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Basenji Heat Tolerance?

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • In some places, it's illegal to leave pets in the cars in the summer, same as children. There are quite a few B owners in CO and AZ where it gets really hot during the summer. In CO, it also gets bitter cold in the winter. I am not sure about how the humidity effects the dogs, but I know that the B shouldn't have too much trouble with the warm weather if there is pleanty of shady/cooler spots because they are not too far away from the wild dogs that live outside where in the winter it gets extremely hot, and quite cold in winter at night.

  • In Florida, dogs and even children die in cars every summer, so leaving a dog in a car is a big no-no. If you have a fan your basenji can lie in front of, and cool water, she will be fine. If you can take it, so can she.
    Take water for her when you go walking, and like Pat said, keep her off hot pavement or sand. Heat is really hard on old ones, but pups can tolerate a lot.
    Basenjis live with folks in northern Canada, they just don't spend much time outside in the winter, and then may wear a nice warm coat and boots. They are very flexible dogs!

    Anne in Tampa, hot and humid, with lazy dogs loving the AC!

  • Tucker has his own fan on my balcony. :) However, it's probably the doggie door that is the key. He can come in and cool down anytime he wants.

    I would think a dog breed from Africa would be pretty tolerant, regardless. I know that their tolerance for cold weather is VERY limited. Tucker shivers in 45 degree weather!

  • It´s disgusting that people leave their dog´s in cars during hot summer day´s even at dog shows.Here we have a rule at dog shows that dog´s are forbidden to be kept in cars even in the shade .They call you over the loudspeakers and if you do not come they´ll smash the windows and they have the right to do so:@

  • Cars and dogs can kill…I just can't believe in this informed society, that folks think its ok for dogs/kids to be left in cars.
    As I understand it, with the windows down part way, the car can still overheat enough to kill a dog within 10-20 minutes.
    Why would you take the chance for something you love??

  • LOL! Tucker- yours can make it down to 45 degrees? We laugh at Jack because he is just like me, as soon as it drops below 60, he is just shivering away.

    This weekend, we had a heat spell…..90 to 100 degrees heat indew (high humidity). Of course, my air conditioner wasn't ready. I still had the tarp on the outside part of it. Jack lounged all weekend on the couch. He had plenty of water, and every once in a while I would give him some ice to lick. But, he kept looking at me like "mom, its HOT! Fix It!" I got a fan set up, finally, and that helped. He lied on the couch right in front of it.....but when I got the AC running, he was a completely new dog....running around, jumping from armchair to couch, and back.

    The funny thing is, while it was hot, and there was no air, he wasn't panting at all, but once I got the air on, he had this huge grin on his face, with his tongue hanging out, panting all over the house.

  • Medjai loves to go play in the snow when it's only about 25 degrees. I don't understand how, because I'm on the other side of the window freezing.

    Now that it's in the 80s, Medjai still just lays there in the sun soaking up the heat, inside and out.

  • @myran:

    It´s disgusting that people leave their dog´s in cars during hot summer day´s even at dog shows.Here we have a rule at dog shows that dog´s are forbidden to be kept in cars even in the shade .They call you over the loudspeakers and if you do not come they´ll smash the windows and they have the right to do so:@

    I was in a supermarket about an hour ago when an announcement was made telling the person who left a dog locked up in their car to come to the front entrance IMMEDIATELY! When I left the store I saw a police officer really chewing out the owners. It was 92 degrees F outside. I can't imagine how hot the car interior must have been. :mad: :mad: :mad: I think it is against the law here to leave an animal in a car. I know (at least locally) that they tightened up a lot of animal protection laws and you also can't let your dog ride loose in the back of a pickup truck now.

    Pat

  • @BasenjiDiva:

    I was in a supermarket about an hour ago when an announcement was made telling the person who left a dog locked up in their car to come to the front entrance IMMEDIATELY! When I left the store I saw a police officer really chewing out the owners. It was 92 degrees F outside. I can't imagine how hot the car interior must have been. :mad: :mad: :mad: I think it is against the law here to leave an animal in a car. I know (at least locally) that they tightened up a lot of animal protection laws and you also can't let your dog ride loose in the back of a pickup truck now.

    Pat

    That has always totally "pissed me off" to see a dog in the back of a pickup tied or not!… I would like to put the people in there and see how they like the sun beating down on them...... crap blowing in your eyes, nose, mouth, ears.... sigh.. they should ban dogs in pickups, unless in a carrier that is secure..

  • Sadly, we will always have the "stupid on toast" folks…but with the laws on our side, that helps.
    I call when I see a dog loose in the back.
    I give the license plate.
    I only hope, one day, they get a big ticket!

  • My basenji loves the summer heat here in Florida, 90-100 days. She enjoys lying outside on the driveway. If she gets too hot she moves to a grassy area in the shade. She is outside most all day although she has access to the house via her doggie door.

  • Now that it's warming up here in Seattle (almost 90!), I'm finding out how Ziggy and Zhara deal with the heat. They go for the "conservation of energy" approach - laying around in the coolest part of the house and not moving very much. Do other people find that their Bs become pretty inactive or lethargic when the weather is warm?

