Digestive issues

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
Log in to reply
  • F

    My boy Finn will be a year old in late December and has had digestive issues pretty consistently since he was around 4-5 months. His stools are almost always pretty soft (except first thing in the morning they're usually a little firmer) and he's had intermittent bouts of diarrhea.

    He's also a very finicky eater and I can't tell if it's just because he's picky or if it's because he feels sick a lot of the time. Sometimes he'll eat his whole bowl when I set it out but other days he just grazes throughout the day. Other days I'll notice by 3 or 4 PM he still won't have even touched it. I know a lot of people on this forum are against letting their dogs "graze" but I've been letting him do it just for now because I want him to eat on his own terms and when he's up to it if he isn't feeling well. Probably I'll start being more strict about it when I find a food that he does well on.

    My breeder had him on Nature's Recipe and he did OK on it but eventually started rejecting it. I switched him to Innova hoping he'd respond better to a higher quality food and he loved it but his stools got very soft. I then tried a grain-free salmon and sweet potato based food and he completely would not eat it. It was so bad that some days he just would not eat at all and then would vomit up bile because his stomach was so empty so I switched him back to Innova for a bit and now am trying Nutro. Innova is the only food that he never refuses to eat but I think it makes his stools the worst.

    I brought this up with my vet a month ago and she did a fecal test for parasites and all came back negative. She told me to just keep him on the Innova for 4-6 weeks and not give him anything extra, so no bully sticks or treats. At about four weeks in he isn't any better, although I have slipped up with the treats a little–peanut butter on his kong toy every once in a while and pieces of apple for good behavior :)

    Otherwise he seems to be in great health. His coat and skin look great and he's FULL of energy.

    Any advice you can give me is much appreciated. Any tips on doing an elimination diet? Or tests I should demand from my vet?

    0

Suggested Topics

  • R

    Eating Issues

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    13
    0 Votes
    13 Posts
    4k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    The FDA can only do what the laws allow and if the govt is controlled by lobbyist, well.... But this isn't the place for politics so I'll leave it at that. I am very sorry about your horse. :( With meat.. it's particularly red meat that research is linking to cancer... early research shows amount is a big factor (recommendations from 4 oz a day to max 18 oz a week), but who knows. Processed meat is the worse, and I saw some headline (didn't bother to read since I like my beef shortly after it stops mooing) that well done steaks more carcinogenic. For the world, reducing red meat is good for the environment and health. I was reading a study last week on red meat and joint inflammation. Studies the last 15 years actually only have general connection, but that most do is a pretty good indicator. I had a doctor tell me to stop all red meat and milk when I was a teen and experiencing joint pain. It helped, but back then, no internet and not much access to current research. Here we are 45+ years later, and still no strong proof and some show that reducing carbs with increased LEAN red meat actually decreased inflammation. However, we then get this Science Catch-up. Red Meat And Gut Inflammation: Harvard Study ... https://thehealthsciencesacademy.org/science-catch-up/science-catch-up-28/ Jan 18, 2017 - Red meat and gut inflammation: Harvard study. According this new Harvard study involving 46,500 participants, eating high amounts of red meat daily might be a risk factor for gut inflammation and the development of diverticulitis. << So no one has absolute proof, but my money is on reducing red meat is more likely to be healthier than not. I just don't rule out all meat (ie fish and fowl) as getting enough protein is pretty hard and we don't have enough hard research for ME to go vegetarian. But I'm open to it and glad you are having success.
  • E

    Urinary issues

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    1
    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    11k Views
    No one has replied
  • ZolasMommyZ

    Skin Issues?????

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    36
    0 Votes
    36 Posts
    21k Views
    D
    I was only recommending a shampoo to use in the future, not one that would clear up any skin problems. If the dog has allergies, she needs to be careful about what kind of general shampoo to use. Jennifer
  • Chealsie508C

    Eye issue

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    71
    0 Votes
    71 Posts
    28k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    Pat, yeah, it was many but the specialist from GA (who does CERF btw, or did, could be retired at this point) said all were iris to iris and none should cause her issues. But you can still see them. I am comforted to know that a lot of strands don't pass as I honestly don't remember seeing that limitation, only on placement. Been a long time since I looked at CERF. But the issue was and then, the person LIED. She sent me a puppy for my child, who already had more on her than any child should with my health issues, that she obviously had no clue about– a puppy she had no clue about it's eye health. And then wanted her back if I wasn't going to breed her as she would. Yeah, over my dead body.
  • Anne-MarieA

    Liver issues

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    3
    0 Votes
    3 Posts
    2k Views
    nobarkusN
    @tanza: These kinds of problems are not uncommon when your Basenjis start to reach their "golden" years. You might want to try him on Dr. Dodd's liver cleansing diet. http://www.canine-epilepsy.com/Liver%20cleansing%20diet.htm Many have used it and had great results regardless of what you find out the issue might be. Good Suggestion Pat as I had an older B with liver issues in 2008 and that diet brought it down into normal range.
  • jmnycJ

    Dental issues

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    21
    0 Votes
    21 Posts
    7k Views
    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. :)