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Okay, who has the smallest Basenji? :)

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • I read the thread about larger Basenjis….
    Now let's hear it for the petite pups in the bunch!!

    My BRAT girl Tana is tiny (one of her nicknames is Tiny Tana)....She fluctuates between 14-15 pounds and she's a good 4-5 inches shorter than Jibini (who basically fits the standard).

    Here's a picture that illustrates the size difference.

    She's got such a fine framed build plus she's one of those who simply WON'T keep weight on her, either. She eats almost double the amount of food that Jibini eats (Taste of the Wild). Any less than that and she starts looking anorexic. For such a little dog, she's quick and she's tough! We joke that she's made of springs and rubber- and she bosses Jibini around with no problem when she needs to :)

  • Have you had her thyrod tested?
    It might help her put weight on.
    Also there are food extras you can feed…like satin balls...someone on the list has this posted.
    Cute girl... but tiny...any idea where she came from?

  • We'll be getting her thyroid checked in the very near future; especially since I've read about a lot of these puppymill B's developing thyroid problems early (she's 3). She isn't displaying any other symptoms but it's worth a check.

    I've thought about trying the satin balls; never did because we were on the road all the time. Now that we're home I might give it a try.

    She came from a mill closeout in Missouri. Sadly, she's 5 generations of nothing but mill. I don't know how to get a direct link, but search the pedigree database for "WL's Tonya Ann"- that's her. According to the database she has a littermate that tested clear for Fanconi…fingers crossed that she is, too.

    Supposedly she had a litter (on her first heat :mad: ) but the poor pups must be out there adrift somewhere because they're not on the database with her. Despite everything she's been through, she has blossomed well and really is an absolute love :D

  • Yep, get that thyroid checked right away. Go to this link.
    http://www.apubasenjis.com/bhealth.html

  • Make sure they do the full panel too. Don't let them tell you otherwise!

  • Full panel on Eddie at U of Michigan including shipping was a bit over $100. They sent results with 'no recommendation for treatment" but I e-mailed Dr. Dodds of Hempopet and she went over all the abnormals and recommended treatment, my vet agreed. Pretty soon Eddie was chasing squirrels at the park again and running around and lost 3 lbs.

    So even with a full panel, if there are any abnormals at all, and they don't recommend treatment, get a second opinion from an expert.

  • Despite her potential problems I bet she is absolutely a sweetie.
    And kudos to you for the resuce.

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