    Lori

  • We're headed to Az for the 4th where the temps are 119 now. Chey and Apache always take it easy there. They get their morning walk when it's about 90 but after that they lay inside most of the day with short outings onto the covered patio. I've tried to convince them the pool is great for cooling off..but they aren't at all interested…imagine that.:rolleyes:

  • @ZenGrrrl:

    Now that it's warming up here in Seattle (almost 90!), I'm finding out how Ziggy and Zhara deal with the heat. They go for the "conservation of energy" approach - laying around in the coolest part of the house and not moving very much. Do other people find that their Bs become pretty inactive or lethargic when the weather is warm?

    Lori

    For sure they do…..

  • @ZenGrrrl:

    Now that it's warming up here in Seattle (almost 90!), I'm finding out how Ziggy and Zhara deal with the heat. They go for the "conservation of energy" approach - laying around in the coolest part of the house and not moving very much. Do other people find that their Bs become pretty inactive or lethargic when the weather is warm?

    Lori

    Pretty much the same here in Maine. One exception though, even if it is 90/100 here, Ruby will still find the sun in the house and lie down in it. And when it cools off in the evening, they make up for all the resting they've done during the heat of the day. :eek: :eek:

  • Mine eat less as well.

  • And for those of you with "elders" note that with age they do become more sensitive to heat…. while mine when younger would lay in the sun at 100 degrees... they don't now at 14+... also I find that they pant more when it is really hot

  • Serenjane loves the heat, she will lie out in the sun most of the day, time to time she moves to a shady spot. I have noticed she is less active in the summer, eating less and drinking more.

  • Here in Minnesota where it can get kind of hot and humid, the dogs do fine if they have enough room to move around from sun to shade. Mine has the run of the house while I'm at work and the fenced garden/yard when I get home.
    My previous beastie used to like to sleep on the deck in the hot hot sun for quite some time before finally moving into the shade. My current beastie will move onto the vinyl kichen floor if it gets too humid outside (I generally don't run AC because my house is so shaded but I do run fans when it gets humid).
    And when it comes to winter (with our seriously below freezing temps), they will usually just stay inside (except to pee/poop) and under the bed covers all day :)

  • @tanza:

    And for those of you with "elders" note that with age they do become more sensitive to heat…. while mine when younger would lay in the sun at 100 degrees... they don't now at 14+... also I find that they pant more when it is really hot

    That's good info…I forget about how the age makes a big difference with such things.

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    @tanza -- I know. They also don't typically have one in June, which is why I was asking about whether she had whelped last cycle. I don't think we have a lot to go on. Not being critical, but "my dog seems to be in heat for over a month" doesn't provide a lot of information and could mean a lot of different things.
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    I too am sorry for not seeing this thread sooner and hopefully the poster will return. My Basenji had some teeth removed and the vet prescribed Carprofen as the follow up antibiotic. My Basenji turned out to be allergic to Carprofen which caused her liver to fail. I went through the same scenario you are describing. She gradually quit eating over the course of several days and then her water consumption started to go down. The eating had me worried since she had an excellent appetite upon return from the vet and the final purging of the anesthesia from her system. Nevertheless, her condition started to degrade. I followed her outside and watched her urinate. Her urine was a very bright yellow. I suspected then a liver issue. Once back inside she was shivering - off to the vet we went. LIver panel blood work up showed very high on specific indicators for failing liver. Vet prescribed Denamarin (containing SAM-e and silybin). SAM-e helps protect liver cells from cell death and aids in cell repair and regeneration. The Vet also started fluid injections. Fluid injections were everyday for two weeks. My Basenji showed a remarkable response to the fluid injections becoming much more her normal self even after the first day. She hated the injections and I could hear her cry when receiving them at the vet (believe me that will tear you up). But she was doing better and she (me) were going to have to tuff this out. Also a different antibiotic was prescribed to prevent liver infection during recovery. The Denamarin comes in dosages based on weight (medium for us). It is the size of a large human like solid oblong vitamin pill. Instructions want you to give it on an empty stomach and preferably not to cut it or place in something similar to a pill pocket however you can if necessary. My Basenji would not take that size (can't blame her). Cutting and disguising it did not work either. I was frantic and got the SAM-e in powder form. I couldn't slip her that either. All though some folks had success with peanut butter and liverwurst. I finally after three days had to have the vet pill her along with her fluid treatments. A week later another blood sample and her liver panel indicators were coming down. The pilling would last for a month and it took two people to get the pill down her. The important part is - she fully recovered from the liver failure. She is 13 1/2 yrs old. My experience after having 5 Basenjis is that the breed is sensitive to medications (anesthesia also). Many of the medications work just fine in most other breeds and mixes. The vet, if not that experienced with the Basenji, must be cautioned. Mine was not. Before accepting any medication have the vet go over any contraindications with you and to double check their resources for potential side effects when dealing with Basenjis. They may switch to something else if a medication has a bad track history with Basenjis. Know what to watch for should your Basenji start to react in a non-positive manner. The poster did not indicate if there were medications in play when the dog started showing degenerating conditions. I sincerely hopes this helps in some way and helps other Basenji owners
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