Basenji Health Issues & Questions

In some European countries it's still allowed to crop tails and ears. However, it is prohibited in Sweden.

Glad you know what it is and are able to treat him, im sure he will be better soon!!!

I'd check those with high customer ratings.

Hugs to you Debra… It is so hard when we get a thought in our mind about someone/something dear to us that could pass. As dogs do, live 'in the now' and marvel at every minute you have with your dogs, your family, your friends.

Patty, I can't see why not. It shouldn't be given every day, but now and then. And it should NOT be replaced with their regular food. Eggs have lots of good protein, and it's also a good source for riboflavin, B12 and phosphorus, and even selenium. I've seen only a few dog food brands with riboflavin in it, and I believe it's an important deal for dogs, as well for us humans.

Shelley, Bungwa is one of my males from my last litter, he is named after Bungwa of Blean. His full name is Antefaa Bungwa Forest Glory. I've not been in a hurry to get my males tested as I don't intend to breed again. However I get stud enquiries so couldn't consider accepting until he is tested and this applies to my 3 males. You may meet him at the NBS sometime but as you may know I'm not ultra keen on showing. Does any one know whether Gary Johnston has published the details of the direct test as I want to forward the link to Jeff Sampson of the UK Kennel Club? They'll obviosly require published information.

Joe Mallozzi had it done with his very old pug and got good results– from ready to put down to able to get around and live a normal life. LOL Mallozzi is the only blog I read, every day. It is --- dogs, food, science fiction stuff, dogs, food, food, food, dogs, sci fi, dogs, food. You can follow the stem cell story starting here: http://josephmallozzi.wordpress.com/2010/07/13/july-13-2010-this-blog-goes-to-the-dogs-again-some-house-of-suns-discussion-and-the-mailbag/

Fantastic news !

What did the vet say it was??

I'm sorry that your girl has fanconi…but now that you know, you can do all you can to help her stay as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Dr. Gonto is wonderful and will help you and your vet along the way. Hugs to you both.

Could she be scratching?…I have one that when she scratches her neck, even a little, she gets a reaction like you are explaining. It is a bad flea year here for us...so she also is super reactive if she gets a flea bite, then she will start scratching, and get a hot spot, like immediately...

Thank you for all your replies. I truely appreciate learning so much about everyone on this board. Unfortunately, I don't know what the parents of my pup is due to being a rescue dog. He was found in a garbage bin, then a shelter, then a rescue, then in my life!

@eeeefarm: For what it's worth, if I was looking to adopt a dog, I would not have been put off contacting BRAT by the OP's posts, but some of the responses could certainly make me think twice about getting involved with the organization! LOL. Well first of all, a very fair post. For the end, really, go look at threads where someone attacks a breeder without contacting them. I defend them with the same passion I show to rescue. My sense of fair play get riled. But please do remember I represent BRAT no more than I represent the breeders. It is my personal opinion. As a rescue, and I have worked with many, they do a great job. It helps to be in a breed where almost any Basenji who is not a risk (ie temperament) can probably be saved by BRAT. When you work in Chow or Rottie rescue, where we have to turn down – no exaggeration -- 20 to 40 for every one we can take, working with BRAT is less traumatic. I can go to a shelter or home and know that if the dog is okay, it won't be put down. I used to walk in shelters to do evaluations on Rotties and Chows and come home crying because even if half of the dogs were stable and wonderful pets, I knew the shelter and local rescues MIGHT save 1 or 2 out of 6 to 10. BRAT stands behind those dogs, as any rescue should. They take them back if there is ever a problem. They pay fosters for medical expenses, which a lot of rescues cannot. They provide support for owners and foster homes. There is NOTHING wrong with BRAT. Of course you get many individuals and some will not be your cup of tea, sometimes someone makes a bad call. But do not judge BRAT by your dislike for me or how I post. Well actually, you might think about this. IF I were a BRAT rep, in any way official, I'd be muzzled or kicked out for expressing my VIEWS in a public forum even if I didn't give away any private info. So again, don't judge BRAT by me. And do remember that I am just as protective of anyone who gets blasted and accused who didn't get contacted first and given the opportunity to fix it.

