[Dailydrool] Spring has sprung

[Swartz]

Spring has sprung here in the Florida Panhandle as well.  The boyz have
been shedding like crazy for the last few weeks.  It has been a very
warm winter here...warmer than normal.  I am I vacuuming up a whole
basset twice a week...I don't understand why the boyz aren't naked yet?
But now the boyz allergies have kicked in...Usually it is May when we
have to start Ruger back on his Atopica with Ketoconazole chaser.  There
is something that is in my back yard that irritates their bellies,
redness that turns to hives that turns to welts if we don't get meds on
board or start decon (wet wash cloth wipe downs) Both hounds have the
same allergy issues but Ruger is worse than Colt therefore having to be
on Atopica with the ketoconazole chaser.   Colt gets by with zyrtec and
wipe downs.  Ruger is so bad that I have to put a boy's size 5-7 t-shirt
on him when he goes outside.  Ruger started scratching late Sunday
night, and I thought to myself when I took him to wipe down that maybe I
should start him on the Atopica, but it was several hours after their
dinner and I prefer to give his meds with his meals.  So decided to wait
until the next morning and give it with his breakfast. That turned out
to be a mistake; because after 1st morning outs he came back in and was
welted up...hey I'm supposed to get the red belly warning!!!  Colt hived
up after his 2nd morning out.  So I had to start them on a 3 day course
of Prednisone just to take the fire out and give the Atopica time to
start working. Both of them are on their last day of Preds, so as with
Pred momma has had to ride the mop a few times mostly in the AM because
I  haven't rolled out of bed in time to give them 1st outs before the
preds overcome them.  

As for mud...we don't have much of that here.  Mostly we have sand, year
around sandy basset feet tracking sand throughout the house.   Sometimes
when a patch of grass dies out I have to accuse the boyz of trying to
build their own indoor beach.   I think that once we move to the Indiana
farm in a few months that we too will be dealing with the clay issue.
Not to mention trying to keep the hounds out of the cow, horse and
chicken poop. 

Heart healing drool to all whose beloved hounds have made the journey to
the bridge.  May they live forever in the magic of your memories.  
Healing drool to all hounds and humans who are sick or injured.

Michele Momma to the Bad A$$ Basset Brothers
Colt "momma, wipe my belly please"
Ruger "if you want my belly you're gonna have to fight me for it"