Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  3. Older Basenji Behavior

Older Basenji Behavior

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • N

    @evelyn Hi ~ it's me again. I haven't been able to stop thinking about your ole' gals problem of peeing & pooting in the house despite taking her out more often & on longer walks. Your Vet did get a urine sample & checked for a urinary tract infection, right? (I know you said she's been checked for everything but a UTI doesn't always show up in blood work) If you truly feel like she's doing it on purpose, mostly on the sofa ~ think about any changes that you or your spouse might have made lately - that uses the time that she has come to count on as "her time with her humans". If there are no changes, give her time to try using the potty pads. Give her loads of extra love & lots of reassurance that you're not mad or upset with her. She doesn't want to let you down or upset you. If she stops peeing on the sofa (I'm guessing that's the worst place she's peeing), then you have your answer! Praise her for being so good again, sneak in a few treats too! But if it continues or gets worse ~ I really hate to say it but, she might be trying to tell you that it's close to time for her to go. I hope with all my heart that it's a change in your routine or a UTI. If I were you, I'd still try the potty pads. Watch for other behavior changes, change in appetite, is she sleeping more or laying there with her eyes open. Look into her eyes, are they still bright or are they dull ~ like she's not really there. You won't like it but you may have to make a very hard decision before long. Love on her as much as you can, she only wants to please you now days! And at her age, you should please her also! Oh the joy they get, even if it's just your hand on her when she's laying next to you on the sofa! Keep us posted! {{Hugz}}

    0
  • eeeefarmE

    This does sound like "canine dementia". One of the symptoms is "Frequently soils in the house, regardless of the frequency she is brought outside." You might want to discuss it with your vet. Good article here.

    "In order to get along with a Basenji, you have to be at least half as smart as the dog!"

    0
  • N

    @eeeefarm That is a great article!! I bookmarked it ~ Thank You eeeefarm!!

    0
  • DebraDownSouthD

    You might also ask your vet about temporary hormones. Sometimes, even with canine dementia, hormones help control incontinence. There are also doggy diapers that can help.

    Debra

    0
  • 2baroos2

    Sometimes nothing works- we went to the Vet several times and it was just age. You could do diapers but I would think your B would rip them off. I went and got some plastic crib liners and put those in a few places where my boy sat and lay down. He refused to go outside sometimes and when his eye site failed he was even more afridi of the dark.

    0
  • N

    @2baroos It's so very sad when any breed gets old & you aren't sure if you're doing right by your companion or not. My Yorkie went deaf & blind. I think the blindness was the worst! If she couldn't see light shadows, she would cry & had real tears coming out of her eyes, until I picked her up & laid her on my lap or on my chest (she only weighed 2 & a half lbs.) but she'd shiver & shake for a long time, even though I'd cover her up real good. She died on April 4, 1998 ... on Psalm Sunday. I've never been sure if I did right by letting her live or should I have had her put to sleep. She ate good...I sat & cut her dry, dog food into tiny pieces so she wouldn't choke! She still had most all of her teeth except maybe 5. I found out, no one but you knows when it's time to take your loving companion to the Vet or just let them pass peacefully at home, where they lived out their life with their humans. They don't "try" to make it hard on us ~ that's our own doing! I just hope I can find another fantastic girl while we still have our last good yrs. to spend together! I sure wish I'd have been a more suitable adopter for one on here that really "took my breath" when I saw her picture!! That was really a shock, losing my breath from looking at a picture of a "dog"! But when they grow old, we owe them just as good of a life, if not even better ~ for all the things they've done for us, things we've never been aware of. If you can't love them ~ you don't need them! And the Basenji is a most special companion. Just bcoz they start having "old age problems", you don't take them in & have them put to sleep! We don't do it for our Grandparents or our parents (even if that was legal)! But when the time comes, we know if it's the right thing or not! It's for sure that we love them to the end & even after. I'd be so happy if I had to clean up some pee left on my floor again. I'll always have my memories though ;=)

    0
  • evelynE

    @Nancy-Berry we are fefinately going to try the P pads her urinalysis came back fine just a slight rise in kidney issues but nothing clinical. And very good for her age. we also read the article that someone else posted and so many of those behavior sound like her. Especially with the confusion , pacing most of the night. and all the other behaviors I had never even connected to her pee/poo issues. We are definitely going to try a change in food get some anti-oxidants in her as well as getting some omega-3's to try to help with brain and cognitive function we definitely would never put her down for just peeing on our furniture. I believe now the personality changes may be confusion. She is clumsy falls off her "purch" which we have corrected so she can't hurt herself. Tries to enter the house through the side of the door that the hinges are on and can't figurj![alt text](image url)![0_1478128795602_IMG_0359.JPG](Uploading 15%) e out how to go around it. Jumps up on the couch and misses (miscalculates distance). Jumps up in your lap then be surprised your there. THANK YOU ALLLLLL! for all the great advise. Hannah is such an amazing member of our family. We just have to work through the frustration. Having a plan helps that.

