@zande - Totally agree!
My first love was 11 when he passed but he had health issues. 
His hocks had fallen and he walked on "feet" - like a person. He also had a growth protruding from his rear that was most likely cancer; congestive heart failure too. UGH.
My current love turned eight in January and is healthy, has his smarts, chases squirrels, cats, deer, etc., and runs the B-500! I am thinking/praying he will live a very long life.
As far as muzzles - I used to have to put one on at the vet, but now he doesn't mind her poking and prodding. But being a typical Basenji, he growls at whatever displeases him - even if it's his mommy or daddy. That used to intimidate us with our first baby, this one we just say "REALLY?" and laugh.
My little "niño" has 17 years and 4 months! his paws are really bad for arthritis, I feel he is about to leave me, but I block those thoughts, I not even want to think how will be my life without him. ..:( 
@mariela said in Age of your basenji?:
his paws are really bad for arthritis
Even at that age, I have taken a couple of mine for acupuncture. It doesn't hurt the dog at all, and an experienced veterinary acupuncturist can REALLY make a difference to arthritis.
At least talk to your vet and see if you can make the old darling's last months really comfortable. If your own Vet doesn't do acupuncture - he will surely know who does and refer you.
Good luck !
@mariela
You can get a vet to help you to use vet wrap to help support his hocks. Be very careful to not wrap too tight, the idea is light support. He is amazing to live so old. Keeping him comfortable is important. Bromelain, which come from pineapple, may also help with the arthritis without giving him drugs.
+1 for acupuncture. I took one of mine for treatment, unfortunately didn't work for her particular problem (not arthritis), but I was amazed at her behaviour while the procedure was taking place. She was normally suspicious of strangers and didn't appreciate visiting the vet, but once he started with the needles she relaxed completely and actually dozed off for a bit. Won't hurt, could help.
"In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"
@eeeefarm said in Age of your basenji?:
but once he started with the needles she relaxed completely and actually dozed off for a bit.
First time I took an oldie for acupuncture - he had developed lesions in the high neck and was in constant pain - screamed as he curled to lie down, when he got up, moving. . .
The Vet told me he would relax as soon as all the needles were in and he did - completely, I had to hold him in a standing position cos he just wanted to lie down !
He had three treatments the first week, and on the third trip, jumped out of the car and raced up the bank in the Vet's garden ! Thereafter once a week for the rest of the month, then once a month for a couple of trips and thereafter the vet left it to me to book him further treatments at need. None were ! Thereafter several of my oldies have been to the same acu-vet who sadly is no longer with us. But two others in the Practice I use are experienced and one has been working on Hoover recently to excellent effect.
The vet explained that acupuncture can't make 'engineering' changes - but it helps the body to promote its own cortisone thereby relieving pain and allowing the animal to relax so the body can recover.
I am a firm believer !
I do not let the vet or vet techs ever take my b out of my sight. I've been told they do this because they're concerned that the owner will pass out during a blood draw, etc. If you don't pass out, there is no reason for this. When I am a new patient, I explain that I have lots of experience and assure them I will not pass out. I find that tapping the top of the nose of my b while telling him to look at me during any procedure seems to help keep him focused. ("Look at me" is a command he had been taught while waiting for the okay to eat his food and it is very useful.) My vet and the vet techs trust me to be helpful during the exam.
@pawla Many vets claim pets behave worse with the owner there. I find that condescending to just assume every owner is an idiot. Sure, if an owner really is making things worse, but otherwise, no way.
Debra
@debradownsouth said in Age of your basenji?:
Sure, if an owner really is making things worse, but otherwise, no way.
Then and only then, should they be asked to leave ! My recent experience of having Hoover whisked away, shaved down one foreleg, and blood extracted - the perpetrator of this sin was a very new, very young, junior I had to see in an emergency. I have never experienced it before in all my years with Basenjis (and before that with Lurchers).
A huge study showed that acupuncture is precisely no more effective than placebos. Except for certain practitioners who clearly made a difference. Obviously, you found someone who actually knew what he was doing.
I wish they would fund vets and human doctors who have proven results and get them to train or write their methods down for others to learn. Sadly there isn't a "standard" method for where, size of needles, how deep, etc. That you found one who gave your dogs so much is wonderful.
Debra
@debradownsouth said in Age of your basenji?:
Obviously, you found someone who actually knew what he was doing.
Three, actually, Debra ! The retired Vet who espoused acupuncture when he retired from the Practice , worked from his own home and has since died, and now two more at the Practice have been trained in the art - probably by him. My dogs have benefited from all three over many years !
@debradownsouth said in Age of your basenji?:
A huge study showed that acupuncture is precisely no more effective than placebos.
Maybe for people. Not sure placebos would do much for a dog! (maybe if you told him it would make him feel better??) 
"In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"
LOL actually they have looked at babies... and parents' expectations most certainly led to placebo effects. Our dogs read us extraordinarily well... if we think it will work and are relaxed, they relax-- and vice versa if we are negative about the treatment.
But they actually have done blood work for stress factors, looked at movement and guarding, etc with a lot of medications and supplements.
I don't seen any way on earth her dogs remarkable improvement could be placebo. It might have given a bit of a boost, but not to that extreme. I just find it frustrating that they haven't worked to help standarize acupuncture based on those they found were clearly way above placebos. I'd willingly pay for a list of those. Sadly the only person doing acupuncture for dogs (and horses) when my rottie was suffering was worthless. His life could have been extended a lot since he could not tolerate pain meds.
@zande said in Age of your basenji?:
Three, actually, Debra !
Please tell me they are training others to follow them.
Debra
@debradownsouth said in Age of your basenji?:
@zande said in Age of your basenji?:
Three, actually, Debra !
Please tell me they are training others to follow them.
They are youngsters (comparatively !)
I just wish they were allowed to treat MY bad back and knees ! I'd accept even a placebo if it eased them as much as it most definitely helps my dogs !
Talking of Placebos - we had a lurcher in the pre-Marvin, pre-Basenji days. He loved to ride in the car and was ALWAYS sick. He sat on the front passenger seat (he was a big dog) and I would put a pile of newspapers in the footwell. Each time he threw up, I'd stop, remove a load of sheets of paper, sigh, and drive on.
But then someone told me that with children, if you tied a length of chain to the back of the car, not too long but long enough to touch the road as you went over bumps, the kid wouldn't be sick.
I tried it with the dog - he was never sick in the car again. . .
Auto-suggestion ?
@zande said in Age of your basenji?:
But then someone told me that with children, if you tied a length of chain to the back of the car, not too long but long enough to touch the road as you went over bumps, the kid wouldn't be sick.
I tried it with the dog - he was never sick in the car again. . .
Auto-suggestion ?
It's meant to dissipate static electricity. So it may be logical that it would work.
Yeah you told me about that before and I'm clueless, but I'll try it if I need to, lol. could be the noise of occasional thump, could be they can hear it even tho we can't. My chow would be drooling buckets before we got a mile away. I just had to keep towels down and take off and bag along the trip. But I took her for a 7 hr trip to atlanta and she threw up and threw up, then stopped. Never threw up again.
on your back. I had been getting radiofrequency ablations in the US, and they really helped. But doctors here will only do them once or twice. I have had at least 6 on one side, 3 on the other. But it's miraculous pain relief when it is done right. Maybe your dog acupuncturists knows of a human one they'd recommend?
