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  3. New to the board; have a health issue! :(

New to the board; have a health issue! :(

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • tanzaT

    By the way to all…. I do blood work on mine all the time... at least once when they are young pups to have a base line, then any time before any type of surgery, at least every two years till age 9 or 10 and then every year after that...

    Pat Fragassi

    Tanza Basenjis

    www.tanzabasenjis.net

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  • bellabasenjiB

    I am worried about your boy and my main concern is also Fanconi. My Bella is only a year old and I have not dealt with the disease directly. (I pray I don't have to). All I can say is learn all you can about the syndrome and don't be afraid to ask questions. Is your Vet. open to suggestions about treatment or is he/she sort of "running the show"? Fanconi can be managed with proper care (if that is what this is). You need a Vet. who has experience with Basenjis or who is very open to learning about the specific needs of Basenjis. I hope you find out very soon what is making your boy so sick. The sooner the better for his treatment and subsequent health…

    _**Lisa Lynn ![](images/smilies/smile.png "Smile")

    BRAT Basenji Rescue, &

    Mid-Atlantic Basenji Club**_

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  • lvossL

    For the vision loss, I would get him in to see a veterinarian opthamalogist. An exam usually runs about $35-$45 and you will get a specialists opinion about what is going on.

    You do not mention whether or not your vet was ever able to confirm a diagnosis of diabetes or fanconi. This would really concern me. If your dog has either one of these conditions they could be contributing to the seizures and other symptoms.

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  • PongoGirlP

    As far as I know, diabetes was ruled out, and I know my mom mentioned Fanconi and took our vet that handy dandy printout for vets, and he seems to think it's a tumor. He has had extensive bloodwork done, and his urine was tested at the vet, all coming out normal.

    As for the vision, we haven't noticed a thing with it, and the vet said it could very well me the aftermath of the allergic reaction, and he might have been in a fog. I guess he had laid a treat down to the side of him, and it was obvious that he only found it by scent; he literally just didn't see it. So we will have that checked again after a couple days have gone by and he is feeling better.

    I will check on the basenji vet idea…I know my mom loves this new vet we have, and she is really really picky about the care our boy is getting. So even though I don't have all the details quite straight (it changes daily!), I trust her judgement. Thanks all for the support!! :)

    Will post more again later, OH is begging me to come watch 24! :)

    "Bingy, bingy boy!!"

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  • bellabasenjiB

    Seems like you are really trying to get to the root of the problem. I hope to see him feeling better soon, as I'm sure you are… Where is his tumor possibly located?

    _**Lisa Lynn ![](images/smilies/smile.png "Smile")

    BRAT Basenji Rescue, &

    Mid-Atlantic Basenji Club**_

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  • PongoGirlP

    They think it is in the brain or pituitary gland…he is feeling better right now, sleeping through the night finally!! :)

    "Bingy, bingy boy!!"

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  • bellabasenjiB

    That's what I suspected from the symptoms… I hope it is in the early stages. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
    God bless, Lis.

    _**Lisa Lynn ![](images/smilies/smile.png "Smile")

    BRAT Basenji Rescue, &

    Mid-Atlantic Basenji Club**_

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  • YodelDogsY

    It sounds like Cushing's Disease.

    Robyn Dubbert

    Sherwood Basenjis

    One thing that I have learned in life is to accept that things are not all black or all white. Life is shades of gray and just because someone sees a different shade of gray than you do, it doesn't mean their shade is right or wrong, its just different. ~ Robyn Dubbert

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  • bellabasenjiB

    Yes, it does sound like it may be. The possible tumor, the seizures, thirst, excessive urination, etc… How is it treated?

    _**Lisa Lynn ![](images/smilies/smile.png "Smile")

    BRAT Basenji Rescue, &

    Mid-Atlantic Basenji Club**_

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  • bellabasenjiB

    Most patients are treated with a medication called Lysodren or Mitotane. Anipryl (Deprenyl) and Ketoconazole (Nizoral) are two other medications that can be used to treat Cushing's. If Pongo has an adrenal tumor, the adrenal gland may be removed and/or treated with Lysodren.

