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Allergy & Skin Issues

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • lvossL

    Did you have a full thyroid panel run? Pat is right that skin and coat issues including hives and rashes can be caused by a thyroid problem.

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  • tanzaT

    Yes, please make sure they rule out Thyroid with a full panel. Like I said, my OJ had horrible, horrible hives and it was his Thyroid.. once on the soloxine totally gone, never a problem again

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • S

    Do let us know what you find out re your dog.

    Sharron Hurlbut

    BRAT, basenji rescue

    Evergreen basenji club

    Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue

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  • marckleM

    it could also be a topical yeast infection. omar had a 24 hour case of huge hideous hives followed by months of itching and scratching. he ended up bald on his sides and neck in places. raw chewed paws. awful to watch him suffer.
    we bathed him with malaseb - [rinsing VERY well] a few times a week. quite an effort with a water loathing dog. but it worked! you can go have a skin scratch test taken to see if it is yeast. very curable. but you have to be diligent.
    people think we are pathetic to take him to a doggie dermatologist/allergist. that's what we have insurance for!!

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  • nala121498N

    Let us know how he's doing…

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  • KairoK

    Hi folks,
    My Kairo has bumps and rashs on is chest were the harness meets. Is it the nylon strap or the metel ring? I did change his food out w/ no corn ingredients and he has cleared up from that. So should i get leather?

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  • BasenjimammaB

    My other dog, the dachshund had the same on his neck and throat area, I was told it was a nylon sensitivity, changed to leather and it is gone..so it might be worth a while..is the harness rubbing him to much?

    Petra and Pippin

    with Otis in my heart…

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  • lvossL

    I know some people have good results attaching felt or fleece to the back of their dog's harnesses to help lessen the rubbing and it seems to work. Sort of like using mole skin on your heel to prevent rubbing a blister.

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  • jys1011J

    I know it's been a couple of months but we did a full thyroid panel & thankfully it came back normal. As a result of his bad allergies he got a terrible ear infection & we put him on another steroid cycle :(

    The vet doesn't want to keep him on this at all….so she suggested putting him on Atopica (Cyclosporine) which basically attacks immune cells & blocks symptom causing effects. I've done some research & some dogs do well after a month & then you can taper to a maintenance level to keep the dog comfortable.

    Anyone use this drug??

    Basenji Mom of C3PO & TOPAZ

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  • MDSPHOTOM

    Hydroxizine AKA Atarax is a great drug for treating severe allergies, it is by far the best antihistamine for reducing itching. It does have a high amount of sedation as a side effect and is also marketed as a sleep aid. OTC Zyrtec is a good alternative since it is a metabolite of Atarax and has less sedation. You may want to find a vet that specializes in allergy treatment and have the dog skin tested to identify exactly what it is and isn't allergic to. You could consider allergen immunotherapy to reduce and potentially eliminate the allergies.

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  • S

    Age issues or behavioral issues

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    agilebasenjiA
    @Patty: Personally I would take her to the vet to get her checked out for bowel or urinary infections. If she is losing sight and hearing she may be frightened. It sounds as though you need to step back a pace to calm your reactions. I can appreciate that you are getting fed up with all the work but she is an old dog. My present oldie (15) has taken to peeing (and pooing) indoors at times but I know I need to put her outside more often as she doesn't have the control she once had. She has also become blind and is certainly more aggressive with the others because of that. Any way first things first and do take her to the vet, please. Let us know how you get on. I have to agree with everything Patty wrote. Changing behavior ALWAYS needs a vet check. Increase aggresssion can be due to thyroid issues, pain, tick-born diseases, constant hunger (due to other things), etc. You didn't say in your post if you'd recently seen a vet and discussed her new issues. My oldest (16 in December) has failing kidneys (nonFanconi) and does need to pee more often. So, I put pee pads down in the house in his favorite pee spots. He's usually pretty good about that, but he does still pee in other spots if I'm not watching him carefully or if he gets a bit aggitated about the sitting arrangements. Would your pup stay in an exercise pen? That would give her a little more room than a crate.
  • bewlerB

    Help, please - emaciated B skin issue

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    YodelDogsY
    One thing you can do to help his coat is to bathe him every 1-2 weeks with Murphy's Oil Soap. Use your fingers and gently "scrub" him while he is soaped up. (Murphy's does not produce much lather so don't expect it.) The massaging will loosen dead hair and help it fall out. This stimulates new hair to grow. Murphy's has natural oils including coconut that help moisten the skin and keep it healthy.
  • B

    Issues with legs

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
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    D
    How old is your dog? I would take her to a specialty clinic or university clinic that would have both a neurologist and an orthopedist. My 1 year old deaf rescue girl who is a herding/spitz mix has shuffling feet, tremors, and other problems. She was seen first by the neurologist and they suggested x-rays and more testing. My regular vet did take x-rays of the neck, back and hips. I took her to an orthopedist to review the x-rays. Since she was a stray they do not know what caused the problem but it was suggested distemper or perhaps another infectious disease. I just took her to an opthalmologist and her eyes are good but she does have sensitivity to light. Distemper almost always causes eye problems. The specialists are suggesting an MRI of the back, neck and a spinal tap for her. If your dog was adopted as a puppy or an older pup, I would check with the Humane Society to see if she may have had distemper or some other disease. Did she have an accident where she might have injured her back or neck? You might want to look into getting a doggy wheelchair since she has good movement in her front legs. I am sorry for the problems your girl is having and I hope you find out what is causing it. Jennifer
  • R

    Allergy or not?

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    MacPackM
    If you can video her while she is doing this, it might help a vet to diagnose, if indeed it is small seizure-type activity.
  • K

    Allergies!!

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    MDSPHOTOM
    @Vanessa: I was allergic to our basenji when he first came home. I would break out in a rash when he touched me. My eyes would water and become really itchy. Just wash your B and wipe him down a few days a week until you adjust. Also consider some allergy meds…Zyrtec works great and now you don't need a perscription. Agree, Zyrtec is a great drug for allergies, but can make some people very sleepy. There is a new prescription allergy treatment available called Xyzal that has shown equal symptom relief to Zyrtec in clinical trials, but has less sedation. However, I will warn you that it is very expensive!
  • JodieJ

    Pink skin

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    MantisM
    watch your basenji at the vet. Caesar gets nervous and blushes. Belly, ears, nose turns pink.