Sick Bloodhound

I'm sorry your guy is feeling bad...we have a bloodhound next door, and I love them!  Out of curiousity, what are you feeding him?  Some of it sounds like it could be diet related.  I hope your Vet can get to the bottom of this!

 Welcome to idog brandy; Jessie has allergies and before she started immunotherapy she had infections between the pads of her feet and between the toes also. Although her allergies were serious enough to send us to the emergency vet a few times (once her head was swollen)  she never got to the point where she wouldn't get up and walk like your dog; this sounds like something else to me. Ear infections can be caused by allergies but can also be caused by lack of cleaning; in a flop eared dog you need to clean the ears once a week to prevent ear infections. Did the vet mention autoimmune diseases like pemphigus? Certain forms of pemphigus cause problems with the skin similar to allergies as does discoid lupus:
 
                              [linkhttp://www.canismajor.com/dog/autoimmn.html#Skin]http://www.canismajor.com/dog/autoimmn.html#Skin[/link]
 
                                  [linkhttp://www.vetinfo.com/dpemph.html]http://www.vetinfo.com/dpemph.html[/link]
 
 It also sounds like your dog could also be hypothyroid ( the hair loss). I know the tests are expensive but the symptoms your dog has can be caused by several things ; it's always better not to second guess the vet; I hope they find the problem soon. Please keep us posted. 

Thanks, Jesse's Mom (how are you anyway? You're so good to answser everyone and rarely say much about yourself)!
 
I had a hound for 12 years and she had LOTS of skin infections. I'm serious. She was allergic to any dyes in food, and to lots of people food, too. She had to eat Science Diet, which was, at the time, the best food for her. She had some steroid shots to help with inflammation.
 
Her skin was always itchy, dry, and she picked between her toes all the time. She had lots of issues with her skin and I used oatmeal baths and lots of conditioner and watched her diet.
 
She'd get allergies, too, just being out in the weather. I feel for you.
 
 

  How nice of you to ask nfowler; [] If I had been a member of idog a few years ago there would have been a lot to say about Jessie but since she started allergen immunotherapy and I've changed vets she's doing pretty good ; she hasn't needed antibiotics for over a year. She's having a flare up right now and is on an antihistamine; the skin on one paw is irritated and her ears are a little itchy. The vet said it may be because the serum is about 8 months old ( a vial lasts a long time) and has lost more than half it's potency. She starts on a new vial next week and if she's still having flare ups after that we may go back to getting a shot once a week for awhile instead of the schedule she's on now which is every two weeks, but overall she's doing well.
      It sounds like you had a very allergic dog and had your hands full taking care of her. She was lucky to have an owner as caring as you to help her.

The thing is, I'd take my hound and her issues over these HD (hip dysplasia) ones any day of the week. I haven't posted about Murphy lately, but the worst of it may be hitting me yet again--seems like Ellie (dog pictured here) is starting to experience hip issues. Thank heavens they both turn 3 this month (maybe they'll start to grow up, too).
 
I've been waiting (endlessly) for Murphy's original surgeon to come back from vacation so we can address his issues.
 
Yes, the allergy thing with my hound was a little much, but now it seems like a breeze! (Drat, huh?)
 
More seriously, though, she wasn't as bad off as either your dog or the original poster's dog. She had her flare ups and things, but she wasn't over the top or suffering from breathing-related issues because of it.
 
Oh these dogs of ours!
 
[]

More seriously, though, she wasn't as bad off as either your dog or the original poster's dog. She had her flare ups and things, but she wasn't over the top or suffering from breathing-related issues because of it.

Oh these dogs of ours!

 
  The reason I finally took Jessie to a veterinary dermatologist was the topical treatments that had been effective in preventing irritated (red) skin from turning into an infection stopped working and she would get skin infections less than two weeks after finishing a round of antibiotics. The incident where her head swelled and the skin on her nose and her left eyelid turned red and developed pustules was really scary. My vet had no idea what caused it and said " It's just Jessie". It took about three months for her to return to normal and I kept asking my vet about referring Jessie to Purdue Veterinary Hospital, which isn't far from where we live, to see if they could determine the cause but she didn't think it was necessary. The vet I have now is much more knowledgable about allergies and how they affect a dog's immune system and would not have allowed the condition to go undiagnosed; turns out it was an allergic reaction to an insect bite, something very sensitive dogs can have, and she should have been treated with a steroid. 
   I'm sorry to hear that Ellie is having problems with her hips too; it's tough to deal with the possibility of one dog facing hip surgery; weighing the options, going through the recovery not to mention the expense; hopefully Ellie's problem doesn't get too serious until after Murphy's had surgery and recovered. I hope the surgeon comes back from vacation soon.
    Do you think all the problems the OP's dog has could be caused by allergies? I've never heard of a dog so sick from allergies that they were too weak to walk or eat without being forced.  It sounds like there's something else instead of or in addition to allergies causing the bloodhound to be that sick.

