Hi, I have a 5yr old male yellow lab and am looking into maybe getting a bloodhound. if anyone has any bloodhound advice I would love to have it.

[CorkyMax]

Originally Posted by Calihound

Hi, I have a 5yr old male yellow lab and am looking into maybe getting a bloodhound. if anyone has any bloodhound advice I would love to have it.

Hi! Welcome to the forum. This isn't prob. what you had in mind for advice,
but I have this book that tells what each breed of dog is 'prone' to so will quote what it 'says.' The chapter is called: Breed-Specific Health Problems
Eye Abnormalities---Prone to a rolling in or out of the eyelid(s), and dry eye, a condition in which the eye(s) does not produce enough liquid.
Gastric Bloat and Torsion---Gastric Bloat is a swelling of the stomach from excess gas and is usually followed by gastric torsion, a twisting of the stomach. This is the leading cause of death in bloodhounds. Me talking here--I would suggest you 'study' on this problem since it is a BIG problem being the leading cause of death in bloodhounds! Put the words in your browser and if you have a printer--Print out info on this so you know the signs if this happens to your dog. It is an emergency situation and the dog could die fairly quickly if you couldn't get it to the vet like 'right now!' Also there are things you can do to try and keep this situation from happening. A
couple things (for instance) that I know of--I have read not to use raised diners for feeding. Keep the dog calm and not exercising it right after eating.
Hip Dysplasia---An abnormal development of the hip joint(s). Me talking
again---I have heard that supplementing the dog starting right away when it is a very young pup with vitamin C may stop this from happening. If you are interested in using vitamin c--let me know and I can tell you what kind and how much at a later time. (It is 12 PM right now and don't want to take the time to look-up in all my notes right now---I keep notebooks on a lot of 'stuff' to do w/dogs that I think is important to know about. I also ask for
all the paperwork--bloodwork--medications--all info when I have my dogs in to the vet's so I can keep track of everything and how things change over time---good thing to know 'down the road' when you might see something changing (esp lab reports).
Hypothyroidism---A common disease of thyroid hormone deficiency. The thyroid regulates your dog's metabolism. A large number of skin problems in dogs are caused by thyroid disease. Me again--so you will know if dog has
skin problems that this could be why and you would know what to check out if you couldn't figure out what else might be causing it--like, if not caused from food allergies for instance.
Osteochondritis Dissecans---Inflammation of the cartilage in the joints. A
form of arthritis. Me talking---might want to check on fish oils for that.
Osteochondrosis---An abnormal development of joint cartilage. Most commonly found in the shoulder, knee, and elbow.
Teeth Abnormalities---The number, placement, or development of the teeth is not normal.

I hope I haven't 'depressed' you or anything! It is just good to be aware of these things so you know what to look for and also try to prevent what you can and to study on these things. Being 'prone' doesn't mean it will happen-it
just means they could be more inclined than other breeds. Actually in all my listings for different breeds--Bloodhounds have one of the shortest lists. But
that GASTRIC BLOAT and TORSION is a bad one so learn what you can and try to stop it from becoming a reality! The Hip Dysplasia is important to try to prevent too.

Yeah, thanks for the extra info. im aware of most of that stuff including bloat. i have heard of bloodhounds having an unusually high rate of food and environmental allergies. I am also looking for reputable breeders. I think i want a companion/sar dog.
thx for the info already.

Originally Posted by Calihound

Hi, I have a 5yr old male yellow lab and am looking into maybe getting a bloodhound. if anyone has any bloodhound advice I would love to have it.

Hello welcome to this site and in our family welcome to your family also sorry dear no idea about bloodhound hope u will enjoy in this site thank for joining us

[CorkyMax]

Temperament: Sensitive, gentle and shy, becomes devoted to its master, and gets along well with people and other dogs; it is rarely vicious.

Health problems: Are susceptable to bloat and hip dysplasia. As this breed is prone to bloat you should feed two or three small meals a day instead of one large one. Avoid exercise after meals. Because of the joint problems, arthritis, etc. that I mentioned in first post I gave you--A well-padded bed is recommended to avoid calluses on the joints.

Grooming: The smooth, shorthaired coat is easy to groom. Brush with a firm bristle brush, and bathe only when necessary. A rub with a rough towel or chamois will leave the coat gleaming. Clean the long, floppy ears regularly.

Description: Large and powerful, the Bloodhound looks tougher than it is. The skin is loose and seems several sizes too large for the body. The coat is short and dense, fine on the head and ears, and comes in tan with black or liver, tawny, or solid red. There is sometimes a little white on the chest, feet and the tip of the tail. Male==25-27 inches and 90-110 lbs. Female==23-25 inches and 80-100 lbs.

Pet facts: Regular vigorous exercise--They love a good run and need a lot of exercise. Too shy to be a good watchdog. Adapts to urban living, but needs plenty of space and exercise.

BE AWARE: 1. A bored Bloodhound's mournful howl may not be enjoyed by neighbors. 2. Prone to ear infections because of the long, heavy ears.

Tidbit here--Brought to England by William the Conqueror, the solem-looking Bloodhound has entered literature and legend as the archetypal sleuth dog, but it never kills its prey.