cloudiness forming. My stomach sank and I became faint. This was exactly how Emma’s glaucoma started. (Remember, he is fine).

As you might recall, Chaps breeder, BoBac Basssets has recently come forward with an announcement that they have glaucoma in their line. (Something I told them in 2007)

I had been meaning to get the pressures checked in Chaps eyes for a few weeks now.

I had his pressures checked right after Emma came down with the inherited disease. Chaps has very close connections to Emma. Chaps Mother is Emma’s Mother’s Grandma??? It all gets very, huh???? I asked BoBac how they were related and they could not even figure it out.

I called the vet in tears and they said to bring Chaps right down.

Here is the vet pressure checking his eyes. The one that was gunked up had a low pressure but Chaps does not have glaucoma. Glaucoma will make the eyes have high pressures.

The doctor puts numbing drops in the eyes so this does not hurt at all. This picture of Chaps is how he sat for about 3 minutes and he did not move. I was right next to him.

Chaps does have some inflammation in the gunk eye and he is on eye ointment. I cannot tell you how close my nerves are to the edge with everything we have been through.

Let’s get the heck out of here and go to McDonalds.

French fries for my big boy – to heck with the diet.

More thanking our lucky stars later…….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

P.S. Confession…..I ordered a 6 piece chicken McNugget box. Chaps got 2 and I had the rest. Emma was none the wiser. Poor allergic to protein girl!

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Howllo Fellow Hound And Knowing They Grow Up So Fast Lovers: This is a picture I took of our Emma the day after I brought her home. What a young pup she was, only 3 months old.

She was a wild pup. Flying through the air. I remember I called her my flying white tiger with razor blade teeth!

Grandma had about 5 band aides on each arm from Emma’s loving ways!

I had a kennel for her in the living room where Chaps and I slept. I remember telling Grandma, “This kennel is worth a thousand dollars to me!” Emma would leap over your head and grab your glasses and any hair thing right off of our head. She was (and still is) wild!

OMG, Emma wore me plum out! Chaps was one happy guy when Mommy tucked her in for the night. She is so smart that the kennel only lasted about 2 weeks.

I transported her from BoBac Bassets in TX to KY in this kennel. Can you believe how cute she was?

She tripped over her ears and just turned our world up side down. Our Emma was the definition of puppy!

More real moments later……..Love, Cat, Chaps and they grow up so fast lovers, Emma!

P.S. When I picked Grandpa up from the Hospital yesterday, I heard him bragging about Emma to the nurse. He was telling the nurse how Emma is blind. He said that she is the smartest hound ever. The nurse was so interested and kept talking about Emma. It really made the check out easier. (((((((Emma)))))))))

P.P.S. on a sad note………..Mommy misses those eyes. It’s only natural.

I know my dear readers know what I mean. I feel it every time I look into Chaps’s eyes. My goodness. Who would not want their hound to see?

Who is the pretty girl? Emmers!

More seeing with your nose later. Sniff, sniff! Is that Chappers? LOL

Our Emma!

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Howllo Fellow Hound and recess lovers: I call it recess because it is a huge relief to get the opitivisor off and air a girl out! My Mom and I are doing this every day now until it comes off for good. My Mom cleans the opitvisor and I wash her neck and paws with warm water. She loves all of the extra attention.

Here is a litter closer picture of her eye. It it healing nicely.

That drainage is not current. My vet told me NOT to clean it. He wants absolutely no pulling in that area.

Here is Emma with a clean optivisor! Grandma thought she did such a good job (by not trying to scratch the eye area) that she got a smiley face sticker. How cute is that?

When life throws you frowns, try to smile.

More smiley face stickers later……Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma

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