Jewel (now 17) has homeopathic Rhus Tox - just one tablet a day and she and she seldom suffers aches now.

No magic then, Debra? Paying a vet for what we can do at home! Or am I being too cynical?

Nope, any dog any age can be trained and desensitized. In fact it hit me, Kathy Diamond Davis has had dogs with seizures. You can email her, tell her I sent you, if you need help. Kathy is great with sensitive dogs. KDiamondD@aol.com Noise Phobia (web page makes half the script black unless you highlight), can use same method for all loud noises including the motor cycle. I'd actually go out and TAPE it, start playing really low. http://companionanimalsolutions.com/blogs/tips-for-dog-owners-noise-phobia/ http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+1551&aid=2545 http://dogbuilders.com/articles/2009/01/noise-phobias.html Counterconditioning: Using counterconditioning, the animal is taught to display an acceptable behavior rather than an unacceptable one as a response to a certain stimulus. In this way, a negative stimulus can become associated with a positive event. For instance, the only time the pet gets his most favorite treat, game, or toy, is just prior to and during a thunderstorm. Dogs who enjoy traveling may be taken for a car ride, or cats who love catnip, may be given their favorite catnip mouse. (Dogs who enjoy swimming will need to wait inside until the storm is over!) After a time, the pet will start associating an oncoming storm with getting to have his favorite thing. Desensitization: Using desensitization, the animal's response is decreased while he is exposed to increasing levels of the fear-producing stimulus. For noise phobias, the animal is taught to be calm when the noise level is low, and then the noise level is gradually increased. This process is generally more successful in dogs than cats. To desensitize a pet to thunderstorms: 1. Obtain a commercial tape or CD of a storm, or tape record one yourself (commercial products generally work better). Play the recording at normal volume to determine if it will induce the fear response. If it does, continue with the desensitization; if not, you will need to obtain a different recording. For some animals, a recording alone may not work, since there may be a combination of occurrences that provokes fear, e.g.; thunder plus lightning or changes in barometric pressure. For these animals, darkening the room and adding strobe lights may more closely mimic the storm, and may need to be included in the desensitization process. 2. Play the recording at a volume low enough that the pet is aware of the sound, but it does not induce a fear response. For instance, the ears may be ****ed towards the source of the sound, but you still have the pet's attention. In some instances, that may mean the pet needs to be in a different room from where the recording is playing. While the recording is playing at the low level, engage the pet in an activity in which you give the commands, such as obedience training or performing tricks. Give food or other rewards during the activity when the pet accomplishes what he is supposed to. If the animal shows signs of fear, stop and try again the next day, playing the recording at an even lower level. It is important that the pet not be rewarded while he is fearful or anxious. Sessions should last about 20 minutes. 3. If the animal does not respond fearfully, during the next session, increase the volume slightly. Again, involve the pet in an activity and reward it for obeying commands. Continue increasing the volume gradually for each session. If the pet starts to show fear, decrease the volume. Repeat the sessions in various rooms of the house and with various family members present. 4. When the pet does not show fear when the recording is played at a loud volume, you may want to try playing the recording for a short time while you are absent. Gradually increase the time you are gone while the recording is playing. 5. When the pet appears to have lost his fear, the sessions can be reduced to one per week. In most instances, these sessions will need to be repeated weekly for the life of the pet. 6. During an actual storm, use the same activities and rewards you used in the training sessions. To increase the chances of successful desensitization, the training process should take place during a time of the year when the actual noise will not be encountered: if the pet is afraid of thunder or fireworks, try desensitization during the winter; if afraid of gunshots, the training should take place outside of the hunting season. In most instances, it is best to discontinue any behavior-modifying medications during the desensitization process. Consult with your veterinarian before discontinuing any medications.

