Hi everyone… so Einstein is 2 years old now and has his at least 3rd case of hives. But the worst and longest. He is also prone to histiocytoma's (just for some background) as well as being allergic/sensitive to chicken and carrots. On a diet of Canidae Lamb/Rice kibble as well as homemade turkey 'stew' and raw turkey necks on occasion (plan on doing that more now). Also once got hives from the neighbors boxer... could be weird coincidence. He is also on Heartgard and a week over due for his Advantix since I didn't want to do it with the hives. Overall in great health... we go for two walks a day when weather permits. We've had a lot of snow and ice. We also got new rubber booties for his feet to protect from the salt on the roads and the ice. He loves them... I hope it's not them, but we haven't worn them since the hives either.
Ok, so hives have been here since Tuesday, so going on day 6 now. About a half hour after dinner we noticed his eye was swollen like he had been in a boxing match. There was blood and a huge amount of swelling above it. We gave him benedryl and iced it. Then the rest of the hives emerged within a matter of minutes we noticed major armpit and groin swollen hives. They were doing great with the benedryl almost gone then on Friday morning he played with my uncle's dog and by Saturday evening the hives on his ears have swelled and become worse. He can't sit still and is constantly looking around swatting at whatever is bothering his ear. The hives on his body have decreased but not disappeared and a few new ones as well. I have pulled up all rugs, blankets and pillow covers and washed them in only a sensitive dye free detergent. We did have recycled rubber floors put in our main living space a over a month ago. I've since washed and sanitized them as well. Lets see.... 3 baths. One 2 days prior to the hives with a new soap for sensitive skin "My Super Dog", but it does have tea tree oil(which I've read conflicting things about) as well as pyrethrin for insects. We also have a greenhouse and my bf started spraying the foilage with a fertilizer recently(have stopped that since the hives as well)
We also found a thorny bush... weird in the middle of winter, over by the squirrel feeder with some digging around it... not sure if it was Ein or the squirrels though. We pulled that out of the ground on Saturday.
I just can't figure out what is still causing his distress and/or the saliva from another dog maybe aggrevating what was already there? He was doing great till saturday... still wanted to play even on benedryl. Now just lethargic... though we did up the benedryl slightly as it is the only thing giving him comfort. And we are doing our best to clean his ears with peroxide. They are swollen to the point that he has yelped when I touch them, but he wants me to rub his head, I think it soothes him. We work from home so he is rarely ever left alone so he has been glued to me most of the week. Please help if you can. I am calling the vet in 2 hours to get an appointment. I'll see how his ears look when he gets up, I'm hoping he will be better.
Thanks!!!! Any help appreciated. Also... if anyone knows of a Veterinarian in northern NJ, parts of Essex & Morris County, NJ that is familiar with Basenji's that would be great as well. We are on our 3rd... we have been with her for over a year now, but I know we can do better.
Update: Ein woke up much better than I did this morning. He seems chipper, closer to his oldself. Most of the hives on his body are gone. There are still some on his head and around his ears, but they aren't as visible like the ones on his white underbelly were. The ones inside his ears are crusty and a bit oozy. The left ear is still a bit red all over, but less swollen then last night. He also lets me gently touch his ears which is a vast improvement. I guess my main questions now are, is it typical for hives to last a full week? Or could they have all been histiocytoma's? They didn't look like the ones he usually gets. Do I still need to take him to the vet today? All other cases of hives besides the first one were taken care of at home, but never lasted past 3 days. Would feeding a higher percentage of raw in his diet eliminate most skin conditions?
I am not sure I understand why you have not taken him to the Vet yet? Hives are not something Basenji related, nor are food allergies. Have you tried a specialist? or for that matter a holistic vet?
We didn't take him yet because it wasn't something he's never had before. And as I mentioned, we are looking into a new vet. I haven't been totally thrilled with them in the first place. Overall Einstein is extremely healthy and well cared for. I have scheduled an app with a holistic vet for later today, there aren't many in NJ.
Years ago if a cat or dog licked me, the area became ultra red and itchy as all heck! I'm wondering if Einstein might be allergic to the spit and dander of other animals? Just something to think about, as you mentioned the hives coming up after a visit with another dog. But I agree with Pat - definitely time to consult with a vet or holistic practitioner.
I also have had hives from other dogs saliva so I figured it was a possibility. We are going to a vet today so we still see what he has to say. Maybe some allergy testing. Just because it isn't common in basenji's doesn't mean it can't happen.
I also have had hives from other dogs saliva so I figured it was a possibility. We are going to a vet today so we still see what he has to say. Maybe some allergy testing. Just because it isn't common in basenji's doesn't mean it can't happen.
I didn't mean to have anyone think that it can't happen (hives in Basenjis)… my point was it is not a usual affliction that we see in the breed.
I don't know if it is a regional thing but basenjis in the Northwest seem to get hives pretty frequently. My old girl Luci who passed away last year, looked like a boxer after a fight when she got them. I also had another boy "Stevie" that would get them, more like bumps all over. Stevie and Luci were not related by pedigree. With both it was only at certain times of year when certain things are in bloom. I think in our cases it is entirely external.
I have heard of several basenjis getting hives in the Northwest, I honestly believe it may be related to pine pollen. I also find wiping dogs down with a cool cloth helps, Stevie was especially sensative around his eyes, they would water and itch so wiping his eyes when he came in from outside made all the difference and if it was really bad we used a bit of baby shampoo.
My first clue was that when I picked either of them up the inside of my arms broke out in hives, I'm allergic to pine pollens.
A benadryl will help but after the first time I would just make a habit of wiping them down when I noticed the itching and rubbing. Like I mentioned it was only a seasonal thing and didn't seem to happen all the time.
