3 1/2-year-old Basenji

[Heinz57]

Can he have brown rice? He's not showing any interest in any food. We're going on day five of no eating.

[eeeefarm]

If your vet can't figure something out IMO you need to see a different vet. Dog should probably be on IV fluids at the very least to keep him hydrated.

[tanza]

@Heinz57:

Can he have brown rice? He's not showing any interest in any food. We're going on day five of no eating.

Brown rice is harder to digest than white rice…. and have they done an ultrasound? Tested for EPI? Maybe you need to find a different vet? Have you spoken with his breeder?

[Heinz57]

We took him to another vet for a second opinion. He tested positive for Giardia–which the first vet said was negative, another motile parasite and a bacteria. He's been hospitalized since June 6th. The vet said it's one of the worst cases he's seen in a long time.

[eeeefarm]

Thanks for the report. I have been worried about him (and you). Glad you finally found a vet who could identify the problem. Fingers crossed for a complete recovery!

[agilebasenji]

Giardia is difficult to find, so i'm glad you've got a handle on things. i think there is a vaccination for Giardia, but am not totally sure about it. Giardia can be difficult to get rid of in the environment.

[DebraDownSouth]

I am glad you went to another vet. I have to agree, this dog should have been on iv fluids and a scan to rule out blockage. Thank goodness he is in good hands now. Hope he is back home with you soon.

[vickilb]

My female B has had Giardia twice. Both times she showed no symptoms and they found it while testing her yearly fecal sample. She was put on antibiotics and is fine. I take both my Bs to the river every weekend so assuming that's where she's getting it. I try not to let her drink any standing water but it could be anything.

[Heinz57]

He's still having diarrhea. They also think he has ulcerations in his GI tract. He's eating and drinking okay. The vet is going to keep him for another week. We don't know what we're going to do if it can be fixed.

[Guest]

Poor baby and poor you, not easy cleaning up all the time, hopefully now he has been diagnosed he will be on the road to recovery and hope it's not as bad as they think with his GI tract. Wish animals could talk to us as sometimes they hide a lot of pain and we don't pick things up until in the later stages(cats are sooo bad for that). Fingers crossed for you and your boy.

Jolanda and Kaiser

[tanza]

You never said, did you talk to the breeding? Was he tested for EPI? …... What is the Vet saying other than ulcerations in his GI tract?... Was he tested for IPSID? or IPD?

[Heinz57]

@stash:

Poor baby and poor you, not easy cleaning up all the time, hopefully now he has been diagnosed he will be on the road to recovery and hope it's not as bad as they think with his GI tract. Wish animals could talk to us as sometimes they hide a lot of pain and we don't pick things up until in the later stages(cats are sooo bad for that). Fingers crossed for you and your boy.

Jolanda and Kaiser

Thank you.

[Heinz57]

I spoke with the vet about IPSID. He said he'd look into it. He's made the decision to do surgery on him to see what's going on inside.

[tanza]

@Heinz57:

I spoke with the vet about IPSID. He said he'd look into it. He's made the decision to do surgery on him to see what's going on inside.

Seriously? Look into it? I think if this was my dog, a new Vet would have been in order…. What about EPI?

[milady]

Hi dear,

I hope your puppy is better now. In case it's not, I suggest you to ask for an endoscopy instead of surgery.

My dog has serious problems with diarrhea and the doctors have tried everything without results. Until they made an endoscopy and found the origin/reason of that.
Unfortunately she has a chronic disease in her intestine which is serious, but at least now she can be treated properly, before they had no idea what it was.
She has linfangiectasis, which I have read it's a common disease in Basenjis.

Good luck and please let us know how he/she is.

[Heinz57]

Biopsy showed he had high-grade lymphosarcoma.

[Guest]

I'm so sad to hear this, poor little boy. So heart breaking for you and your family, my thoughts are with you.

Jolanda and Kaiser

[eeeefarm]

Devastating news in such a young dog. I'm so sorry at this outcome.

[agilebasenji]

I am so sorry; how heartbreaking

[DebraDownSouth]

I am so sorry. I lost my basenji at 6 to lymphoma. :( Spent 5 mos and many thousands on chemo and treatment but she crashed on every protocol