4mickey2

Im trying to post a pic from the phone and it isnt working .

I'll tell you what: I change Barkleys diet every 2 months.  Trying all the different food that others recommended.  Quinoa, Duck, Venison, Buffalo, Fish.  I made him food and nothing helped.  I tried shampoos of all different kinds.  After watching one of Dr Beckers vidoes I learned that oatmeal shampoo can be bad if its a yeast infection.  I had the groomer stop using oatmeal--which is recommended for itchy dogs.  Much better-but not great.

Bichon Bubbles and a bath at home calmed him the best.  But, it never went away.  

I even gave the groomer "my" shampoo and he'd come home scratching.

The saliva test was so easy.  Yeah, it was $250 but, a vet going over all their testing and food elimination diet would be long and even more costly.  

This test took out all guesses.  All the food that people recommend for itchy dogs-were making him itch.  Everything I cooked for him was causing an issue for him.  He is great now!  He has hair growing on his muzzle again and doesn't scratch 1/4 of what he did.  I stopped feeding him anything that had showed a slight reaction and of course no food that shows anything higher.  

I am also grooming him at home-myself.  Not the best looking Bichon but, he is so much more comfortable and even smiles again.  :)

Personally I would spend the money and do this test.  You can do it at home, its easy and has fast results.  You might be surprised.  

Dr Dodds was interviewed by Dr Becker and here is the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcjDMv985l8

Love whole dog journal..  Helps take the guesswork out of how good the food is.

Yup.  We've stayed in Walmart's lots.  You can tell the kind of area you are in.  There are times that we will go in ask the manager if it is okay. Of course we always have a purchase in our hand,too.    

Get the next exit-they will tell you which are rv friendly.  You can probably get a 2014 book for less money now- since it's a new year.  check ebay.

Awesome.  I missed the rockers last trip down there.  Very happy to hear that they are back! 

might sound stupid but put a sign at the end of your site.  with so many people that loop around-you never know if someone says hey, i have one if you want to borrow it.  i know we always check out signs people put out and would help out a fellow camper if we saw it.  just a thought

i love hank. he has done so much for the humane societies, etc.  got pet lovers into the sport of baseball.  just all around great that they used his rescue story to promote our rescues and to help them out.  

so, basically anything that he got 10-11.4 -- he had a weak reaction to.

oatmeal, sweet potato, whitefish, venison, quinoa, barley, turkey

this is a simple test and fast results.  now i am informed on what he has issues with.  we removed the bison/venison food from his diet and are only feeding him lamb and he has been great.  Barkley wasn't having major issues just persistent.  now, i feel we are getting somewhere with him.  

other than barley i have made most of these for the dogs.  the oatmeal---well, we were grooming him with oatmeal shampoo.  

if you have a dog with the itchies-i recommend this test.  dr dodds is well known as is hemopet.  just thought i would share one pups issues in hopes of helping another.

i can't figure out how to get it here-so, i have to copy and paste the results of his allergy test.

To me it sounds like pigeon forge or the wisconsin dells.  Just not sold on going there for more than for a day or two.  Thanks for the input.  

very cool.  might just be interested in a sign like this...

You know we all love the Fort because there is so much to do there.  You don't have to drive anywhere if you don't want to.  What is Branson like?  Would it get boring?

We don't do concerts/dinner shows.

Don't really leave the dogs or the mh for long times. 

It just seems like if we would go-we'd be at a site and that would be it.  

We like the smokies and gatlinburg area and find things to do there.  Would it be like that?  Just torn about spending more than just a day or so there.  I would think longer than that we would be ready to check another area.

Have you been there and what was it really like?

And don't forget the rain storms that roll across the canyon.  That is cool.  We've done these many times.  When you are in Yellowstone watch for people with the big telescopes.  They are wolf and grizzly watchers.  Stop and go over by these folks. Talk to them and ask if you can take a look.  They are all very friendly and almost seem to enjoy letting folks see what they have found.  

Also did the Grand Tetons a lot less populated there.  They offer dinner horse rides which are kind of fun and something different to do.  We did one and enjoyed it.  South of the Tetons is Jackson Hole.  Its a pretty cool town.  The park has elk antlers as an archway into it.  

Grand Canyon - we were going to do the trail on the mules.  Dh decided we needed to go in and find out more.  WELL... when they told us the mules were trained to walk on the edge (you know with half their big belly hanging over) I was like-NOPE I'M GOOD!  lol

it is beautiful out there.  We have gone out there in tents and campers and never had resies.  But, that's just how we roll.  But, it's easier to take that chance with a tent-truck camper or smaller mh.  We've always gotten a site somewhere in the park.  The key is to get a site in the morning-mark it and then go enjoy your day.  If you wait until afternoon they fill up fast.

I was going to say we have done it.  We went to the Keys and got bored -headed to the fort early and got a site for the days before our resies were suppose to start.  But, I was thinking maybe something changed and you can't do it.  But, I guess it can still be done.  Good for you.  enjoy your trip!

i will post his results when I can get on the other computer.  Mine doesn't like pdfs.

So, I got the kit a few weeks ago and sent it in before Christmas.  I held the rope in Barkleys mouth and he just sat there.  I thought for sure he didn't get any saliva on it.  lol  He wouldn't move.  I had to keep moving it around to try to get him to put his tongue on it.  

This is the kit.

I signed up on line so I didn't have to fill in everything on the sheet.  I emailed and asked about that.  I had to label his tube so, it didn't get lost.

These were the directions.

