I had a spinal injury a few years ago and the surgeon warned me of permanent nerve damage causing incontinence being a potential consequence if it got worse. It's called "cauda equina syndrome", I did a quick search and it looks like it occurs in dogs too. Essentially you lose all nerve feeling on your bowel, hence not knowing when you need to go. I'm not sure what the solution is (if any) but it could be a clue.
Life Expectancy??
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Well, responsbile breeders will test puppies before they leave, they will know who is carrier and who is clear….carriers that will be placed as pets must be placed in responsible homes that will show proof of spay and neuter. Carriers that are kept by breeders will be bred to clears, lather, rinse, repeat...
Some breeders may choose to keep only clears to go on with their breeding program...it would definitely be my priority, rather than show qualities...but it isn't a necessity.It will take years, and generations for the majority of breeders to have all clears.....but I have faith that it will happen. Particularly when the buying public knows that they can either buy a puppy that won't get Fanconi, or take their chances with an irresponsible breeder....
As far as the male affected question....it is a commonly held understaning that the stress of pregnancy on the kidneys causes a Fanconi affected bitch to start exhibiting symptoms, and to hasten the progression of the disease. It is mostly anecdotal, but does seem to run true among all breeders that have had a brood bitch start to spill sugar; it happens directly after raising a litter.
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<_>
In the end, yes, the only way to irradicate the recessive gene is to breed clear to clear…but it doesn't have to, and shouldn't happen in just a few generations, you would loose about half the population of basenjis. By doing it slower, and including carriers in the breedings you can do it without losing as much diversity.
There will probably always be some untested pockets of Fanconi...kind of like there are still pockets of Hemolytic Anemia...but we can, and will irradicate from the breeding population for all intents and purposes._
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Responsible breeders will test their stock and breed accordingly so no affecteds are produced. Irresponsible breeders will not test and will continue to produce affecteds and will continue to use the same reasons they currently do unless buyers become educated and refuse to buy a puppy unless they see a test result for the parents in the OFA database. The fact that fanconi will persist in the irresponsibly bred population of dogs will not effect the efforts of responsible breeders since they will only use tested stock. The people who will be affected by the irresponsible breeders are those who continue to buy puppies from them and then have to deal with this horrible and now avoidable disease.
The message to anyone considering buying a puppy needs to be clear, repeated, and hopefully heard. At least 1 parent in every breeding should have a DNA Marker Test for Fanconi Syndrome with a result of Probably Clear/Normal. If you can not verify this on OFA after 2 weeks of being told by the breeder that this is the case then do not buy a puppy from that breeder. 2 weeks is the current lag time between a person recieving their emailed results from the lab and the results being publicly posted on the OFA website.
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Sincere thanks to you all for enlightening me. I feel I now, at least, have a basic understanding as to what's going on with Fanconi in our beloved breed.
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Thank you for taking the time to ask questions and become better informed. It is really important for the long term good of the breed that the people that share their lives with basenjis take an interest in what is going on with the breed.
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Thank you for taking the time to ask questions and become better informed. It is really important for the long term good of the breed that the people that share their lives with basenjis take an interest in what is going on with the breed.
Well said Lisa! And that people pass that information to others….
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How old is your basenji?
I have found varying ages for the average life expectancy of Basenjis - anywhere from 8 to 16 years. While it's not the happiest topic, what experience have you forum readers had?
(Please forgive me if this has been covered somewhere else in the forums. I did a search, but couldn't find anything related.)
Thanks
My last pair of B's–-my female lived to be 15, and my male live to be 17. Both died from old age. If the two I have now live that long, they will probably outlive me.
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This thread was started in 2007, I'm curious to see if people still agree with the life expectancy of our breed, or if in the last few years people's opinions have lengthened on expectancy??
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I think the average is still 14 to 16 years, give or take
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I think it'll be intersting to see if members of the forum will agree, especially since the inception of the direct fanconi test since this thread originated…I'm hoping for 14 years minimum...16 would be great, time flies (I can't believe I've already celebrated two birthdays will my first basenji boy...it goes too quick!!)
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My very first Basenji passed away 5 weeks before her 18th birthday, so hopefully that bodes well for your first!
-Joanne -
Fourteen to sixteen matches well with my experience, but it is always too soon. OTOH, I have a 36 year old horse that is seemingly going to go on forever! I love him, but am beginning to think he will outlive me.
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i have a 15 and a 16 year old basenji, so i've bumped up my expectation to, oh, i don't know, 18?
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Joanne- I hope so!!! I feel so lucky to be in the early years with Oakley but the thoughts creep in from time to time when I realize time is flying by…I love him to pieces
36 years old is impressive for a horse eeefarm...wow.
Even at 14-16 years, that would only give me 12-14 more years...if I'm lucky and you're right- it's too short!!Glad that advances in our breeds health are taking place and I hope we can secure older age for our beloveds
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I am hoping that with fanconi testing and following protocol on those already effected, things will improve. But I think the 14 to 16 is for those without serious health issues. If it included Fanconi and other such issues, rather skews it. When I look at life expectancy, I generally think of how long you can expect a HEALTHY dog to live.
For example, 13 to 15 not unheard of with rotties. Sadly, their very high cancer (particularly bone cancer) at a younger rate results in most dead before even 11. There is a pretty neat researcher going around the country interviewing owners and getting data on Rotties over 12. But most of us who have had many have gotten some that age.. my last 2 made it to 13 even though both had had cancer a couple of years before.. but not bone cancer. But the rest of mine died by age 10… cancer and one with bloat.
I look at Arwen with her autoimmune issues, on steroids.. albeit low dose.. for almost 5 yrs now. Will I be happily surprised if she makes it to 14? Very. Cara is a fanconi carrier only, healthy so far... I'd think she can make the higher numbers.
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i have a 15 and a 16 year old basenji, so i've bumped up my expectation to, oh, i don't know, 18?
Haha…I hope so too!!!
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I felt fortunate to have my sweet Spencer for almost 15 years– 9 of those with Fanconi. Ava is as sturdy as an ox, has the constitution of a goat and is Fanconi-free, so I expect the little Energizer Bunny to go on... and on... and on...
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My first basenji died one month shy of 10 from osteosarcoma.
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My first b was PTS just shy of 11 years- she was dx with tonsilar squamous cell carcinoma a year prior. Her dam passed around 15 and her sire I am not sure. But as far as I am aware, all but 2 or 3 of my 1 1/2 yr olds great grand parents are still alive, and a couple of great-great-grand parents are alive too so I hope that points to a long life for him.
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I have a Basenji that I adopted at 2 years of age. She was diagnosed with Fanconi at age 9, both through a Venus Blood Gas Test and a DNA test. She will be 13 years old in a few days and has been in very good health. She does follow a protocol prescribed by Dr. Gonto.
Recently however she will not eat in the morning and rejects foods she would normally eat. She appears to be slowing down and spends a lot of time sleeping.
I am not sure if this is related to old age or Fanconi is beginning to take a toll on her. Hope to keep her around for another year or two.
