Skip to content

Senior basenji diet supplements to gain weight

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • Chance is 11 and Kiya is 10 and both have been thinning out lately. I understand that comes with age. We started giving them more food in the middle of the day, as they seemed to be always hungry from the morning and night feeding.

    Are there any other good foods or supplements that are good to give to senior basenjis to fatten them up a bit. Their appetite is not an issue, if they could, they would be eating all day long until their stomach explodes.

  • Alex, sometimes it's a matter of not digesting... could be age, worms or teeth issues (though teeth usually more an equine than canine problem as dog don't really chew much). If you know worms aren't a problem, and not other problems such as cancer or thyroid, then I'd work on the digestion side. Probiotics, plus easier to digest foods. As I posted before, I do use Fastrack. There are foods that are made to digest easier, but you can also simply smash and soak to help also.

Suggested Topics

  • 0 Votes
    9 Posts
    10k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    @KhaiPan Pam and I are both stubborn opinionated people and without mutual respect, we'd be in constant battle. Instead, I love her. I watch her utter devotion to the dogs, to doing things right, to helping anyone who needs help. She isn't stuck in any idea... given proof and research, she'll reconsider. She is calming. :) Knowing you have someone personally in your corner navigating this helps a lot. Glad you contacted her.
  • Sick Basenji :(

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    7k 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
  • Basenji skirts

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    7k Views
    KipawaK
    Kipawa's skirt - it isn't big, but I actually love running my fingers over it. :)
  • Weight gain after spay?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    3k Views
    L
    Zaire was tired for the first day that I brought her home. After that she seemed pretty unaffected by her surgery. It was (I think) much more traumatic for me than for her, as I was soo worried for the next week that she needed to slow down. In the end all went well, with the exception that she healed MUCH QUICKER than my vet initially thought, and I ended up having to take her in 3 days early to take out the stitches as they were tightening on her scar and cutting into the skin. As soon as they took them out her swelling on the scar went down within a day and looked Amazing as far as healing. I I didn't notice much of a difference in energy level or eating and drinking after the first day home. As for Behavior she seemed the same to me. I do think she went into a false heat earlier this month/late august and for about 3 weeks was a DEMON to her brother and the min-pin. _Yelling and screaming at them all day). But that's my princess, she will not take guff from any male. :D
  • 0 Votes
    7 Posts
    3k Views
    tanzaT
    @massagemom3: I'm starting to think Sally needs testing. I potest the question, on how to test Sally. She squats LOW…... so I'm going to leave her in the kitchen and hold her off from peeing for awhile today, and get her excited to test her urine! hahahahaa..sorry but I can't think of anything else. hehehehe... I also think I'm going to check with the vet about testing her there as well. She won't eat very much, drinks a lot, and is shedding way too much, and I noticed her back legs shaking yesturday...not too bad but enought to notice. Good luck with your B..Keep us posted. Is Sally a mix? I seem to remember she might be? And how old is she? Again I would take her to the Vet, they can test immediately for sugar in the urine and/or blood… and also check her for UTI with a urine culture....
  • Sneezy Basenji

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    5k Views
    J
    Joey sneezes a lot, but I don't think he has allergies. I think it is all the dust in our house. I hate to clean!! :D