Posts made by ZenGrrrl

MISSING SINCE APRIL 1 – Please repost to any folks or groups who might be able to spread the word about Sam. She was featured in this news story.

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/BC/ID/2661790130/

Once I'm there (the first week of October), it would be wonderful to have regular "play dates" for B folks in the Peninsula.

Any B owners in or around Santa Cruz? Ziggy and I will be moving there soon.

Lori

This thread leads into my question about kidney function in older dogs. Ziggy is 14 and has been on a raw diet for over a year. I include scant bits of veggies in the food but essentially, he eats just protein.

He's showing signs of a weak bladder–needs to go out to pee more frequently, often pees during the night. His intake of water and food have not changed, and he's in very good health. Would you say that this is probably normal for an older, male dog or something that I should have checked out?

Thanks, eeeefarm and agilebasenji. I do want a reality check ("am I overreacting to the situation?"), and your comments help. I know the young woman is so attached to the dog that she would never rehome it – exactly what I had to do many years ago with my first Basenji. I was never home, and I couldn't stand the thought of her living out her days as a hostage.

I'm checking with the ALDF for suggestions, and I'm thinking of creating a website where people can report cases like this.

I need info on neglect problems. Does anyone know if there are groups or organizations (other than the Human Society) that can help in some way if a dog is being neglected?

I live next door to an owner who keeps her dog penned up indoors for 12-14 hours a day, and it's really upsetting me. I have talked with her and while she was cordial to my offer to visit her dog, she only said "I'll think about it." What can I do?

@ownedbyspencer:

My Spencer started shivering about 14 or so. It didn't seem to be related to anything specific, so we thought it might be caused by arthritic pain. We started him on a light daily dose of pain meds, and the shivering stopped.

This may have nothing to do with your Ziggy, but if he's having arthritic issues (Spencer's x-rays showed arthritis), it might be causing him some discomfort. Love the old guys!

I'll check into that. Thanks for the tip!

I'm glad to see this thread as I was about to post about Ziggy's shivering. It doesn't seem to be related to cold, excitement, needing to pee/go out, or going on walks or riding in the car. There's nothing that I can tie it to, and if he's not asleep or eating, he's shivering. He's also 14 years old, so I'm wondering if this might be common in older Basenjis. Any ideas?

Hi dmey, did you eventually get a copy with the photos intact? If not, let me know and I'll send you one.

Lori

Kathryn, sending warm hugs to you.
Safe journey, Timmy.

Hi Sareena, my other books are listed at http://www.lori-stephens.com. They can all be purchased on Amazon except "Viral Glyph" which I'm still working on.

Lori

As she was drifting off, I recited these lines, both in English and Latin:
"She flies on her own wings to the stars, a friend forever.
I love you, sweet dog.
Go in peace."

Zhara lost the battle with cancer on 3/15/2013. It was gentle, quiet, and quick.

What a beautiful, sweet, dear, wonderful companion she was to me and Ziggy. Safe journey, Zhara.

Jennifer, not much has changed–which is good. She is still acting like a completely healthy dog.

Has anyone done aromatherapy for canine health issues (flea repellent, infection, joint care, stomach problems, bad breath, etc.)?
What have you tried, and how well did it work?

Thanks!

@Rocky1:

I use herbs and homeopathic remedies for all my dogs.
The Essiac Formula is very valuable for cancer treatments.
One of my bitches had tumors on her teats, I had them removed and
she was started on the Essiac Formula and TumorTime (a mix of herbs )
She was 11 years old at the time and she passed awayjust last year at the age of
15 + years.
My vet was amazed she lived so long after surgery.
You can get the canine verzion of Essiac from onlynaturalpetproducts.com
and Tumor Time from KVvet Supply
Also,go to naturalrearing.com for more remedies.

Kathryn

I found the website for the Essiac formula, read the reviews, and ordered a 2 oz. bottle.

In the meantime, I've started adding veggies in the food bowls for both dogs: broccoli, kale, and yesterday, a few pieces of Brussels sprouts. I found some good recommendations for a canine cancer diet at http://www.dogcancerblog.com/.

Oops, duplicated post.

Thanks, Kathryn - I'll look into these!

Looking ahead to this year and next, it is likely that I'll be adding a new B to the pack. I have had a great time with my male/female pair but have never had two males or two females. My preference would be a M/F pair, but I am interested in hearing other owners' views on MM and FF pairs. Would a same-sex pair be a recipe for disaster?

Thanks for your advice.

Debra, I'll check out the links. Thanks for posting them!

Things are status quo with Zhara. She looks and acts like a healthy dog, and there's been no change in her daily routines. My next step is to look into pet insurance and find out if I can purchase a plan that will cover cancer treatments.

Thanks to everyone who posted their ideas and comments.

I took Zhara to a canine cancer specialist today and had x-rays taken. The next step would be a biopsy, but I am already at the limit of my bank account. I started a donations page at GoFundMe – http://www.gofundme.com/1uej64 – and if anyone can help with the expenses, it would be much appreciated! This is just for the costs of a diagnosis.

It's a terrible feeling when you want to do whatever it takes to care for your beautiful, furry family member and don't have the funds.