Wordless Wednesday - 9/14/2011

Sniffs, The HoundDogs

It's Waddle Time

We have been total slackers on our fund raising this year for the 2011 Illinois Basset Waddle.  We have got to get busy and raise some funds for the homeless basset hounds.  Every year Guardian Angel Basset Rescue holds the Illinois Basset Waddle in Dwight, Illinois.  This consists of two days of fun activities for bassets and their humans September 17-18, 2011


Saturday is a day of fun filled events with games, basset races, basset socialization as there are about 200 bassets that are allowed off leash in the GABR Park for the day.  Then on Sunday we have costume contests, wagon contests and then we Waddle.  The bassets will lead the the Dwight Harvest Day parade off with about 1,000+ bassets waddling the streets of Dwight.  All in all the actual parade route is about 10 blocks, but the bassets actually have to walk about 5 blocks to their starting point, and then if they have it in them they walk back to the GABR Park.  Well we have done that in the past and have found out that is just a little much for them little legs to handle.  For the last 2 years know we have opt to get on the "Poop" out wagon for a ride back to the GABR park.  We really don't consider ourselves "Poop-Outs" because we actually made it the total distance, we are only getting on this wagon for our humans sake.


We also understand how tight things are for some people this year and fully understand.  We just wanted to bring this wonderful event to your attention in case you have a $1.00 or $2.00 to spare and want to help a "Homeless Basset Hound" out.  This organization is near and dear to our hearts as our human transports for them.  She goes and picks them poor babies up and brings them for vet care or to their foster homes.  She has even participated in a few transports where she was actually delivering the basset to their fur-ever home.  She really likes those trips and are very near and dear to hear heart.  We always blog about our transports and I would say that 90% of the ones we have assisted with this year have been adopted.

Here are a few links to last year's blog posts
Friday - Setup Day Waddle 2010 
Saturday Bash Waddle 2010 
Sunday Basset Waddle 2010 


Here is a short slide show we created to show some pictures from the previous waddles.


Here is a link to our fund raising page if you want to help The HoundDogs out or you can also find our fund raising link on our sidebar.


Sniffs,
The HoundDogs

Wordless Wednesday - 9/7/2011

Wordless Wednesday

Winston

Cleo Update - 9/6/2011

First off, I would like to say “THANKS” to everyone for all the nice comments on our post for Power Of The Paw for Cleo.  I am sorry that I was not in a position to give more details that day, but as you read through our update you will find out that we were pretty devastated with the news that we were dealt last Thursday (9/1/2011).  Please bear with me while you read through my post, it was hard to right and sometimes I seemed all over the place but I tried to give you a picture of what happened since her last chiropractor appt and how we got to where we are today.

The week of August 24, Cleo had another Chiropractor appointment and also received Acupuncture as well.  She had held her adjustment from the previous time pretty well but had slipped out alignment in a few places.  She was adjusted then Dr. A thought maybe Acupuncture in the right areas might stimulate her Immune system.  Cleo does so well and just seems to melt in Dr. A.’s arms.  She pretty much rested during the acupuncture treatment.  Here are few pictures that I could snap before the batteries went dead.

You can see the little needles sticking out of her

The little machine that super charged her

Cleo had to lay still for 15 minutes while this treatment was taking place

Cleo held her own, began to eat like a horse (normal for them steroids), happy girl even was getting out for a few short walks on the cooler evenings.  All until Wednesday evening, when she decided to stop eating all together.  I had just gone to the vets on Tuesday and picked up a whole new case of I/D soft dog food for her, told the vet how she was a munch hound and seemed to be doing well. 

I did notice on Sunday/Monday evening when she would lay flat out you could begin to see her belly bulge; well this didn’t appear normal to me since she has lost so much weight.  Also on her left side there appeared to be a very distinct knot and when I would touch it Cleo would get up, like it hurt. As you can see in the pictures below what I am talking about, with the amount of weight Cleo has lost (12 pounds) we had not been seeing the "pot belly" effect until just late last week.

I really could not feel anything in her tummy, but that was just not right looking to me.  She had an appoint already scheduled for Thursday afternoon for blood draws so I thought we will just make sure that Dr. T checks it out.  Wednesday evening she said NO to food, meds, cheese, treats.  I did have some chicken in the freezer so I cooked that up and boiled that for and she did eat that, of course.  Well I went ahead and called Dr. T Wednesday before he closed and informed him I was bringing Cleo in first thing and not waiting till the afternoon.  I told him she wasn’t eating and something just isn’t right. 

Cleo got some very extensive testing done Thursday morning, blood draws, x-rays of her tummy, back, chest, pretty much her entire body was x-rayed Thursday (9/1).  Unfortunately, all these test have finally found the under laying problem to why she has developed the Auto Immune Deficiency.

Our family received the shock of our life Thursday (9/1) and our world was rocked to the core.  Cleo has been diagnosed with a very fast growing CANCER (Metastatic Hemangiosarcoma) that has been found in her Spleen, Liver, Spine and Lungs.  This form of cancer is usually so far advanced before it is detected, that there is little hope for any options after it is found.  We were told on Thursday that we may have 4-6 months left with her IF we removed her Spleen and started Chemo.    We have decided that that is not something we want to put Cleo through just for a few extra months with her.  We feel that her quality of life is more important to us right know then putting her through a surgery and drugs that would make her feel horrible for the remaining time we have with her.  We will have good days and bad days, but will enjoy every one of them to their fullest and we will know in our hearts when the time has come to let Cleo rest.  But for the time being we take it day-by-day and thank God for everyday that we can continue to enjoy her.

We at the The HoundDogs household, appreciate all our thoughts and prayers and continue to send us the Power of the Paw because we sure could use it about know.

Sniffs,
HoundDogMom, HoundDogDad, Cleo, Winston and Amiee

Cleo Needs the Power Of The Paw

Power Of The Paw, PLEASE

Cleo is needing some serious Power of the Paw right now.  Unfortunately, I am not at a place I can blog about it right know.  I hope to have my thoughts together for a post next week.

Thanks to everyone in blogville for sending Cleo good vibes and keepiing their paws crossed for her.

Sniffs,
HoundDogMom and The HoundDogs