PLEASE DO NOT!!! The AMVA and the dental veterinary society says RUN from ANY VET advertising no anesthesia cleaning. PLEASE, find a vet who knows what they are doing! The teeth may LOOK cleaner, but the MEDICAL issue is below the gums! http://www.avdc.org/dentalscaling.html However, performing NPDS on an unanesthetized pet is inappropriate for the following reasons: 1. Dental tartar is firmly adhered to the surface of the teeth. Scaling to remove tartar is accomplished using ultrasonic and sonic power scalers, plus hand instruments that must have a sharp working edge to be used effectively. Even slight head movement by the patient could result in injury to the oral tissues of the patient, and the operator may be bitten when the patient reacts. 2. Professional dental scaling includes scaling the surfaces of the teeth both above and below the gingival margin (gum line), followed by dental polishing. The most critical part of a dental scaling procedure is scaling the tooth surfaces that are within the gingival pocket (the subgingival space between the gum and the root), where periodontal disease is active. Because the patient cooperates, dental scaling of human teeth performed by a professional trained in the procedures can be completed successfully without anesthesia. However, access to the subgingival area of every tooth is impossible in an unanesthetized canine or feline patient. Removal of dental tartar on the visible surfaces of the teeth has little effect on a pet's health, and provides a false sense of accomplishment. The effect is purely cosmetic. 3. Inhalation anesthesia using a cuffed endotracheal tube provides three important advantages… the cooperation of the patient with a procedure it does not understand, elimination of pain resulting from examination and treatment of affected dental tissues during the procedure, and protection of the airway and lungs from accidental aspiration. 4. A complete oral examination, which is an important part of a professional dental scaling procedure, is not possible in an unanesthetized patient. The surfaces of the teeth facing the tongue cannot be examined, and areas of disease and discomfort are likely to be missed. Safe use of an anesthetic or sedative in a dog or cat requires evaluation of the general health and size of the patient to determine the appropriate drug and dose, and continual monitoring of the patient. ) Periodontal problems affect more than 80 percent of dogs over the age of four, according to Hometown Animal Hospital and Dental Clinic veterinarian Jan Bellows. University of Penn http://www.vet.upenn.edu/RyanVHUPforSmallAnimalPatients/SpecialtyCareServices/DentistryOralSurgery/ClientInformation/tabid/814/Default.aspx#AnesthesiaFrequencyDentalCleanings Need for Anesthesia and Frequency of Professional Dental Cleanings Need for Anesthesia In order to perform a thorough periodontal examination, dental radiography, scaling and polishing, gingival curettage and root planing, the pet must be under general anesthesia. Anesthetic gas and oxygen are delivered through an endotracheal tube, thus ensuring pain-free procedures and also protecting the airways from aspirating fluids or debris. Owners of pets naturally are concerned when anesthesia is required for their pet. However, anesthesia-free dentistry performed by untrained individuals is inappropriate for several reasons, including: Significant safety concerns for the patient and operator. Insufficient cleaning of inaccessible tooth surfaces. No debridement of periodontal pockets. Oral discomfort and serious pain. Accidental aspiration of debris that can result in pneumonia and death. Furthermore, it is illegal for anybody but licensed veterinarians or supervised and trained veterinary technicians to practice veterinary medicine. Although anesthesia will never be 100% risk-free, modern anesthetic and patient evaluation techniques used in veterinary hospitals minimize the risks, and millions of dentistry and oral surgery procedures are safely performed each year. The American Veterinary Dental College adopted a position statement on companion animal dental scaling without anesthesia. Anesthesia is essential for veterinary dental procedures, to ensure that the procedure can be completed successfully. Fear of general anesthesia is a natural concern voiced by many owners when a dental procedure is recommended. However, the risk of chronic oral infection, for example, is far greater than the risk of an anesthetic complication. \ btw… have dog with CUPS, an autoimmune issue. I have to have her teeth cleaned every 3 mos. I wish I didn't know so much about it. :(