We found out that Tucker is Hypothyroid and he is now on a thyroid hormone replacement.  He is also an a an antibiotic for his infection on his feet and was a lot more energetic yesterday when we picked him up from the vet. The vet has us treating his feet with a shampoo every other day, and we have an eye ointment for his eyes.  We did recently put him on a diet, which we basically cut his food in 1/2, he was 145ibs and in 3 months of being on the diet he is know at 124ibs.  I asked the vet if he thought that had something to do with it and said no and that he was at a more resonable weight know.   His thyroid level was at 0.59 which the normal is between 1-4 and the vet would like him to be some where in the middle. We will have in tested in the next 2 months again/  It is so werid that he has a thyroid issue, becasue I was just recently diagnose with a thyroid disease and have been getting treatement.  I appreciate and will keep every one updated on are guy.
 
 

You don't have fertilizer or weed killer on your grass where he walks and lays do you?
 
My neices dog was licking the paws and after she moved to her own home where they did not fertilze, the problem stopped.  The apartment complex was putting it on the grass.    

  That's good news; I'm glad the thyroid hormone is helping. Large dogs can safely lose about one and a half pounds a week but no more than that; if he lost 20 pounds in 12 weeks he is losing at about that rate. I had to put Jessie on a diet last summer so that's why I know how fast they can lose weight; it's like people; they shouldn't lose weight too fast. It is possible that he may not have been getting enough vitamins if you were only feeding him half the recommended amount of food; 25% less is safe but more than that may not be good. He should lose weight easier now that he is being treated for being hypothyroid. Besides having a tendency to gain weight, dogs that are hypothyroid can have skin infections, be lethargic, anemic and have a dry coat. Thanks for the update and keep us posted; how about some pics of your guy?

Here is a picture of our baby.  His name is Tucker he is 4 yrs old.  We are still fighting the infection on his feet, on his belly and his elbow and he is on alot of medicine for the next month.  He is 10x better and he was so exicted to take a walk.  I am so ready for him to get back to his normal self, and wish I could make him feel better right way. 

Thanks for the pic; I love bloodhounds. He's beautiful.[]  I'm glad he's doing better and hope his infections clear up soon; let us know how he does.

Thanks, he is a real sweet heart!   Tucker's infections on his feet are starting to clear up.  I am really concerned with his back legs, and feel there could be something else going on.  When he stands up from laying down, he acts like it hurts and his legs are shaking,  once he gets to walking he seems to be better, but the intial steps and standing up seems hard for him.  Does any one no what could be going on?  We had x-rays done on both legs last week, b/c one was swollen and they came back fine.  We have talked to are vet every day, and still can not get a good answer.   At this point I am worried about his back legs and his hair lost, which I can pull our very easy.  It almost seems like he is a 12 year old dog and not a 4 year old dog.  He was 145lbs and wonder if him being overweight has affected his back legs.  His weight is now at 124lbs and I would like him to be around 115lbs.  Our vet said we should maintain his weight at what it is know, but a blood hound his not typically that big and his parents were both under 115lbs.  I am so worried  that there could be something else major going on and I do not want my dog to be any pain.  Has any one else had any problem with the dogs back legs, shaking?  If so please let me know.
 
Thanks, Brandi

Have you checked closely for a tick on the legs?  Have you tested for Lyme?

No we have not had him tested for Lyme, but would of thought are vet would of done that if she thought that was going on.  Also I would of thought she would of also caught a tick on his leg when he was at the vets.  We had all the infected areas cleaned and scrubed at the same time he had his ears flushed.   I will go home and examine him for any ticks and ask her about testing him for Lyme.  Thanks for the advice.