I believe food allergies don't usually cause hives, at least not in my kids. I have also seen a dog get hives after running through wild berry bushes and coming back with thorns stuck in a couple places. I would look to see if there is something external the dog is coming into contact with.
I will also say that a bug bite that Ch Palm Desert's Fula Charisma got lead to him getting hives that caused severe swelling in his esophagus, he went from wheezing a bit to not being able to breath overnight. His esophagus collapsed and they lost him at the vet, he was 4yrs old and in his prime. The bug bite was evident and the reaction wasn't immediate but it was deadly. I wouldn't risk swelling when its around the face or head and if it doesn't resolve quickly. Seeing a vet (any vet) might be safest.
Hope he will be okay.
Therese
I agree with Therese. What she described with Fula Charisma is exactly what we went through with our Luna, who was also four at the time of her death. Get him to the vet ASAP, just in case it is more than hives. At the very least it sounds like he needs some cortisone to reduce the inflammation.
Thanks everyone! We are on our way there now, I will let you know how it turns out!
Pat- I didn't mean to sound like that, just me worrying about him and talking myself out of it being something serious because it's uncommon in the breed.
You all make valid points and since I was just doing what the vet said to do last time he had hives I just figured they were the same. HOpefully the new vet will have some answers.
So, nothing to worry about according to the holistic vet… just hives. He wants to see me switch him to a raw diet and sent me home with some probiotics. We have turkey necks and offal on order. Other than that he wants us to keep an eye on Ein's luxating patella, but for that he pushes chiropractic care.
Any thoughts on doggie chiro? I wasn't fond of it for myself when I went a few years back.
Thanks everyone, glad Ein is ok and hopefully he will be on his way to a more permanent solution.
Doggy Chiro… is a wonderful... I have never known any that have not benefited from having it done... especially the elder ones. So if you are dealing with luxation patella's I would do it.
Because I don't remember if you posted it or not, you should let your boy's breeder know about the luxating pattella as it seems to be a growing problem in our breed.
Pat- I did mention it to her when we first found out about the luxating patella over a year ago. She said that she wasn't aware of it in his line. Nor the histiocytomas and hives which he has had since i can remember and he's only 2 and we've had him since he was 8 wks. She didn't seem concerned.
I am looking to add to our basenji family and I would like to not have the same potentially hereditary issues. We have a newish kennel in blairstown that i looked into but couldn't find much. I did email a list of Q's though.
The breeder did say no boosters and switch vets when she heard the last one strong armed us into vaccinating. Which is why we were hesitant and decided to look into a new vet. He didn't really help with the current issue though. I didn't want a shot for him but a topical herbal ointment might have helped? I'm not a dr though 
On a side note is it too late to register Ein? I found the envelope i forgot to mail when gathering his records.
Who is his breeder, if you don't mind sharing? Or his sire/dam? Is it Doris Daniels? As they say, if you don't test for it, you don't know about health problems. What is the name of the people in Blairstown? Have you checked out BCOA for responsible breeders? www.basenji.org
Chris Maxka is recently now in New Jersey. She is a responsible breeder.
and no, not to late to register him (however it will cost more, I think). Go to AKC site and check out registration
Thank you for the referral. I will look into Chris Maxka and will send her a email as well. Yes Ein is from Doris his parents are Am Ch Djakomba's Trick or Treat and Am Ch Queen of Sheba VI. I love Ein he has an amazing personality and good looks to boot! Its just the other things.
The new breeder I spoke with is Dark Moon Kennels, the are not listed on the BCOA but I'm sure you saw that.
Thanks again for being here for all us newbies.
Thank you for the referral. I will look into Chris Maxka and will send her a email as well. Yes Ein is from Doris his parents are Am Ch Djakomba's Trick or Treat and Am Ch Queen of Sheba VI. I love Ein he has an amazing personality and good looks to boot! Its just the other things.
The new breeder I spoke with is Dark Moon Kennels, the are not listed on the BCOA but I'm sure you saw that.
Thanks again for being here for all us newbies.
Don't know the people from Dark Moon, however I am very familar with their pedigrees on their dogs. I find it interesting that there is was no health information on the web site. Particularly since the one male is DNA tested Affected with Fanconi. And was bred to a Clear bitch, but none of the pups were DNA tested… while the "model" says they will all be carriers, it is appropriate (IMO) to have them all tested.
Interesting fact on your boy's pedigree... the Queen of Sheba lines on the sire's side go back to a dog by the name of Johnson's Brindle Boy, this is interesting because in that dogs pedigree there is no way that he would have been a brindle. And he came from a BYB in GA that was getting out of breeding Basenjis only to go to another. So hard to day what really is in the pedigree, at least on the Dam's side.
Pat - not really the hives thread but you mention a dog called Johnson's Brindle Boy with no brindle background. Interestingly when it was known that 2 Brindles were to be imported here, the breeder importing was a 'secret' and there was much discussion within the rumour mongers in the breed. My Fula Tri (whoi had a red undercoat) was spotted at training classes and the word went round that I was the one with the brindles! Perhaps 'brindle' was such a misnomer?
Back tio Hives, jmojopin1 - I see you have a holistic vet - has he not recommended homeopathic Urtica? This is a remedy I swear by and if any of mine get stung I give them some doses and this halts the allergic reaction in its tracks!
I will definitely do my homework before we chose where our next little furball comes from.
Patty, I will call the Dr in the AM and ask him about Urtica. -ty He seemed rushed, it was the end of the day and we were not the last new patient. I feel like he didn't really address the current issue, he was prescribing what to do to prevent it from happening in the future.
Einstein is finally running around today and starting to feel a bit better. But he still had a benedryl earlier today for the itching and scratching.
