Sudden onset of accidents in the house

[sonnyboy]

Hi..I'm the "parent" to a loving playful 3 year old basenji named Sonny. He is fully house broken and is not crated when I leave the house to go to work. He never has accidents in the house but suddenly a month ago he started peeing in the house while I'm at work. The 1st day it happened was day light savings day. So I thought it was because he got nervous when it was dark all of a sudden and he knows I'm usually home before that..I thought after a week or two he'd adjust to the new routine and daylight but he continues to pee in the house when I'm at work. He has no accidents on the weekends or when I'm home. I'm starting to worry after a month there may be something physical wrong causing it or is it just anxiety? any feed back would be helpful.

[starcentral]

Are you sure it is urine? Bile is also yellow in color, but can be odorless. My Benji has started doing this about once per week, he is 4 years old I just adopted him and only had him for 3 weeks.

[sonnyboy]

No it's definately urine because when I take him outside when I get home from work he doesn't have to pee like he should…

[AJs Human]

Have him checked for UTI, Fanconi and (the experts here will tell you) get a complete thyroid panel. Rule this out and then look at possible anxiety. If he's been good all this time, start with medical stuff.

[sonnyboy]

he was tested for fanconi by the breeder when he was a puppy. he can't suddenly test positive now can he?

[AJs Human]

Was he DNA tested or strip tested? If he DNA tested clear or carrier it is very unlikely he is now affected. If he was only strip tested, it is not an indicator he would not be a likely candidate. Fanconi typically shows its ugly head between 3-7 years of age.

[renaultf1]

@sonnyboy:

he was tested for fanconi by the breeder when he was a puppy. he can't suddenly test positive now can he?

Well that depends how he was tested. If he was only strip tested as a puppy, he could have developed fanconi now as fanconi is usually a later onset disease - 2yrs or older (usually around 5yrs is more normal I think, but I was originally told to start testing after 2).

If he was DNA tested and you have verified results that he is a clear, then no he wouldn't develop Fanconi. If he was DNA tested and the result was Carrier, then the answer would be "most likely" no. I believe there is one very uncommon chance with the DNA test with the carrier result (if he is a fanconi carrier, and both his parents were carriers).

You can verify the results of a DNA test yourself on offa.org.

If he is 3, I don't believe the DNA test was available when he was born - when was he tested? I adopted one of my adult basenjis in early summer 2007 and the DNA test had just become available.

[sonnyboy]

I have to double check on which testing he had. thanks for pointing that difference out AJ's Human!

[AJs Human]

I will say my prayers that he has a UTI and can be taken care of with a course of antibiotics.

Until then, pee him often and good luck. Keep us posted.

[nobarkus]

@AJs:

I will say my prayers that he has a UTI and can be taken care of with a course of antibiotics.

Until then, pee him often and good luck. Keep us posted.

Yes, could be UTI as they have to pee all the time trying to get it out. On a walk does he pee every 5 ft? You can catch some of his pee in a small jar and if it looks pretty cloudy could be suspect.

[Basenjimamma]

I think you have gotten some really good advice, just wanted to send you some good lucks..

If he only does it while you are gone and not while you are home..is that because you let him out more often when you are home, or because he might have anxiety while you are gone? I sure hope it is something fixable and easily fixable at that..keep us updated.

[lvoss]

If your boy is 3 years old and you got him as a puppy then he was NOT tested using the DNA test because it was not developed until July 2007 and he would have been about 7 months old at the time. So if you have not had him DNA tested then you should really order a test kit from OFA and until then start strip testing.

[tanza]

Go to www.basenjihealth.org for details of Fanconi DNA testing. It is always highly suggested that everyone get their dogs DNA tested

[SyberSade]

Hi "Sonnyboy"…....Unfortunately, I have recently started to be educated the hard way about Fanconi. Please buy diabetic's urine glucose test strips at your local pharmacy and use one to test your little guy's urine to see if he is "spilling" glucose. If he is, print out the Fanconi Protocol from the internet and take it with your dog to the vet.....as the vet may not know a thing about Fanconi. Make sure the vet takes it seriously! If it's determined that he does NOT have it (and this is what I hope), then continue to use the test strips once a month in case he ever starts "spilling" glucose (which may be a sign of Fanconi or Diabetes). Like I said before, I'm in the process of learning all about this the hard way. You can read my recent posts about my Haley within this "health issues" area of the Forum. My other piece of advise is to stay connected with this forum.....there is a WEALTH of information from very experienced and CARING Basenji people. I've only been a member of the Basenji Forum for about 4 months and I have had to call on their expertise several times. Not only did I get really valuable advice, but also encouragement and......well....dare I say it?......love! (snif......gotta go get a tissue) Good luck and keep us posted.

[tanza]

While it is important to test monthly and I would do it for 3 or 4 days in a row as early onset they can spill one day and not the next… However, that said, everyone should be doing the DNA test for Fanconi. Then if they are showing "affected" you know you have to test strip, but if Clear, Ind, Carrier you do not have to worry. (Yes, I know, some still will test Carriers, that becomes a personal decision, IMO). The more dogs we have tested and in the data base, the better stats we have on Fanconi and the linkage test while they look for the direct marker. Please go to www.basenjihealth.org

[sonnyboy]

I wanted to thank everyone for the great advice & kind words. We made special trip to the vet last night. Thankful no sign of Fanconi in his urine. He did have a UTI infection & another issue was found in his blood work up. He had a elevated cholesterol level & unexplained weight gain (his food had been cut back for the last 2 months). He's also had some unprovoked mood swings lately. All this points to what we believe is a thyriod issue. Sonny will have a full thyriod panel done in 2 weeks after he finishes his antibiotic to clear up the UTI. So that's where we are at the moment. My poor little guy..

[SyberSade]

@sonnyboy:

I wanted to thank everyone for the great advice & kind words. We made special trip to the vet last night. Thankful no sign of Fanconi in his urine. He did have a UTI infection & another issue was found in his blood work up. He had a elevated cholesterol level & unexplained weight gain (his food had been cut back for the last 2 months). He's also had some unprovoked mood swings lately. All this points to what we believe is a thyriod issue. Sonny will have a full thyriod panel done in 2 weeks after he finishes his antibiotic to clear up the UTI. So that's where we are at the moment. My poor little guy..

YEH!!!! I'm saying that because I'm so happy it's not Fanconi and is probably something fixable! Also, I'm so glad you got right on this with the vet and lab work. Good for you dog-parent! Hey…...have we seen pictures of your little guy yet??????

[tanza]

Thyroid is easy to control if that is what it turns out to be. Glad to hear that you are doing the full panel to pin point if that is the problem. Remember also that low normal for Basenjis is typically TOO low.

However, all that said, you really should do the Fanconi DNA test and find out his status

[krissteyn]

My 2 c worth - My wife is allergic to dogs and I am allergic to cats - so our B lives out on the porch / garden with the cats - very happily…

Of course she loves to come inside and has twice showed her territorial rights and dis-pleasure at being banned from the bedroom by peeing on the (white) bedspread.

last time it happened , I caught her , took her to the scene of the crime - spoke very sternly to her - and got "the look" - and then chucked her outside - she landed ok and sulked for a few hours but I ignored her for 24 hours except for the "bad dog" comments.
She did the same at my tenants house - snuck in when not supervised - and similar treatment there ! That was embarrassing !
That was a year ago - no problems since - I think in my case it was a territorial problem !

kris