Basenji Health Issues & Questions

She should heal up quickly and be a great companion to you.

@krunzer: does the skin look dark and dirty? it may be demodectic mange. If it is, the location is unusual.

Cara had coccidia when we got her, but I have read research that it is killed more easily with ammonia than bleach so that's what I used–- pick up, pour ammonia over area. Neither Connor nor Arwen got it. But since you weren't doing it before, do take in stool samples of the other dogs to avoid them continuing to pass it around. A dog can have it with limited effect and still be passing it in stools to recontaminate your pup. http://www.sheltermedicine.vet.cornell.edu//shelter/coccidia.htm

Glad Ayo is better!

@wizard: Makes you wonder what the vet schools are teaching too! Indeed it does!

@khanis: This has been this way for quite some time. There hasn't been a difference in the 1 and 3-yr vaccines for as long as I have paid attention to them… True, but so many pet owners are unaware of this fact.

I don't get on here often, so I just saw this. What a fascinating topic!!! Thank you for sharing.

I, too, would have the umbilical hernia fixed when she is spayed. In fact, that's exactly what we did when Blaze was neutered last month at 6 months of age (we are not going to do any sports activities with him such as lure coursing, so waiting until his growth plates were closed wasn't a concern).

@Chealsie508: In a way I feel pressured to do it and in all reality, I am comfortable waiting until 14 months. I certainly wouldn't have your dog neutered because someone else thinks you should…I agree with eeeefarm on this. Do what you feel comfortable with, and it appears that you feel more comfortable waiting.

So glad to hear that Nicky is back to her usual self. Hopefully, she'll never have it again!

Thank you for your detective work, Saba. I think it's a hard "case," but I do think that if I were the original breeder of these dogs, I would want to know what happened to them. Even as a lover of the breed, it makes me feel sad and helpless to see those pictures. I certainly can't jump on a plane to fetch those dogs, and I don't reasonably expect the original breeder to, either. But if it serves as an eye-opening example of what happens when you don't keep in touch with your puppy people, then maybe some good will come out of it… Meanwhile, just as you posted this, Saba, I received an e-mail from someone who was able to do more thorough detective work. They found the Malaysian Basenji owner's Rottweiler kennel, and there's full contact info there, including e-mail. I will leave you more info. I would like to send him an e-mail myself, but I have to think about what to say. I get angry whenever I look at that article and those pictures, but I don't think I would get very far if I just went in there guns blazing. The welfare of those two Basenjis is what concerns me. If they are sick, I hope they are getting medical attention. If they are not being fed, maybe there's a local animal welfare agency I can contact. I know there are cases like this all over the world, every day, and many far worse. It just appalls me that someone can call themselves a "dog expert" and a "top kennel," yet have dogs in such condition -- and PROUDLY display them for the press!

Congrats on the newest member of your family! I have a Fanconi dog and part of the reason he has done so well is because strip testing caught it early. I'm sure your B will be fine and live a long, healthy life. Do post photos. :)

Really, posted and decided to send private because, well because.

Kathy, I sure didn't mean to indicate it isn't a godsend or fantastic! Of course it is. I just meant… well as the Arabs say, Trust in G-d but tie your camel. Get the testing, use it to help guide breeding, retest if necessary, but keep doing the strip test. It's an easy if annoying process that protects your dog against testing errors or human errors.

@deschroedter: We use the fowl & the venison and bison ones. Ditto here. But I do not like the fact that the company is using something like this is ANY of their foods.

Wow, I'd not heard of these coat changes. My B has grown some longer hairs in the white around her neck and the red just on the edge of the white, and some of the hair along her neck has faded to a lighter color - no losing bunches or real drastic changes though. What other changes to their coats are normal?

@Patty: Try giving him a good tasty drink immediately after his meal Mine are not drinkers (and in many years I've never had a Basenji that is) so I weakly flavour water with meat juice, veg water and actually anything tasty left over and they each have approximately third of a pint as a 'dessert' after their main meal. Ah yes, the flavored water trick. Last night I put some cut up chicken breast in a bowl, added some water and stirred for flavor and down it went. I got a copy of the urine analysis and it said PH was 8.5, trace amount of protein and Amorphous Phosphate Crystals 2-3. I just collected another sample today and it's yellow cloudy. Not red or pink.

@Patty: Your pictures may be too big in resolution… try to re-size them to a smaller size and then re-posting? For the record, the Purina pro-biotics are called Forti-Flora, by prescription use only (but GIVEN to me by my vet for Lola)... Not so, I have purchased Forti-Flora via the internets for quite a while. So not just by prescription

Not Robin, however if over all he is a good, well put together, good temperment dog, with light pigment, I would used the dog provided that you have a bitch that compliments him. Of course would be great to see stacked pictures of him.

How old is your dog? I would take her to a specialty clinic or university clinic that would have both a neurologist and an orthopedist. My 1 year old deaf rescue girl who is a herding/spitz mix has shuffling feet, tremors, and other problems. She was seen first by the neurologist and they suggested x-rays and more testing. My regular vet did take x-rays of the neck, back and hips. I took her to an orthopedist to review the x-rays. Since she was a stray they do not know what caused the problem but it was suggested distemper or perhaps another infectious disease. I just took her to an opthalmologist and her eyes are good but she does have sensitivity to light. Distemper almost always causes eye problems. The specialists are suggesting an MRI of the back, neck and a spinal tap for her. If your dog was adopted as a puppy or an older pup, I would check with the Humane Society to see if she may have had distemper or some other disease. Did she have an accident where she might have injured her back or neck? You might want to look into getting a doggy wheelchair since she has good movement in her front legs. I am sorry for the problems your girl is having and I hope you find out what is causing it. Jennifer