Ruptured Achilles Tendon

[jaclempner]

I picked my boy, Willie, up from the kennel a couple a weeks ago. He was limping. This did not concern me at first as sometimes when he's running around with other dogs he'll slide and strain a groin muscle. But the limping didn't get any better. I took him to the vet and it turned out that he has ruptured the equivalent of our achilles tendon (it's called something very long that starts with a "g").

He's been to an orthopedic vet and will have surgery for it (I'll be in debt for quite a while!). But she said that this in not a common injury. Does anyone know if Basenjis are more prone to something like this than the average dog? In the end it doesn't matter, I just want to help him get better, but I'm curious.

The kennel owners did not notice anything unusual, they just noticed that he started to limp. I would think that it would take something major to cause such a serious injury.

He will probably never walk the same way again, and he has always had such a beautiful gait.

Before he can even have the surgery, we have to determine whether his liver is better. I posted months ago about his raised liver enzymes. He has been much better since he's been on Prescription Diet - he's gained weight and his personality has improved drastically. He was pretty grumpy for a while, and I know that liver disease in people can cause irritability. He's being tested for that today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

[etzbseder]

I am not sure as far as if Basenjis are more prone, but if you are at all suspicious of the kennel, you will want to look better in to them. Basenjis are very active dogs, but also very vocal when something's wrong, so he would probably have let out some loud new sound for the workers.

[jaclempner]

That's what I thought. I've used them many times before - always for short stays, and there has never been any problem. But I find it hard to believe that they didn't notice anything when the injury happened.

[tanza]

That is not a common Basenji problem or injury….. How old is he? And have you had his thyroid full tested?

Hope that his liver readings are better.... and just as a side note, two of my Basenjis have high liver values... each from a different cause, or so we think..

One, Kristii, (who will be 15 in December) has non-cancerous liver tumors.. we had one removed, but they continue to grow back and also die off on their own... in fact all of her littermates have now passed, 4 of the 6 from liver problems, so we are pretty sure it was/is something genetic. (She nor were any of her littermates ever bred)
Mickii (who will be 16 in February) has always had high liver reads, as did her two uncles and her litter sister... Never any tumors.... just seemed they way they were.

[jaclempner]

He will be 6 in November.

I had his thyroid levels done a couple of years ago and they seemed fine. Today we're doing a fasting blood test for his liver and we'll see what's going on with that. The orthopedic vet won't do surgery unless his liver is okay.

[tanza]

@jaclempner:

He will be 6 in November.

I had his thyroid levels done a couple of years ago and they seemed fine. Today we're doing a fasting blood test for his liver and we'll see what's going on with that. The orthopedic vet won't do surgery unless his liver is okay.

Thyroid should be done yearly….

Again, hopefully his liver values are down...

[jaclempner]

Thanks - maybe I can get the vet to check his thyroid on the blood that was drawn today.