New to the board; have a health issue! :(

[PongoGirl]

Hi everyone!

Well, I'm a semi-basenji owner…I just moved out of my parents house, and that's where we keep our two basenjis (they were really once mine, but now my parents could never bear to part with them!!!)

Anyway, I saw my mom today (we only live like 10 mins apart) and she told me that our boy had another seizure (history: he is 10 yrs old and around October/November time had one seizure, followed by another 2 months later, then another just this week...he's been to the vet- of course rushed him there the second the first one happened!- and they basically can't tell us anything. We started going to another vet for a second opinion, and we really like him, but we still don't have any answers or solutions.) My mom is really really concerned about his well-being, and says that if he starts having more of them and they get worse, we are going to have to discuss having him PTS (can't even bring myself to type it out). I want the best for my little boy, but I'm terrified of the possibility of letting him go.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone else has had this kind of thing happen (his other symptoms include excessive drinking and urinating, but other than that he seems normal). We have tried testing his urine but it's so watered down that we can't get a clear reading), we give him vitamins and have changed his diet to have him eat twice per day with veggies too. I know this post is probably all over the place, but I'm fairly distraught to say the least, and I'm really just looking for some support

[barkless513]

Im so sorry about your boy. Maybe you should try to get a better reading on his urine, lets see….. If you try it early in the morning after taking his water up overnight so that he can't graze & drink all night, you might have more success on a good urinalysis. My mother-in-law has a labordor who is a diabetic and his symptoms where...siezures, excessive thirst, excessive and bloody urination, and lethargy. Good luck and I hope your boy get well!

[lvoss]

The excessive drinking and urination sound like he may have Fanconi. When you say you can't get a clear reading, is there any color change on the test strip? There are a few people on the forums with Fanconi dogs that may be able to tell you if the seizures could also be related.

[PongoGirl]

Thanks for the quick replies…we have tried reading his urine at all hours of the day/night, but apparently nothing works as he does get out of bed to get drinks. I'll have to talk to my mom about the color change, since she has taken charge of this since I left home. I feel so awful leaving at a time like this, but it's actually better for me, as I dont' cope well with loss, and I was a total complete wreck in every sense the night of his first seizure I will be reading about Fanconi tonight...I know my mom had checked this out, but I'd like to read about it for myself. Glad to have found this message board!

[Quercus]

What do you mean by nothing works? If the strip changes, he is spilling sugar in his urine…if it doesn't change color he isn't spilling sugar. It sure does sound like Fanconi though. Has he been test stripped all along over the last few years?

Best of luck, I hope you figure it out.

[youngandtired]

I am so sorry to hear about your baby, I sure hope things change for the better. I would be like you myself if my B ever got that ill. Let us know what happens.

[PongoGirl]

@Quercus:

What do you mean by nothing works? If the strip changes, he is spilling sugar in his urine…if it doesn't change color he isn't spilling sugar. It sure does sound like Fanconi though. Has he been test stripped all along over the last few years?

Best of luck, I hope you figure it out.

Well, what my mom has told me is that the vet asked us for a urine sample, which we provided…then he said it was too watered down to tell anything...so we tried many more times, all at different times of day/night, but all to no avail. As for the strips, I've seen them in the kitchen and I know my mom has been using them, but what she has actually found out by them, I'm not entirely sure...I suppose I should be asking her these questions rather than moaning and crying about it...:(

He's had regular vet checks, but I can't remember any urine tests...he's never shown any signs of being unhealthy, so I don't think we ever thought or knew to test for anything! Will know now for future though

[lvoss]

If the strips change color at all then what he will need is a blood test to determine if he is diabetic. If his blood sugar is normal he will need a blood gas done.
http://www.basenji.org/old/fanconiprotocol2003.pdf

[lvoss]

Where in California are you located? Maybe someone knows a basenji experienced vet in your area.

[PongoGirl]

@lvoss:

Where in California are you located? Maybe someone knows a basenji experienced vet in your area.

Thanks for the link! I'm in Orange County, but anywhere in Southern CA is accessible for us.

[MaxBooBooBear]

I don't understand the way the vet is getting a urine sample. I've been told for a urinalysis what really needs to be done is the vet takes a sample directly from the bladder with a needle? That's how my vet would test Max's urine (this is when they do the urinalysis at the vets or send out to a lab). With an experienced vet–it isn't painful. Also--if Max had just gone potty--and his bladder was empty--they would sometimes have to confine him there at the vets in a kennel and wait for his bladder to fill up before taking any with a needle. This might take a a couple of hours to get a good sample.

[PongoGirl]

Our vet did do that, but didn't keep him til his bladder was full. I'll call my mom later today and post more information…thanks for all your help so far guys!!

[yonae12]

@MaxBooBooBear:

I don't understand the way the vet is getting a urine sample. I've been told for a urinalysis what really needs to be done is the vet takes a sample directly from the bladder with a needle? That's how my vet would test Max's urine (this is when they do the urinalysis at the vets or send out to a lab). With an experienced vet–it isn't painful. Also--if Max had just gone potty--and his bladder was empty--they would sometimes have to confine him there at the vets in a kennel and wait for his bladder to fill up before taking any with a needle. This might take a a couple of hours to get a good sample.

That also struck me as odd that the vet didn't draw direct. It sounds very serious I know how you feel. I hope he gets better soon!

[PongoGirl]

Okay, just talked with my mom, and she said that there has been no color change on the strips. She is going to see the vet on Thursday to see if there is anything we can do about the seizures. Anyone else have any ideas or insight into this? I'm hoping the vet comes up with something. I hate not knowing what is going on with the baby!!

[PongoGirl]

Just spoke with mom again; she said we have been testing his urine for the last three years, both ourselves and the vet. She also said that he seems to be having a lot of muscular pain and weakness lately too…just generally unstable

[lvoss]

The excessive thirst could be indicative of diabetes. He should probably have bloodwork done to make sure there is nothing out of balance. Check for things like diabetes and hypothyroidism.

[JazzysMom]

The excessive thirst and urination do sound like Diabetes – LOL, that's how my two kids with Diabetes were diagnosed -- and out of whack blood sugars will lead to seizure. The over-drinking will dilute the urine, so a blood test would probably be in order to check for Diabetes.
I'm not sure how it would play out in a dog, but I'd certainly ask about it.

[PongoGirl]

Okay, talked to mom again and she tells me that the vet believes that he has diabetes insipidus, but that this is difficult to diagnose so he isn't positive. Also, his thyroid level was slightly elevated, but nothing out of the normal range apparently.

What we really need to know now is if there is anything we can do to help or stop the seizures from happening…is there anything we can give him that anyone knows of or has experience with? We have put him on a new spread out diet to accomodate for the blood sugar levels. Mom is going to ask this to the vet on Thursday as well, but thought I would check here too to see if anyone's doggie has gone through something similar. She is also going to ask for the bloodwork records so that we can see what they say first hand. Thanks again for reading guys, it really means a lot to me!!

[PongoGirl]

Also just read that seizures and muscle deterioration can be symptoms of Fanconi as well. Do you think that even if the vet doesn't give a finite diagnosis of Fanconi that we should start treatment for it?

[lvoss]

If he does not have elevated Blood Sugar, I would have the vet run a blood gas test. Also, you can contact Dr Gonto, he has talked to many Fanconi dog owners and may have additional insight, I believe his email address is listed on the Fanconi Protocol