Basenji Health Issues & Questions

@wizard: Just a heads up for folks living near urban ponds and lakes. This time of the year, hot weather and lowering lake levels often leads to algae blooms, particularly when the lakes are bordered by fertilized lawns. Most algae are the green type but some are called blue-green and have a bluish tint to them. If your dog drinks from urban lakes or ponds, be aware that some blue-green algae are toxic to dogs. Great reminder. Seems every year around here there is at least one dog lost to algae in local lakes. Awful way to lose a dog.

@lanemichelleandolimar: recently, michelle and i have noticed our beloved olimars brown coat is fading. what does this mean? should we worry? what can we do to prevent it?:( Most likely blowing coat (shedding out the old coat). Not to worry, totally normal

Here rnasto@gmail.com We would love some information since we dont have any. The job is with SAIC in Hampton Roads, VA but I don't know where my job will be, so I guess we will just have to pray its not across a tunnel somewhere.

Wonderful..its a good day indeed. Isn't it nice to know that is one area you don't have to worry about?

Great news!

Cory looked awful while she was blowing her coat. If she was a horse, she would have been described as a strawberry roan. A woman who was familiar with basenjis even made the comment that she'd never seen a basenji that color. She lost her winter coat from the bottom up…which looked even weirder. You could see the line of demarcation. It took forever to even out. I don't know why she felt it was necessary to grow that thick of a winter coat down her! She's been on Missing Link for months and even that didn't speed things up. (Or maybe she would have looked worse without it. :eek: ) She looks great now. Pat

You might also be interested in the July 30, 2008 Animal Talk Radio interview with Dr. W. Jean Dodds and me: Duration of Immunity: The Rabies Vaccine Challenge - Show #185 Animal Talk Radio Show 7/30/08 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/animaltalknaturally/2008/07/30/Duration-of-Immunity-The-Rabies-Vaccine-Challenge-Show-186 We talk about the core canine vaccines and booster frequency as well as the rabies vaccine.

You know, I have been concerned about the exact same bumps the last couple days. Riley has less hair than Zip on the tips of his ears on the inside so he has more of them than her, more that I can feel anyway. He has like 5 or 6 in each ear. The two of them spend alot of time outside in the yard so based on my research I thought that they could be fly bites. Zip never got them when we were in an apt. The dogs are probably outside about half of the time. When I was picking them over and noticed how many Riley has and started researching I smeared some tea tree oil triple antibiotic ointment on the tips of their ears. I need to look into it some more but I think I read something about a repellent gel you can put on their ears…I would much appreciate anyone else's ideas on what they could be and steps to avoid them. And Jylly18, you read my mind! Edit: If they are fly bites perhaps this Flys Off stuff will help: http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2755059 I'll keep "googling"…

@fountainhead: thank you…whew, i thought it coming out his penis was going to be something terrible.....i've been wiping his eye with a hot rag hoping that would help, you know, like when a baby has a plugged tear duct. Alway be careful of eyes… I would always rather be safe then sorry and have any eye problems checked out if it doesn't clear up in a couple of days.

How's Lenny's bump - did it go away? A few days after this post, I felt one on Daisy's left side on her rib cage. I thought it was wierd, but then last week, my husband said to feel the same area. It was a scab. I think she got bite by something. You know - summer bugs… Hoping Lenny's bump is gone now and he's feeling great...

you caught that. Hahahaha Ya knew what I was really thinking ;)

I got worried giving kiro so many bones, so i would take lots of old shoe laces and tie them in her crate on the side.ONe big sting with tons of THICK knots and let her pull it off and that kept her busy. You just have to make sure they wont swallow it. (she didnt) and make the knots big and thick. she loved the challenge of getting them off the side of her crate. it helps if your worried about to many bones…..

Instead of incurring a costly vet bill could you see if there's a vet school in or near your area? I know they would be happy to help. Just a thought.

My first thought was "Great! None of her dogs will develop Fanconi." But as a non-breeder I forget that the carrier status complicates your life when it comes to making breeding decisions. Good luck and I really applaud all of you breeders who care because we all know that there are those who don't care and therefore refuse to find out Pat.

Nice to hear good news. Kudos for the dogs, breeder and owners…it has to give them peace.

It is coming back through your e-mail, as long as you are the one who registered your dog with the CPP site. For me the blood left europe june 23rd and I was surprised I got the results so soon, when I open my e-mails I thought the CPP was just telling me they got the blood in, then I think I almost fell out of my chair as the 1st result I saw was an affected, in the process I missed one and was two frightned to open the last one, the clear one was the last one, gave me a bit of rest to go back and notice that probably carrier was not a bad result. The thing is I didn't expected Thorn to be an affected, Eos I was a bit worried as well as for her and Thorns kids, Timbo and Vahli, a few people are saying her father died of fanconi. But I don't feel I am alone in this and I am sure of something, it is the last time I will ever get worried about getting a probably affected puppy, thanks to the test and people who made it happen.

I am sorry to hear of your dog's possible Fanconi Affected status. I agree completely with Terry about waiting on the thyroid panel until he is stabilized on the protocol… and making sure if he does have a UTI, getting that under control as well. When you join the Fanconi list, be prepared that you will get tons of information, some of it conflicting. You will need to sort out what is best for your dog and you and his health. Do the protocol and hope for the best. Some dogs do very very well on it. Some do NOT tolerate it at all. I have two littermate boys with Fanconi, the one on the protocol was sick from day 1 and his body hated the protocol. His brother was sick on it, so we came to the conclusion that a better diet could make him feel better... and it did. He lived 4 years after diagnosis whereas the one sick on the protocol lasted about 2 years. Each dog is different. I lost my old Benny to Fanconi last fall and it was the most devastating thing I have been through in my life... I have helped my dog owners with their affected dogs and will continue to do so with the last few that have Fanconi Syndrome. If you ever want to ask me some questions, feel free to PM or email me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Belly rubs to the boy for me and one from Benny's kindred spirit.

Charlie had VERY sensetive skin as a puppy and would get dry flaky skin if I wasn't careful, I use Cain & Able Pepermint and Tea Tree conditioning Shampoo on them both. I love that it has good natural oils in it and is a mild bug repelent. http://www.healthypetboutique.com/servlet/the-343/CAIN-&-ABLE-SHAMPOO/Detail

Just remember to "pamper" her with the road or sidewalks… if you think that the pads will be able to manage that for more then a short time... I can tell you, it doesn't happen.... especially in the heat of the day.... she might not burn them again.. but it still is way to hot to walk on for any longer then a few minutes....