Basenji Health Issues & Questions

Please post an update when you see the specialist.

@elbrant said in Throwing up: You mention electrolytes... like Pediolyte (for kids)? Is that safe for dogs? No idea. I get it from the Vet in sachets, especially for animals. Normally it comes in two different packets and you mix them with water so they combine. I also have veterinary electrolyte concentrate in a bottle. Also from a veterinarian. If push comes to shove and you need to get a Basenji to drink to prevent dehydration, a little honey in the drinking water can be very helpful

My 2 year has black crusty ears, hair loss, swollen joints, Along with other things, since the age of 8 weeks,she has been to 3 Specialist, she has Lupus, one Vet called her a lemon. Now on a low protein diet. I would say could be allergys.

@tanza So far she knows all about his epilepsy journey, not the bumps yet as it's only been a week. But, yes I absolutely am going to ask her about it for advice and to let her know what's going on. Thank you for the reminder! Been so busy juggling pills and cream - and everything else in daily life. ;D I appreciate it!

Thank you... I wasnt sure about the food, some say too much protein, some say that protein are good for acidic urine... i will loose the vegetables for a fee days (Fred will be happy) and keep treating UTI with antibiotic and D-manoze. Kibble is a problem because he is straching his mouth and ears when eating it, That’s why we are on raw diet. He eats horse and lamb meat and he likes green peas so that was his main vegetable. I hope the problem was in the peas 😂🤣.. Thank you... we are going tomorrow on x ray to see If there are any Stones...

@DebraDownSouth thank you.... yes the light and air was removed from our lives that day. Tomorrow will be one month. She was THE BEST!!

Ours had seizures at 7.5 and required Keppra and Phenobarbital. I would take this seriously and get the pup evaluated ASAP and on medication as each seizure can damage sight and brain cells.

@kjdonkers Yes, or at least a confined area with a potty pad set up or potty station. Then if she HAS to go, no disaster.

I sent you a couple of messages... check them please :) (click on the little bell on the top right.

@tonyzz said in Hairloss on blackening ears and brown belly: I would say Yeast infection on the belly. I have not see the black on the ears, but they (vet) should at least do a scrapping

@Pepper said in Elderly Basenji Odd Behavior: The absolutely hardest thing with each of my Basenjis was going through their final week(s) of life. ((hugs)) That's true with all my dogs. I used to say no matter how old, it was still hard. But we lost a 9 mo old Samoyed last December. I'm still crying. No logic.. he didn't know if he lived a long or short life, he just knew he was utterly loved every single day of his life. My heart dog... 6 1/2, lymphoma... had every odds going for her getting a long term remission. She crashed with each protocol and I put her down after 5 mos of her suffering from my desperation to save her. Knowing the end, of course I'd have just kept her comfortable and let her go. Not knowing, I don't know if I would do it different. I hope I would... I hope if it happens again and there isn't a good chance for a cure, I'll let them go. I don't judge anyone who makes a different call, but my heart tells me it was as much my distress at losing her that made me keep on than for her. So I hear you, really clear and with shared pain. I do hope that you aren't shutting off getting another dog. As terrible as losing them is the emptiness of not having one share your life. It doesn't mend the heart, but it does expand it so the holes left are proportionally smaller.

@KhaiPan Pam and I are both stubborn opinionated people and without mutual respect, we'd be in constant battle. Instead, I love her. I watch her utter devotion to the dogs, to doing things right, to helping anyone who needs help. She isn't stuck in any idea... given proof and research, she'll reconsider. She is calming. :) Knowing you have someone personally in your corner navigating this helps a lot. Glad you contacted her.

Thanks, know the kennel name, just forgot her name....