    0
  • N

    @evelyn I'm so glad you're going to make what-ever time she has left, good & comfy & with her humans! Brings tears back to my eyes but I'm not sure I'll ever be able to stop them, unless I get another Basenji. It sounds like you've made all the plans you'll need & yes, it's going to be extra work but you already knew that & you're ready to do it. Good for you!! Hannah has a great pair of humans! :)

    0
  • DebraDownSouthD

    @evelyn
    You might get a doggie ramp and see if you can get her to use it. Hope things help.

    Debra

    0
  • evelynE

    @DebraDownSouth we've tried doggie ramps she is just too stubborn. Physically she is in great shape the vet said he would mistake her for a 7yr old. So it's just the behaviors and now what we believe is confusion.

    0

Suggested Topics

  • D

    Seizures-Older Basenji

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    9
    1 Votes
    9 Posts
    3k Views
    AlexA
    Thanks for posting this update @Derek-Groves , our Chance is 16 and he has had seizures most of his life. It just started out of nowhere when he was a few years old and for a number of years, we tried all kinds of natural and non-natural medications. We tried Chinese herbs, CBD, diet changes then the typical meds like phenobarbitol, all somewhat helped, but he would still have recurring seizures several times a month, or sometimes a week. All in all, he probably had 100 seizures in his lifetime, but luckily no major damage other than he is a bit wobbly and has head tremors once in a while. It does not seem to bother him though and he is otherwise healthy and active for a 16 yr old. Once I found Keppra through trial and error we stuck with it and that seemed to have been the best way to curb the seizures. We went from monthly to maybe once in a few years, during major events like a house move. Today he is on 250mg of Keppra + Zonisomide every 12 hours and that does the trick, if he does have a sezure (we also have concentrated CBD tincture, which we keep bedside, injecting it into his mouth gets him out of it pretty quickly and speeds up recover. We ended up sticking a particular manufacturer for Keppra (Lupin labs), just to make sure no formula variation is introduced.
  • R

    Sick Basenji

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    3
    0 Votes
    3 Posts
    3k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    I agree with Buddys Pal… if they didn't do either urinalysis or xray, I'd get them done. If you have a sick dog and the vet just sort of says "oh well, blood work looks okay".. may be time for a new vet. Something is obviously wrong.
  • P

    Elderly Basenji Odd Behavior

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    5k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    @Pepper said in Elderly Basenji Odd Behavior: The absolutely hardest thing with each of my Basenjis was going through their final week(s) of life. ((hugs)) That's true with all my dogs. I used to say no matter how old, it was still hard. But we lost a 9 mo old Samoyed last December. I'm still crying. No logic.. he didn't know if he lived a long or short life, he just knew he was utterly loved every single day of his life. My heart dog... 6 1/2, lymphoma... had every odds going for her getting a long term remission. She crashed with each protocol and I put her down after 5 mos of her suffering from my desperation to save her. Knowing the end, of course I'd have just kept her comfortable and let her go. Not knowing, I don't know if I would do it different. I hope I would... I hope if it happens again and there isn't a good chance for a cure, I'll let them go. I don't judge anyone who makes a different call, but my heart tells me it was as much my distress at losing her that made me keep on than for her. So I hear you, really clear and with shared pain. I do hope that you aren't shutting off getting another dog. As terrible as losing them is the emptiness of not having one share your life. It doesn't mend the heart, but it does expand it so the holes left are proportionally smaller.
  • R

    Sick Basenji :(

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    5k Views
    P
    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
  • P

    Sick Basenji

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    4k Views
    O
    Yes, Spencer is much better now, but he is still very thin. He lost six pounds. Even strong antibiotics cannot fight a severe abscess. I'm sure your vet found and resolved the problem under anesthesia, so that should put Egyn over the hump. SubQs and a few weeks of antiobiotics will hopefully get him back on the road to health. I had to feed Spencer critical care dog food through a syringe for several days after the surgery, then make him special soft food– the aforementioned meatballs-- for weeks after that. Good luck to you-- and positive thoughts to Egyn!
  • B

    Do Basenjis shed?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    14k Views
    MantisM
    shedding will change dramatically depending on the food….