We met a 12 year old basenji a couple of days ago while walking. The dog had a huge indent in his eye socket/cheek area that seemed to alter the shape of that eye. Even Kipawa sensed the eye was 'wrong' and licked at it softly.

Do any of you know what that might have been? The dog is a rescue dog (has had 4 homes now). So maybe an injury? I would see that as possible. The owner, however, said that she had heard that basenjis could get this 'problem'. The dent was definitely in the bone structure. It was not like a coloboma (a hole in the eye itself).

I'm going to see if I can find a picture of what I'm describing.

Certainly nothing that I ever heard of or a problem that is typical to Basenjis? I would not wonder if maybe the dog was hit by a car and it is the result of an accident? People are usually pretty quick to say "something that XXXXX breed gets"… and usually more times then not, that is not typical to that breed.

I spent a fair bit of time last night looking through the online Merck Veterinary Manual. I found lots of various eye illnesses/problems, but nothing like what I saw on that basenji. So what you are saying makes sense to me.

This could be muscle wasting usually due to a tumour on the nerve.

I remember on the old B-list, someone in the NW had a basenji who got a fungal infection in the sinuses, long and complicated treatment that left some of the bone eroded away. She said the dog had an odd shaped face afterward. Could be something like that?

Patty and Anne, could be either?

Anne, this basenji had 4 different homes over the course of its life. Would it be odd if the dog you are thinking of is in fact this dog?

So I will be digging through it again tonight with your comments in mind. If I find a picture I will definitely post it.

I think I found it! It is called Masticatory muscle myositis, and I will attempt to try attaching a picture of it.
The picture shows the deep indentation around the eye socket on the outer socket of the eye that I mentioned.

Sorry, posted twice.

Oh wow, just some sort of muscle degredation? Is that not the main muscle of the jaw?

I believe this is quite a rare condition and although the head looks strange the dogs don't seem to be suffering.