    _**Lisa Lynn ![](images/smilies/smile.png "Smile")

    BRAT Basenji Rescue, &

    Mid-Atlantic Basenji Club**_

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  • bellabasenjiB

    http://vetmedicine.about.com/library/viewers/uccushings.htm
    Viewer Viewpoint - Cushing's Disease in the dog

    _**Lisa Lynn ![](images/smilies/smile.png "Smile")

    BRAT Basenji Rescue, &

    Mid-Atlantic Basenji Club**_

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  • elbrantE

    Puppy Health Issues?

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    tanzaT
    Nope.... not in my opinion....not atypical. especially if these pups come for BYB or Millers.... That said, Giardia is not uncommon nor is a pup with a UTI.... In regards to Giardia, I wonder if these pups shown symptoms when still with the breeder?
  • 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.
  • KipawaK

    Ear health

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    KipawaK
    @vickilb: My little BRAT, Hunter, LOVES to make his own trails when we go hiking. Last year he got one of those Foxtail seeds stuck way the heck down his eardrum. He had to be put under because it was resting on his ear drum and he wouldn't hold still for the vet!!! $500 later, he is as good as new. Do I take him to the same hiking area, you betcha!!!! Those foxtails are BAD! We have them here in the summer, and they are everywhere, so there is not much we can do. Yes, that kind of vet procedure can cost quite a bit. What we don't do for our fur babies!
  • H

    Issue?

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    P
    This could possibly be a minor epileptic attack. I have seen a video of many forms of these attacks (no basenjis) many of them very different and this was an example. A canine neurologist could confirm.
  • jmnycJ

    Dental issues

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    nodakerdebN
    Periodontal disease is a tough one to get on top of once it takes hold (in both humans and dogs) because the bacteria gets down in the pockets and it is very difficult to keep clean. People have better luck because they have the ability to floss daily, but that is very difficult with a dog – and believe me, I've tried. :D Periodontal disease is not the same as an auto-immune disease that dogs can get (lest I be accused of getting them confused). I believe the reason our furry companions, and especially the dry-mouth (non-slobbering types) often get it is because of a couple things in addition to not being able to floss. 1. They don't slobber so their mouths really don't get a good natural rinse, and 2. they are fed an unnatural diet. In the wild they would be crunching up bones which acts like a natural toothbrush/floss, and they wouldn't be eating cereal grains which are carbs on steroids turning to sugar once it hits the saliva. There are kibbles out there that do not contain grains which may help by keeping the sugars at bay in the mouth. Evo is one, Instinct is another. Feeding raw is a great alternative. I am also a big fan of the PetzLife product and think it works wonders to keep plaque at bay on the teeth, but not sure how well it works with the plague and bacteria already under the gumline. My rat terrier does not have periodontal disease. I feed him Evo and brush his teeth daily (with a three-sided toothbrush) with Petzlife and he has the teeth of a two year old which isn't bad considering he's almost 11. If his gut could handle it I'd feed him raw, but that has not bode well with him unfortunately. FWIW, in a past life I worked as a chairside assistant for a dentist so I do know a bit about teeth and periodontal disease. I came away from that experience realizing that if I were on a deserted island I'd rather have an endless supply of dental floss vs. a toothbrush. I would be more likely to keep my teeth with the first rather that the latter. Now if we could just figure out how to floss a dog's teeth. :)
  • J

    News on Willie's health issues

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    Ninabeana26N
    Funny you guys mention this as today Dallas had his third vet appointment for his puppy shots [rabies, etc] & when the vet found out I was feeding Merrick's he didn't like it. He kept trying to convince me that Purina, Euk & Science Diet are the best & that Merrick's is too new to really have the quality of food that Euk & the others have been "perfecting for centuries". I like this guy but it kind of annoyed me actually. :mad: He said he would switch him back to Euk if he were me & also said that if I choose to stay with Merrick's I should at least have him on their puppy blend not the regular because of the extra stuff pups need. I didn't bother to mention the fact that adult Merrick's have more protein, fat, etc than any commerical puppy kibble :rolleyes: Less fillers & more concentrated…sounds better in my opinion. Oh & also, I mentioned adding fish oil to his kibble & he said it "wasn't necessary" & that his dry skin in his ears is because I am swbbing them too frequently. That actually may be the case [too much cleaning on my part] but the fish oil could never hurt right? :confused: