Important Basenji Health Tests

[Janneke]

@Nemo:

This is what Dr. Dodds recently gave me for normal sighthound ranges for thyroid.

Optimal Sighthound Levels
Free T4 2S 7-20 pmol/L
TSH 35 mU/L
TgAA <20 %
Total T4 13-39 nmol/L
Total T3 1-2.5 nmol/L
Free T3 2-10 pmol/L
T4AA < 10 %
T3AA < 5 %

Thanks for posting this! Tillo's bloodwork is also being done at the moment, so it's good to know what the ranges are for sighthounds!

[sharronhurlbut]

Oh, its sad to see 4 % have done no health testing.
Please, if your part of that group, get your b's fanconis tested.
Its so very important to KNOW!!!!!!!

[Buana]

The parents of our boys both tested clear and we're going to test Chafuko very soon for hips, eyes en theroid at our vet.

For Buana everyting was tested very good, fanconi we're going to test that also for ourselves, just for know everyting for sure.

[Elysium]

A lot of testing over here, too

Got Thabos thyroid-results today: normal and TgAA negative
Zuri's the same from last year.

Zuris eyes are clear - only a minor MPP.
Thabo will be tested in May.

Hips and elbows of both will be x-rayed on monday (give us some positive thoughts!!!).

And the Fanconi linked-marker-test ist back in USA again and we are waiting for the result.
But no fears there: All parents are clear!

[DebraDownSouth]

Count me frustrated. I have my password for the Canine Phenome Project, and it is auto saved with nortons but tells me wrong. sigh… now 2 hrs no response. Oh well.

To request the Fanconi Test, your dog must first be registered in the Canine Phenome Project (CPP) and complete the breed questionnaires. Select the Fanconi Test from the menu and transfer to the OFA website to order a testing kit ($65.00 US funds, payable online via credit card.) The BHE has no connection to the testing process, all questions regarding alternate payment processes should be directed to OFA. <<

[DebraDownSouth]

Okay heard back..

You can order the Fanconi test on the OFA website without entering info in the CPP – go to www.OFFA.org, click on OFA DNA TESTS, and then follow the link that says ORDER AN OFA DNA TEST. When the list of tests comes up, scroll down to FANCONI SYNDROME, click on the shopping cart, and place your order.<<<

[misspodhradsky]

Does anyone know the exact price(or at least a ruff guess) on how much all four tests cost? I know fanconi is 65. But what do the other tests run? id greatly appreciate any information. Am looking to get sophie all completed. We are ordering her fanconi today. Hopefully it will get here soon and then when she turns two (next year) we will have all the rest of the testing done. but i was curious how much it costs and if there is a way to do it before two or, since i hear it may not be accurate, does one have to wait until two. Any and all advice is appreciated. Thank you!

[tanza]

@misspodhradsky:

Does anyone know the exact price(or at least a ruff guess) on how much all four tests cost? I know fanconi is 65. But what do the other tests run? id greatly appreciate any information. Am looking to get sophie all completed. We are ordering her fanconi today. Hopefully it will get here soon and then when she turns two (next year) we will have all the rest of the testing done. but i was curious how much it costs and if there is a way to do it before two or, since i hear it may not be accurate, does one have to wait until two. Any and all advice is appreciated. Thank you!

Depends on where you live. You can get that information by calling and asking your Vet. Same for Eye exams, you need to find an Ophth Vet (your regular Vet should be able to give you a referral) and then call and ask them the price. You can find out the cost to submit the tests to OFA on their website. As a point of reference, here in No California for Hips, Elbows (for OFA) and Thyroid, 2yrs ago it was around 350.00. Cerf exams are around 50.00 and then there is the cost to file the results

[LindaH]

We've already done the Fanconi testing for Blaze and will do the thyroid testing as recommended in the first post once he's 12 months old.

Blaze is already neutered and we don't plan on doing any competition with him (agility, lure coursing), so how important would it be to do the eye, hips, and other testing?

[lvoss]

Eye information, IMO, is important even to pet owners. If their eyes are changing, changing the vision as well, there will sometimes be behavior changes. If you know something is going on then you can help them to adapt. You wouldn't need to test every year, just every few years so you know if anything is changing.

With hips, it is a one time test, it just gives you information so you can be prepared. HD is not a big problem in the breed but it does exist.

[tanza]

I agree that Eyes are very important to all, breeders and pet owners. And as stated hips is one time. Thyroid is also important, IMO

[misspodhradsky]

Thank you you guys for the information. Im sure i speak for all of us when I say, I appreciate the input and information. Ill get that checked out and see what it will run me. I got her fanconi test ordered, should be here in 3-5 days. I also got a microchip for her too. should be here in like 10 days. but its good. slowly getting things ready and settled down so eventually she will have everything completed. Cant wait til she gets just a little older so all the tests can be completed.

[Chealsie508]

Just tried out the links on the OP and the offa one are no longer valid…maybe we can update this thread for future owners? I myself, will be going to offa to try and ascertain how to go about getting Oakley hips, elbows and thyroid done...just wondering if I need to know the offa lab info and processing fees...if my vet will even know what I'm asking when I ask him to send the results to offa? ( although my vet is also at a facility my breeder uses so I bet he will)!

[tanza]

Chealsie508,
You can get the forms on the OFA site for all three. You fill out your part (about the dog) and the Vet does his/her part. Depending on how the films are done, sometimes the owner mails them with the fee, sometimes the Vet will collect the fee with his charges and he will include and mail them. If the films are digital, the Vet sends them with the forms and the fee. The fees for each of the tests are on the OFA site also. Thyroid can only be sent to a handful of places, but they are listed on the application form also.

[Chealsie508]

Took a look at the OFFA website and want advice. Oakley is a 17month old neutered male. This has nothing to do with money but more weighing my options…is it worth getting hips and elbows done when 1: he will need to be sedated and 2: according to the OFFA statistics for basenjis on both hips and elbows seem to show little incidence of abnormal hips or elbows? I know the results are probably more complicated than what I see when I look...I just want opinions on if "you" would get hips, elbows done on your companion pup when there is some level of risk involved.
Fanconi test is here and being sent out and thyroid for me is a no brainer, he'll be getting that done the end of the year (after his birthday) and he already had an opthamoligist check his eyes.
I also do take into consideration the benefit to the breed/breeder of doing the tests

[tanza]

Perm records for hips/elbows are after 2yrs of age, so Oakley is too young. Some do Prelims but that is usually in the case of a male that is going to be used at stud before 2yrs. Keep in mind for hip and/or elbow results that unlike Fanconi testing it is Optional to post the results if they are not Excellent, Good or Fair - Owner option.. same with Thyroid. There is a place on the forms to mark if you want the results posted regardless of the outcome. Many people DO NOT CHECK this box… therefore if the dog is dysplastic, the results are not shown. So read that into the results.... and I know of Dysplastic Basenjis that are NOT in the data base.

That said, hips are not a huge concern as in other breeds, but there are problems out there....

IMO, I would have the hips done... elbows, would not worry about that too much...

Sedated? Depends on your Vet... some Vets will do without, some will not do hips without. My two girls were just done, both without, we have a mobile Vet that does testing and they go to most all the shows, makes it really easy and no sedation. I have had both ways done on my Basenjis over the years.