Okay... nothing wrong with her died or getting your food. You can keep her as she is, just add in fiber. And perhaps stool softeners for a bit. I actually gave my basenji liquid dissolvable fiber regularly because she would refuse to potty if it rained and ended up with anal gland rupture. But you can add in green beans, ground carrots or other veggies, even fibrous treats. However, I can't say enough negative about rawhide. Please throw them away. Although it has been almost 35 years, I am still distressed when I remember watching a dog choke to death on one, with 4 adults trying to hold the dog down to get it out of its mouth, the kennel owner getting chewed up horribly in the process, the terrible death. Saved from old post: Pet Health Info FROM: Seaside Animal Care was recently awarded the 1999 National Practice of Excellence Award (click here for details) from Veterinary Medical Publishing and an educational grant from Pfizer. We are one of just over 50 practices ever to receive this honor! WE DO NOT RECOMMEND GIVING YOUR PETS RAWHIDE CHEWS. They expand when wet and are the number one cause of intestinal obstruction at our hospital. They are poorly effective at "cleaning the teeth". Instead, we recommend chew-safe toys such as Nylabone® and Kong® products. Contact the hospital for additional information when selecting safe chew-toys for your loved one.<< While I find it LUDICROUS that they first state they are harmless then say they have seen it ALL, this does indeed support that they are not uncommon as you indicate: 2. From the AAHA: American Animal Hospital Association Miscellaneous Pet Care: Are raw hide chews safe? Answer Rawhide chews are pretty harmless. The problems come when they swallow them whole. They either choke on them, or the rawhide balls up in the stomach and causes gastritis or blockage. We've seen it all. Moderation is the key. One every once in a while is OK, but they shouldn't be included as a regular toy or part of the diet. In addition it's usually best to supervise or at least be nearby when your pet is chewing on any toy. << Diet - Treats and Snacks It is interesting to me that a number of veterinarians I have spoken with do say that they have seen problems associated with these toys. Their experience differs from mine. I practice in a rural area and sometimes I think that I just don't have enough patients to see all the problems that vets who practice in more crowded areas do. << OMG, they sell it yet their vets admit it is dangerous!!! Acme Pet - Pet Health Questions Ask Acme Pet'sExperts Q. I have a one year old mix JRT, she is a great dog. But the problem I have with her is that, whenever I give her a chewy like those basted sticks. I have to watch her because she will make it all soft, not bite a piece and eat it. She makes it soft and swallows half while she is still chewing the other end. She has almost choked on me twice. This happens with the square chewees too. A. I would suggest you not give them to her anymore. Many dogs die of intestinal obstruction each year due to rawhide. Find something else, which is safer, to give her.<< petcare Okay, this is a petstore, not a vet but thought their concern worth noting! In addition, we don't carry rawhide chews in order to assure the safest play experience for your pet. Rawhide chews, when gobbled or eaten in large quantities, can cause choking or possible obstruction in dogs. << vet@dog - Holidays - Chocolate and other dangerous goodies FROM: Dr. Lucy L. Pinkston, D.V.M. Rawhide chews can lodge in the throat and cause choking, or a large piece may be swallowed, scraping and irritating the throat and esophagus on the way down. Once in the stomach or intestinal tract, a large piece of rawhide can also create a physical obstruction. An additional danger that is less widely known is the practice, in some countries, of using an arsenic-based preservative in the processing of rawhide toys. We recommend that, if you do purchase these products, stick to brands processed in the U.S. There has also been a recent FDA alert about the risk of Salmonella associated with dog chew products made from pork or beef-derived materials: refer to the FDA advisory or call 1-888-INFO-FDA. See below (discussion on pigs' ears) for more details.<< I could go on, but the bottom line is, if it is SOMETIMES, even rarely, dangerous, and it isn't NECESSARY, why do it?

Mike, depending on the kinds and levels of the chemicals in your pool, much water could be toxic. Throwing up later isn't fast enough... chemicals absorb. While he may seem better, it's always best to let the vet run tests. That he was lethargic and threw up hours later is an indication he did more than a little drinking... or that the levels are very high for his body weight. Pool Water Do not let your dog drink from chlorinated pools. Pool water contains a high level of a variety of chemicals such as chlorine. When a dog drinks pool water, he or she ingests more chlorine than is healthy and might also be ingesting other chemicals. There also might be algae, insects, bacteria growth, and other harmful substances in the pool. A small sip of pool water will not put your dog in the emergency vet's office. Try to keep your pet from drinking pool water whenever possible.<< Vetinfo.com This one a bit more dire: http://www.justanswer.com/pet-dog/5ha53-just-shocked-pool-using-chlorine-yesterday-dog-went.html I just shocked my pool using chlorine yesterday. My dog went This answer was rated:★★★★★ I just shocked my pool using chlorine yesterday. My dog went swimming in it and drank some of the water. Not an inordinate amount, however there may still have been small undissolved particles of the chlorine floating in the water when she did it. Later, I noticed that she seemed unable to get comfortable. She isn't eating her food, but will eat crunchy dog treats. She seems completely disinterested in water, however. I cannot get her to drink. Overnight, she would not settle for long sleeps all night. She whimpers when I try to massage her tummy area. She is lethargic, but will run and trot outside nearly as normal. If I assume that excess chlorine ingestion is the diagnosis, what is the recommended treatment at this point? It's too late to try to induce vomiting, it's been well over 18 hours since she drank the water. She just looks uncomfortable; she may well just need to let this get through her system but I need to get her drinking again or I'm going to have to put her on a drip! What can I do? Dr. Andy Expert: Dr. Andy replied 5 years ago. Hello, Absolutely, get her into a vet for supportive care. She is going to need aggressive stomach protectants and anti-nausea medication. Products like Sucralfate (carafate) should be started to heal any ulcers in the esophagus or stomach. Often, although barium is used to help diagnose an obstruction, you could ask your vet about giving some barium for its "therapeutic" beneift and soothing of the digestive tract. Also, anti-nausea medication like Cerenia would be invaluable. The system also needs to be flushed out, and considering how ill she is feeling, intravenous fluids should be strongly considered. Sorry to hear what happened. Good Luck Dr. Andy

