Tank's Going Bald

Today, even though I have some other photos, I have jumped Shelly Adams' Tank to the top of the list. Shelly, and Tank, are looking for some help. Here's what Shelley had to say when she sent me these photos:

"So I have a problem that I need help with, folks. Tank has this huge area of bald skin on his back. Its been this way for MONTHS. The skin doesn't seem to itch or bother him at all, there are some places in the batch where the skin is darker than other areas. The biggest issue that I have noticed is he gets cold: FAST! He does a lot of blanket burrowing and what prompted the email  is that he got under the blanket with me this morning and his back was like ice cold feet!

So any ideas of what this could be? I've not seen seasonal alopecia in person, so I can't say yes or no to that. He never fusses about the cold, hasn't got any pain or discomfort and never seems to notice when we touch him there, its like he is oblivious to the baldness.

I put a t-shirt on him and he could not pee with the shirt on. LOL! His coat no longer fits, as he and I have both suffered horribly in not being able to go for walks anymore. I have no idea how much he weighs but it's too much: the tuck is almost non-existent. Please don't yell at me, I know: green beans and exercise! I just can't do it."

The following are Shelly's photos of Tank.

Paris-Ivy

Today's photo is of a Boxer BML members know quite well. Paris-Ivy, from my co-admin Maryann, along with a little story about how this happened.

"Paris-Ivy covered herself up one day while rooting around on the couch! Who knows how she did it ... but this is what she ended up looking like. And she must have liked being snuggled in an afghan because soon after the photo was taken, she lay her head down and went to sleep. '

Silly girl!"

For those of you that are seeing Ms Paris-Ivy for the first time, no that is not dirt on her eyebrow nor did Maryann draw her eyebrow on with a Sharpie. This cutie came that way.

Bev's pack

Today's photos are from Bev Hayes, here is her story.

"I am a 71 yr old widow who moved from Dallas, TX to Flippin, AR in July of 2006. I had never owned a Boxer.  I had, for 30 yrs owned Pekes and GSD.  I missed having a dog in my home.  Enter my world into Boxers.

My Fawn girl, Princess was given to me by a friend of my oldest son.  She was 3 ½ -4 when I got her in May of 2005.  She was not spayed, strong heartworm positive and not UTD on shots.  I got her shots current, had her spayed only to find out about the heartworm status. Just loved the way the guy took care of her. 

I wanted to get her a brother so I began looking at rescues.  I checked with a few in Dallas, TX but found a male in AR named Cole.  I fell in love!  The girl who handled the adoption was a huge help.  I was approved and drove 8 hrs with Princess to meet him.  That did not go well at all.  She, unknown to me, had never been around another dog and wanted to fight with him.  Of course, I could not take him til she was taught to be a dog and it was ok to be around him. She spent 3 weeks at Doggie Boot Camp and when I went to pick them up, they were like they had been together forever.  They came home in the back seat of my Grand Am and I was thrilled. They have been wonderful ever since. That happened in May of 2006.  Cole is submissive, Prin was Alpha and all was well.

A year ago last October I found my little Mandy, this time a Peke.  She was about 2-2 ½ yrs of age, beautiful and I was in love again. She was also a rescue. When I got her, she had been shaved as her beautiful coat was matted so bad they could not comb it out.  She met the Boxers from her crate and seemed to do just fine with them.  I decided to put her in the utility room with a baby gate. I went down the hall and heard this barking and Mandy's little woof-woof.  Down the hall I go and sitting at the hallway gate was Mandy and behind her were two Boxers looking very confused on how she got in the living room with them. My immediate thought was the gate had been knocked down – NOT!!!  Mandy had climbed it and let the big girl and boy that she was now in charge.  I could not imagine her being an alpha, but she is.  She let them know very quickly that she is in charge and they don’t seem to mind.

 

I love them all very much, they are a lot of laughs, company and give me a reason to get up every day.  I am sure you know that feeling."

You want us to go where? (L to R, Cole, Princess, Mandy)

We don't want to go.

I'm still thinking about it.

Cole and Mandy, enjoying the sun.

Mandy making her bed, Cole gets the floor.

She must have got it just right.