I'm so sorry to hear about your old girl. There are a couple of things that have worked for me and my senior B. Supplements and/or foods with antioxidants can help (SAMe is good), as can play time, exercise and activities that provide mental stimulation and keep her active and engaged. I have also found that it helps to stick to a routine and keep things out of the path they follow. (My old boy follows the same paths, and if I leave shoes or anything in the way, he'll stumble over them.) And DAP helps some dogs– calms them down and stops the pacing. Also, restlessness and wandering can be a sign of pain-- sometimes caused by arthritis, where it hurts or is uncomfortable to lie down so the dog keeps moving. Pancreatitis is very painful. My dog has had it twice, and both times he wouldn't eat or drink and couldn't keep food down. Does your girl have chronic pancreatitis? Maybe she has a tummy ache or would benefit from a different diet? One last thought, which probably doesn't apply in your case, but sometimes wandering, disorientation and getting stuck in corners can be the aftereffects of a seizure or mild stroke, which otherwise would have gone unnoticed. How are your dog's kidney and liver values? Good luck to you! I hope your old girl feels better soon!

Sorry, I know a couple of god ones in Tampa, though.

Yes, the test for Lyme disease is a blood test. It is a special test that is not in the regular panels– they usually run it separately, after they rule out other things. I hope your B is better! Did you find out what was wrong?

Debra, I'm happy to send you a copy of the report if you e-mail me at ledgespring@lincoln.midcoast.com. Below is information I excerpted from the report: The quotes in red below are from the attached scientific report covering adverse events within 3 days of vaccination in dogs over the course of 2 years. Reports of dogs having vaccinal adverse reactions within the same time frame were not included if heartworm medication had been administered along with the vaccines. This study did not include adverse reactions such as development of fibrosarcomas and/or other conditions which take longer than 3 days to develop. Moore, George E. et als., Adverse events diagnosed within three days of Vaccine Administration in Dogs, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol 227, No. 7, October 1, 2005 Animals—1,226,159 dogs vaccinated at 360 veterinary hospitals. Results—4,678 adverse events (38.2/10,000 dogs vaccinated) were associated with administration of 3,439,576 doses of vaccine to 1,226,159 dogs. The VAAE rate decreased significantly as body weight increased. Risk was 27% to 38% greater for neutered versus sexually intact dogs and 35% to 64% greater for dogs approximately 1 to 3 years old versus 2 to 9 months old. The risk of a VAAE significantly increased as the number of vaccine doses administered per office visit increased; each additional vaccine significantly increased risk of an adverse event by 27% in dogs ≤ 10 kg (22 lb) and 12% in dogs > 10 kg. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Young adult small-breed neutered dogs that received multiple vaccines per office visit were at greatest risk of a VAAE within 72 hours after vaccination. Records for dogs that received both an injectable heartworm preventive and a vaccine during the same office visit were not included in analyses. Population—In the 2-year study period, 4,531,837 vaccine doses were administered to 1,537,534 dogs at 360 veterinary hospitals. Among breeds with 5,000 or more dogs vaccinated, Dachshund, Pug, Boston Terrier, Miniature Pinscher, and Chihuahua breeds had the highest rates of VAAEs with 121.7, 93.0, 83.8, 76.4, and 76.1 adverse events/10,000 dogs vaccinated, respectively (Table 1). The VAAE rate for mixed-breed dogs was in the bottom quintile of all rates. The VAAE rates decreased significantly as body weight increased (P for trend < 0.001; Figure 1). For all vaccines or for rabies vaccine alone, the VAAE rate for 10.1- to 45.0-kg (22.2- to 99.0-lb) dogs was approximately half the rate for dogs that weighed 0 to 10.0 kg (0 to 22.0 lb; P < 0.001; Figure 2). For rabies vaccine administered alone, VAAE rates/10,000 dogs that weighed 0 to 10.0 kg, 10.1 to 45.0 kg, and > 45 kg were 32.1 (222/69,178), 15.3 (69/45,088), and 0.0 (0/1,966), respectively. The risk of a VAAE significantly increased as the number of vaccines administered per office visit increased (P for trend < 0.001). In all dogs, each additional vaccine administered per office visit increased the rate of a VAAE by 24.2%; the rate increase was significantly (P <0.001) greater in dogs that weighed 0 to 10.0 kg, compared with dogs that weighed 0.1 to 45.0 kg (27.3% vs 11.5%, respectively; Figure 4). The 3 dogs with recorded deaths each had received ≥ 4 vaccines at their last office visit. The lowest rate was observed with parenteral administration of Bordetella vaccine (15.4/10,000; 82 VAAEs/53,238 doses), and the highest rate was observed with Borrelia (Lyme disease) vaccine (43.7/10,000; 132 VAAEs/30,201 doses). The risk of a VAAE in this study population was inversely related to a dog’s weight. Factors known to cause vaccine reactions include the primary vaccine agent or antigen, adjuvants, preservatives, stabilizers, and residues from tissue cultures used in vaccine production. The overall formulation of various vaccine components (eg, antigen, adjuvants, and diluent) is proprietary information that was unavailable for analysis in our study; thus, the variation in VAAE rates among single-antigen vaccines may not be solely attributable to the primary vaccine antigen. … because of genetic heterogeneity, the relatively low VAAE rate observed in mixed-breed dogs suggests that laboratory safety trials that use such dogs may underestimate the VAAE rates that would occur in purebred dogs. This is important because purebred dogs comprise at least two thirds of the US dog population. The risk of allergic reaction has been reported to increase after the third or fourth injection of a vaccine (ie, a booster response). Neutering appeared to increase risk of a VAAE more than sex. Females mount stronger immune responses after vaccination or infection than males because of a dimorphic enhancing effect of estrogens and a protective effect of androgens. Below are links to excellent information on veterinary vaccines from authoritative sources: Duration of Immunity to Canine Vaccines: What We Know and Don't Know, Dr. Ronald Schultz http://www.cedarbayvet.com/duration_of_immunity.htm What Everyone Needs to Know about Canine Vaccines, Dr. Ronald Schultz http://www.puliclub.org/CHF/AKC2007Conf/What%20Everyone%20Needs%20to%20Know%20About%20Canine%20Vaccines.htm Age and Long-term Protective Immunity in Dogs and Cats, Dr. Ronald Schultz et als., Journal of Comparative Pathology January 2010 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6WHW-4XVBB71-1&_user=10&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2010&_rdoc=17&_fmt=high&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%236861%232010%23998579999.8998%231578454%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=6861&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=24&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=fb57fe5e84a086c6b1fa65abea55dbd8 Genetically Engineered and Modified Live Virus Vaccines;Public Health and Animal Welfare Concerns by Michael W. Fox BVetMed,PhD,DSc.MRCVS http://www.twobitdog.com/drfox/specialreport_Article.aspx?ID=273f53f4-bcdc-474f-a189-cca1d1a81c38 Vaccination: An Overview Dr. Melissa Kennedy, DVM360 http://veterinarycalendar.dvm360.com/avhc/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=568351 World Small Animal Veterinay Association's 2010 Guidelines for the Vaccination of Dogs and Cats http://www.wsava.org/VGG1.htm (scroll down to Vaccine Guidelines 2010 http://www.wsava.org/PDF/Misc/VaccinationGuidelines2010.pdf World Small Animal Veterinary Association 2007 Vaccine Guidelines http://www.wsava.org/SAC.htm Scroll down to Vaccine Guidelines 2007 (PDF) The 2003 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines are accessible online at http://www.leerburg.com/special_report.htm . The 2006 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines are downloadable in PDF format at http://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/VaccineGuidelines06Revised.pdf 2011 American Animal Hospital Association's Canine Vaccine Guidelines https://www.aahanet.org/PublicDocuments/CanineVaccineGuidelines.pdf Veterinarian, Dr. Robert Rogers,has an excellent presentation on veterinary vaccines at http://www.newvaccinationprotocols.com/ October 1, 2002 DVM Newsletter article entitled, AVMA, AAHA to Release Vaccine Positions, http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=35171 July 1, 2003 DVM Newsletter article entitled, What Do We Tell Our Clients?, Developing thorough plan to educate staff on changing vaccine protocols essential for maintaining solid relationships with clients and ensuring quality care http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=61696 July 1, 2003, DVM Newsletter article, Developing Common Sense Strategies for Fiscal Responsibility: Using an interactive template to plan service protocol changes http://www.dvmnewsmagazine.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=61694 Animal Wellness Magazine Article Vol. 8 Issue 6, How Often Does he REALLY Need A Rabies Shot Animal Wellness Magazine - devoted to natural health in animals The Rabies Challenge Animal Wise Radio Interview Listen to Animal Wise (scroll down to The Rabies Challenge 12/9/07) The Vaccine Challenge Animal Talk Naturally Online Radio Show ? The Vaccine Challenge - Show #91 Rabies Prevention – United States, 1991 Recommendations of the Immunization Practices Advisory Committee (ACIP), Center for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly March 22, 1991 / 40(RR03);1-19 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00041987.htm "A fully vaccinated dog or cat is unlikely to become infected with rabies, although rare cases have been reported (48). In a nationwide study of rabies among dogs and cats in 1988, only one dog and two cats that were vaccinated contracted rabies (49). All three of these animals had received only single doses of vaccine; no documented vaccine failures occurred among dogs or cats that had received two vaccinations. "

Wonderful news Debra. I'm very happy for you. :)

@lisastewart: Surprised it was not already in there as Senator Brown is a Veterinarian. Yes, so am I. Please make sure you contact him & ask that he put the clause in the bill!

Pat, we have so much of it here that it is just horrific.

He's a boy. :) And he's neutered as of three weeks ago. He's only about 10 months old.

In my experience, Hives are BIG. Hard to miss!

One other note about chest 'dropping' (and why did dog people start using that term - it sort of conjurs up visions of dog parts falling off in the yard) One the the biggest problems in basenjis fronts right now is those that are too narrow and have a concave area between the front legs. I'm NOT advocating a front like a bull terrier but there needs to be some 'fill' there to have a good front but it's not the fill it is the actual structure of the bones in the shoulder and upper arm that - if not correct- actally pull the 'front' too far forward. A quick visual scan from the side - if the deepest part of the brisket is well behind the legs - the front is too far forward. We need to pay attention to the actual shoulder structure to make sure we are not continuing to double up on dogs with a short upper arm. That limits front reach, and creates a not efficient side gait. So go catch your dogs and do a quick check - measure from the top of the wither to the point of shoulder (the most prominant bone in the chest.) then from that point to the point of the elbow. They should be the same. if they are not - stand up your dog and put your hand between the front legs - if you hand is IN FRONT OF THE FRONT LEGS - great - if your hand is between the front legs the front on your dog is too far foward. More than you ever wanted to know probably - LOL

@Lysh: Sadie, how are your dogs going today? would love to see an updated photo of them. xx I'd like to see updated pics too.

I usually give the fish oil as the whole capsules in their food. They must like them because they will usually pick them out and eat them first. I am giving a few different supplements to one dog, but that is mainly because he likely has IBD (supplements to help heal the intestines) but don't really give any to the other dog other than fish oil. I do give probiotics, but from a pet food/supplement perspective (like every other supplement) it is definitely buyer beware, as it is un-regulated. Not all strains of probiotics are equally shelf stable. L. acidophilus, for instance, is notoriously unstable and won't last long at high temperatures or in moisture unless it has been stabilized in some sort of carrier (Pearls, for example), or refrigerated. So, buy ones that have a measured number of organisms (or CFUs - colony forming units) or some sort of "viability date". If it's just a weight of organisms, that really doesn't tell you if they are viable or not, they could be dead. And probiotics are not effective unless a sufficient amount is given on a consistent basis. You may have to adjust the amount you are giving if you are not seeing whatever results you are expecting. Probiotics is an area with a lot of potential but unfortunately it is mired in a bunch of marketing hype and the science is still developing on how to effectively use them. It's hard to tell what is real and what's not, unfortunately.

Maybe Malu is just shedding his puppy coat. It will blow out then his adult coat will grow in.

Agree, please take him to the vet as soona s you can.

Yes, it is recommended that all basenjis worldwide register with the Canine Phenome Project and that owners update the information as their dogs age. The information that is gathered from the CPP, is one of the sources BCOA has to keep track of what may be developing issues in the breed or where we may need to collect more data. The more people that participate and accurately report the statistics on their dog the better the picture we have of where the breed stands.

Just wanted to update this thread with Dr. Gonto's response: My words in black and Dr. Gonto's in red. Do you think her results will still be accurate, given she threw up this morning? That should be fine. So long as you remind me this happened when the results are given. Not sure if an hour is enough time for her pills to be absorbed? Maybe, maybe not, but ONE dose is not going to drastically alter her baseline levels. It is just that if the gas is drawn TOO soon, then the levels are artifically high as the blood is flooded with suppliments. TOO early after pills is FAR worse then too late, for accuracy. I had already rescheduled her appointment but will be good to know for next time, just in case.

The original article is here, for those interested: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0028496 I'm no scientist, so much of it was lost on me. I do admit being inherently skeptical of attempts to represent THE origin of dogs… I can't figure out how these studies account for how human relationships with dogs have developed over tens of thousands of years, and I'm far more interested in the way that culture and history have shaped the way we think of dogs -- or even what even counts as "domestication!" A lot of the Asian spitzes historically straddled and crossed that line, for example, roaming free as packs of wild dogs. Anyway, I also find it interesting that they chose a number of island-based village dogs to sample (i.e., the Taiwanese tugou, which is also close to my heart). @Mr B, I chuckle at your comment about "phasing over to the Basenji." I frequently think of doing just that so I don't have to deal with all these giant furballs all around my home!! But I think I will always be partial to the Asian spitz breeds. I love the look of your Jindo, and your Shiba is adorable too.

my tri boy has a black spot right where I assumed the umbilicus attachment was at birth. my guess would be a leftover mark as it healed the pigment was just darker….like a scar???

Yes, she's a wonderful lady. Always very helpful, and quick to reply to any concerns I have. If I thought it was an immediate problem I would have contacted her right away, but it sounds like a common phenomenon. Glad to have community feedback.