So, I got the rope out of his mouth after 2.5 minutes.  I trimmed it to fit in the tube.  It says your hands aren't going to contaminate it.  I tried to not touch it too much.  Put it in the tube and took it the post office the next day.  The saliva on the rope is good for 30 days.  How can it be-I don't know but, it worked.

Then I waited.  It took about 2 weeks for the results.  In the meantime he is improving but, we still are picky eating.

So, many dogs develop food intolerances or allergies to food.  My dogs always scratch around their muzzles, faces, necks.  But, one in particular scratches a lot more.  He scratches so bad that he creates scabs and he rips out hair.  His muzzle was so short he looks like a poodle not a bichon.  i have tried cooking for them, changing to different foods.  I tried different shampoos and just wasn't able to figure him out.  I was frustrated and ready to take him in to a dermatologist at a vet.

I had it down to the groomer.  Every time they come home they scratch more than normal.  It would take us weeks to get Barkley calmed down and his scabs healed.  Then it was time to go in again.  I gave her shampoo to use.  She would use it for 3 or 4 times and it wouldn't help.  He is never this bad when i bathe him.  

A few years back we were fighting ear infections with him.  I had read Dr Becker noted that oatmeal shampoo can feed a yeast infection.  We got rid of the oatmeal shampoo -- the ear infections cleared up and we haven't had an issue with those since.  But, he was still scratching...  

About 2 months ago I gave up and started grooming him myself.  He scratches a little but, his hair is coming in around his muzzle and his head is nice full.

BUT...  he also has an issue with food sometimes.  I read that they tend to have issues with the common food-chicken, lamb, etc.  So, once in a while I would try venison, bison, fish.  They would all turn their nose up to it after a meal or two.  I would make them eat it but wouldn't buy it again.  

Probably a month ago I bought the venison.  Same thing happened.  Fine I got lamb and mixed it in about 75% lamb to 25% bison.  They eat it.  Good.  I won't buy it again.  

BUT... why is he still scratching and they all turn their noses up to the food.  Poor Barkley he would go a full day without eating and his belly would just be gurgling.  SOOOO.. I made an appt, a few weeks before the appt I cancelled.  I don't want to put him through bloodwork, skin patches and a restricted diet for months. Slowly bringing foods back into his diet. Starting cost is $300 then it goes up as tests are done.  I had a friend go through this and her final cost was around $600.

I watch posts from Dr Karen Becker and Dr Jean Dodds.  Dr Dodds is with hemopet and they do a food intollerance test.  You can do it at home or go to the vet.  hmmmm.. this got my interest.  What is it? The dog can't eat for 3 hours before doing the rope.  Its a simple rope that you hold in the dogs mouth for 2 minutes to get enough saliva on it.  Then it is put into a tube and you send it in.  

Simple, yes.  Does it work?  What if I don't get him to put enough saliva on it?  It is $250, will I be wasting money?  So, I emailed hemopet and they assured me that if there isn't enough saliva on the rope they would send me another.  Ohhhh good.  Alright I'm in.

i cook ground beef or chicken for my pups and give them canned or frozen vegies.  Sometimes they get rice or sweet potato in it too.  But, they get this mixed in with some taste of the wild -grain free and pioneer - grain free.  

i can't cook enough for 4 pups to change them over to all cooked and i don't have the time to figure out what vitamins, supplements i need to add.  that is why i mix dry with it.  also with camping it is easier to haul the dry and take a little extra meat, vegies along for them.

i agree to watch whole dog journal.  it takes the guesswork out of deciding which food to buy.  But, now this is going to bring to creating another thread, kind of on this topic....

look at any camper with the slides in and out.  some full wall slides won't let you get into the bedroom with the slide in.  our seneca had a lot of seat belts.  we had 4 at the booth dinette, 2 on the couch and one on the recliner.  

insurance is more on an A than on a C.  

those are some awesome rules to stick to.  i think i will start now!   :mh1:

so far so good.  they went to the groomer yesterday and her back end is still clean.  she seems to be okay-not crabby, is eating good and not lazy.  so, if you run into an issue like this i say try the proin.

if we ever get to the fort at the same time as you and you want something brought down from them let me know.  i go there a couple times a year.  you can call in the order, pay for it and tell them we'll pick it up.  they'll have it boxed and ready for us.  it's kind of nice.

i got thelma's pills yesterday.  only had one day without so, it shouldn't be too bad.  

louise was outside with us yesterday and she was just sitting in the middle of the back yard-looking toward the fence and out in our field.  she'd look at us but just sat and looked out to the field.  very much not like her.  it was like she was just taking in the smells and sights.  she isn't a hunter or sniffer, she is a patio dog-so it was strange to see her just in a zone.  

i know the girls have moments where they loose me-sight of me.  even though i'm right there and they start to panic run through the house to find me.  so, i watch for when they do this and try to clap my hands, stomp the floor-- once they find me they relax.  

what experiences have you had with aging dogs, any health problems that can be shared that may help others as their pets age?

benadryl i buy at walmart or walgreens.  i get the generic childrens in liquid for one of my dogs.  i'm glad i have it on hand since ringo eats bugs and i think he ate a "dead" bee yesterday.  i noticed he was gasping and gave him some to make sure he didn't swell closed.  but i did take him to the vet to be sure he was alright.  they gave him an anti-inflmatory shot since he still seemed to have issues swallowing.  he was better in no time and today back to normal.

so far thelma is doing good on her pills but i ran out.  i have the pills ordered through drs foster/smith.  hopefully, we'll get them soon.    i think it took my vet a little while to send in the scrip.  

one of the big reasons i go to drs foster/smith is they are located here.  just a few hours north and i can go there if i need to.