Andrea, I can't even begin to find the words to express how sad I feel for you. It sounds as though it she was gone quickly and without struggle or pain. I know that doesn't make it easier on those she left behind but at least her passing was swift. Huge hugs to you and your family.

Deb

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. :)

Thank you for the kind words and the visit to his page. All Basenjis are so photogenic and Dan was no exception. I probably shot in excess of 5000 photos of him and only a handful turned out because he absolutely hated to have his photo taken. He could hear the camera turn on and would either put his ears in helicopter mode or simply turn his head around like Linda Blair in the exorcist. I figured out how to turn the sound off on my camera but he'd still hear the lens extend and that would be it. At least I did get a couple of good'ins.

Dan was euthanized in October and it took nearly six weeks to get his ashes back. By that time the ground was too frozen so we had to wait until the spring to bury him. In the end it was therapeudic for me to have him close to my computer through the winter. It was time to give him back to the earth.

My husband, rat terrier Jack, and I buried Dan's ashes under the apple tree today. It is a most beautiful sunny day and the apple tree is ready to leaf out any moment. This was the only home Dan ever knew and there is a no more fitting place for our beloved red and white boy to be.

Always in our hearts ~ rest in peace sweet Dan.

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ue04IlKqfnUFop0B5DQPCw?feat=directlink

http://deborahkirby-artist.blogspot.com/2009/05/closure.html

~

How is Polly?

It is never easy. My sincere condolences Diana.

Please accept my sincere condolences. It is so difficult to lose them. :(

It's interesting that your vet said 'dementia'. When Jessie was at the end of her life (fanconi) I thought she had a brain tumor also because of the way she acted. Looking back, and thinking about what your vet said I believe now she was suffering from dementia. There were times I thought she was seeing ghosts because she'd stare up at the ceiling with such purpose. Very weird. I still miss that little butt like no ones business. Isis will forever be in your heart.

Sending healing thoughts and for a positive outcome – as in complete cure. I can understand the large incision, but why do they always have to shave so much? ;)

We lost our first Basenji, a little tri girl like your Isis also to fanconi. Fanconi is a cruel thief of quality and quanity of life. My heart dearly goes out to you.

I've never seen that either – except when they are getting a bath.

Things are looking up. Yea!! And I totally understand the attachment to basenjis that are not ours. Years ago, back in the days of the orginal Basenji-L there was a family who lost two basenjis in a house fire. I was getting ready to pick my husband up from the airport when the post came through on the list. I met my husband sobbing into a handtowel that I had grabbed just before I left the house. He, of course, thought someone in the family had died because I was crying so hard. Well, in a way… it was true -- the extended Basenji family.

Please keep us posted on Booger!

I put it on the toothbrush like toothpaste and brush away. I have been brushing my dog's teeth since he was a puppy and I'm also able to scale them (which I haven't had to do since I've been using Petzlife). I brush his teeth every day because he doesn't mind it at all. I am also able to get to all of the teeth – top and bottom and inside on the lingual side. I realize not all can do this with their dogs but I attribute it to starting the habit from day one.

For those who can't brush their dog's teeth, why not put some on a dry guaze pad or the corner of a dry wash cloth?

The Petzlife company does say that best results will be accomplished if used with a toothbrush though.

Andrew, with his sneezing, lethargy, and bloody nose I wouldn't wait three weeks to see a specialist. I would get that nose scoped asap. He may have something as simple as a unpopped popcorn stuck up there (I just say that as an example). This reminds me of a friend's daughter many years ago. She was a young child – 3 or 4 and she went through a period where she was just sickly. Her breath was horrible and she was on antibiotics off and on. She basically was turning into a failure to thrive type of kid. They were on a miitary base and seeing army docs or more likely medics. Finally, she took her to an ENT specialist thinking she would need her tonsils removed even though they weren't infected. The ENT doc found a swollen pinto bean up her nose! For some reason this kid decided to stick a bean way up her nose. Once the bean was removed she was right as rain in no time and no surgery was required. BTW, why did you name him Booger :) -- has he been sneezing and having nose issues since you got him? If so he may have a physical defect that has gotten worse and is harboring bacteria that may need to be fixed. Then again, maybe you named him Booger because it's a darn cute name :)

I can't wait until you get to the bottom of this -- Booger needs to feel like a two year old again. :)

I am sending lots of positive thoughts your way and am hoping for a answer soon for you and Booger.

Andrew, are you saying that a blood panel HASN'T been drawn on Booger at all? ! Please do ask the vet to run a PCV which will show his red blood cell level (hemotacrit). With his lethargy I definitely think anemia needs to be ruled out. How do his his gums look? Inside of the ears? Toenails? Bright pink?

I totally agree with Pat, I'm big on blood panels also, and especially a baseline which is usually done when they are spayed/neutered.

deb

Any chance you would be open to taking Booger to a totally new vet/clinic. A fresh pair of eyes to look at the situation. Ask for his records and just get a second opinion. To use a lame quote – sometimes one can't see the forest for the trees and I'm wondering if this isn't the case here.

Deb

I will be thinking of you and hope you are able to get to the bottom of this. His health has so declined that SOMETHING is being missed. I assume they have checked for autoimmune hemolytic anemia? I'm not talking about the inherited kind, but the idopathic type. It is easily found if they do a PCV. Lethargy is very consistent with hypothyroid but not the weight loss. It would be the opposite – he would gain weight without eating much. Please let us know. This is very sad.

Deb

Andrew, I am sorry to hear this :( I agree, get the blood panel run. I would also check the thyroid – unable to regulate body temperature is definitely a sign of a malfunctioning thyroid. Has he been checked for Valley Fever? What's his heart rate like? A low heart rate can = thyroid troubles.

Deb

@Kananga:

I find that brushing his teeth 3-4 times per week (minimum) is enough to prevent build-up. I take dental hygiene a lot more seriously than others but mostly because I know how it can impact their health. It also can impact our sense of smell…. :)

I'm like you Kananga– very serious about dental care because it is so much more than just the teeth that are affected. I had visions of you having to scrape tons of tarter off -- a few spots is to be expected.;)

I'm not surprised that Nickii was not impressed with the Petzlife Pat. It's way different than the chicken flavored beige paste... LOL!

deb