@chrisb 1st - she absolutely loves peeing in a bush. I mean she will crawl right up into it and then relieve herself. This doesn't happen every time, only about 85% of the time. Is this normal for this breed? Not uncommon. Have heard of it with other breeds too. 2nd - she will squat-walk while she is going #2. She will never just squat in one place. Is this normal? Normal. Not all do, but poop walking is common 3rd - if it is raining out, she will hold everything in until she can't. We do try to take her out in just a mist, and it is a struggle. Only when she can't hold it anymore will she go out, and it is only to pee. She refuses to walk to her pooping ground. Living in the Pac NW, rain can be continuous for 1 - 2 days. This concerns us. Is this normal? It isn't good, but common. My dog would hold until she had anal sac ruptures. I put her on fiber 3x a week, stool softener, and prozac. (the last was for other reasons, but once on it, she no longer had a stroke when she had to poop in the rain! ) I have even done matchsticking to make her potty. Giving fiber and stool soften simply makes her have to go, rain or shine. Having dealt with anal gland rupture, I never want to go through it again. So yes, be concerned. 4th - we have her on a gluten and grain free diet, would this be the reason why she doesn't have to poop as often? I have noticed that if we feed her a bit of dinner scraps (not a lot by any means), she also seems to have a bit of a looser pooh and will pooh 3 - 4 times in one walk. Here's a quote DOES MY DOG NEED A GLUTEN FREE DIET? Unlike in people, celiac disease is uncommon in dogs. As a result, most dogs do not require a gluten free diet. The exception to this is the Irish Setter. A small number of Irish Setters have been documented to suffer from a congenital disease that results in an intolerance to gluten. This has only been reported in certain Irish Setters and only in the Irish Setter in the U.K. These dogs, however, will benefit from a gluten free diet.<< The reality is the gluten free human diet has one great benefit, the few who actually have celiac disease and the VERY tiny number who don't but really need gluten free are benefiting by having self-diagnosing people think they need it. That has resulted in a major price drop and major increase in food options for those who need it. Since it won't HURT those who wrongly are sure they need it, that's a win/win. So dog food companies making gluten free are simply making a buck off fake science. Dogs need a certain amount of fiber to form stools. Really super cheap food has tons of indigestible stuff, giving huge poop. Good quality diets have less junk, but still enough fiber to help form stools. I encourage you to give a few bites of whatever you are eating on a regular basis. Your dog will enjoy it, will have more variety, and it's good. (Obviously not chocolate, onions or things they shouldn't have.... read someone shared a xylitol candy with their dog.. that's a huge toxic no) So grain free. I feed grain feed, even though I have always know there is no research backing it. While dogs may be allergic to a specific grain .. it's not common. In fact: >>The top five allergic provoking ingredients in dogs, in descending order, are beef, dairy, wheat, chicken and egg.<< Corn, which I avoid as I know when my dogs have eaten corn it comes out just like it went it, ,, about 7% of dogs have an allergic reaction. Food companies poo poo that and defend it as a good choice for protein. No thanks. However, I just read a new dna study and will be rethinking some things. They have found that dogs that developed with agricultural communities actually have a higher ability to process starches than dogs that developed (like my Samoyed) far from agrarian societies.So those dogs may both use and need more carbs than other breeds. See if she likes any fruits or veggies and offer them with her food or as treats. Low or no sodium green beans are good also. IOW, you need to get some more bulk in her diet so she has to poop. If you can, maybe create a covered area where she can potty without rain hitting her. Before prozac, I was considering putting a cover on our walk around that leads to the back yard fencing. We were even happy if she pooped on the back porch as long as she went. So try umbrellas and rain boots. At least you aren't alone.

I learned about bulldogs from my friends Norma and Frank Hugo of Hugo Bulls. They have over 150 specialty wins since 1967. I have seen the trauma of heart disease, cleft palates, and idiots who don't know they require c-sections until their bitch starts to whelp and crush the rib cages of their puppies.. or die because they can't deliver them. Breeding basenjis is a breeze compared to bulldogs. You say you have read for years, but I would bet I learned more from hanging with Norma over 30 yrs ago than you have. For the record, it is "bred" not "bread". <to self.. don't feed the trolls>