Skip to content
Basenji Forums
  1. Home
  2. Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  3. I would like your input on health testing

I would like your input on health testing

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • AndrewA

    Hey all: I recently took on the project of writing an article for The Wrinkler on health testing & CHIC numbers. I posted the following on facebook, and would like input from everybody here as well. I would love input from EVERYBODY, from the novice to the breeder who has been in the breed for 30 years. The pet owner who does nothing more than spoil and love their pet every day, to the breeder/shower/courser/etc. I appreciate all of your help….

    Dear basenji/sighthound owner/breeder/competitor/r​escuer/friend,
    I am researching health testing both for my own knowledge and also for an article I will be writing for The Wrinkler, specifically on CHIC numbers. If you would be so kind as t...o take some time out of your busy day to help educate somebody still pretty new to sighthound and basenjis, I would really really appreciate it. I do have a slightly more than rudimentary knowledge and understanding of health testing, however, please feel free to assume I know nothing when you are writing to me. Although I am writing this mostly for basenji people, I am also interested in gaining perspective from other sighthound owners, people involved in rescue, people involved in any form of activity (agility, coursing, comformation, racing, therapy work etc).
    I am particularly interested in hearing the following:

    1. Which health tests do you feel are most important for basenjis, both for general breed welfare and for individual owners as their dogs age?
    2. How have specific tests helped the gene pool and the breed in the past?
    3. What, if any, new issues do you see appearing in the breed that you think responsible breeders should be testing for?
    4. What is a CHIC number? How important is this tool to you? How many of your breedable dogs have CHIC numbers?
    5. Why is health testing important to you?
    6. Rank the following in importance when considering a particular basenji for breeding: a) health b) temperament c) conformation d) athletic prowess/ability (ie: agility, coursing, rally, racing, etc)
    7. If you do any kind of activity with your dog outside of your home (agility, coursing, rally, racing, conformation, therapy work, dock diving, anything at all), please state why health testing is important in any of these contexts.
    8. If you rescue or foster, please feel free to give your perspective on the importance on health testing.
      I know I have not covered everything of importance, so please feel free to add nything else at all that you feel is pertinent. I know there are a lot of strong opinions on health testing out there; feel free to say as much or as little as you like. Your answers will NOT be taken out of context, passed along as gossip, or anything else negative. This is strictly for learning purposes. If I want to use a direct quote, I will ask your permission to attach your name to it before I do so. Otherwise, comments that I use will be anonymous so that things can not be taken out of context or used in the rumor mill.
      I have tagged every person I could think of on my facebook friends list who might have a valuable opinion to share. Not only am I certain I missed at least one or two people, but I am also sure that I am not friends with everybody who could provide valuable insight or information. Please feel free to tag others or pass along this information to anybody you think would be willing and able to help me out.
      Thank you in advance for your time and help; I appreciate any and all input.
      Please send all responses to my e-mail at Carriesquires at gmail dot com

    Carrie & the Brindle Babes, Callie & Lola (Not Andrew)

    0
  • AndrewA

    Just bumping this back to the top. I have a hard time believing not one person on this forum has any input at all on health testing….
    I'd really appreciate any and all help. This is for an article to help others understand the importance of health testing in the breed.

    Carrie & the Brindle Babes, Callie & Lola (Not Andrew)

    0
  • lvossL

    I was out of town when this was posted so never saw it.

    I think health testing is important to breeders and pet owners alike. The tests in the CHIC program make a good start for both breeders and pet owners. Fanconi and Hip tests are done once in the dog's lifetime with Thyroid and Eyes checked periodically. The thyroid and eye checks can give insight into behavior changes and IMO are important to check up on. I think most people can see the benefit in Fanconi and though our breed isn't known for dysplasia, it is in the breed and often by the time an owner notices symptoms the dog may be in a significant amount of pain, since basenjis tend to be stoic.

    0
  • YodelDogsY

    I emailed you my responses :)

    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

    0
  • DebraDownSouthD

    Really, posted and decided to send private because, well because.

    Debra

    0

Suggested Topics

  • Buddys PalB

    Urine Testing

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    6k Views
    D
    Did you receive a pedigree? Before the definitive Fanconi DNA test, I was testing my rescues for glucose in the urine at 2 years of age. I have not yet retested my dogs with the updated DNA test so they are still being tested for glucose in the urine. Jennifer
  • tanzaT

    Fanconi re-testing (Linkage test, now Direct Gene Test)

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    25
    0 Votes
    25 Posts
    11k Views
    BettawhippetB
    That is a huge relief about the cheek swab…She absolutely HATED having her blood drawn and has been mistrustful of the vet and vet techs ever since. I didn't not realize that there were many errors in the original test. I stopped frequenting this forum shortly after I had her test done and haven't really heard anything from the basenji world until I got the e-mail. I will definitely get this re-test done as soon as possible and will pick up some strips tomorrow so I can start testing her urine. Thankfully she has not been showing any signs of poor health and has always done well on checkups.
  • DebraDownSouthD

    Breeders input

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    2k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    @dcmclcm4: What kind of autoimmune problem does she have? Does she have any other eye problem or just the PPM strands? Jennifer @sharronhurlbut: So when you see blue eyes on a b, its PPM strands? Sayblee had autoimmune issues and had multiple surgeries to remove inflammations. She died 9/9/09 from Lymphoma after 5 mos of failed chemotherapy protocols. I actually posted about it here, think I even put up pictures. Arwen only has massive PPM strands. She will be 8 in 2 wks, thus far has been healthy as a horse otherwise. When I say blue, I don't mean REALLY blue as in pigment. I meant just so many strands they have very blue cast and you can easily see the strands in the light. The UGA eye specialist doing CERF said.. "wow, I haven't seen this many strands in a very long time!" He asked me to bring him back to him, FREE, to see how many went away after a year. Some did but she still has heavy strands.
  • N

    Health Tests

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    2k Views
    lvossL
    The fanconi test needs to be ordered from the OFA website, https://secure.offa.org/cart.html Have you talked to Nilo's breeder about health testing. Without pedigree information his tests alone don't provide a very complete picture since disorders like PRA are late onset.
  • etzbsederE

    Fanconi Test

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    2k Views
    QuercusQ
    @etzbseder: Thanks, I've seen that before, but forgot about it. After looking at that, it shows that my answer would be: Clear pups ONLY means that neither parent is affected, and that does not change with multiple clear pups. The only thing that shows any determination of the parents is a test of the parent themselves (or if their grandparents are clear). correct. The more clear pups (with no affecteds or carriers) you had from the breeding of the same two animals, the more LIKELY it is that the parents are clear…but it certainly would not be a for sure.
  • 2

    What tests

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    4k Views
    2
    @jessi76: another vac I didn't see on your list is Lyme. Ask your vet about it IF tics are prevelant in your area. where I live, ALOT of dogs are coming down with Lyme disease (spread by deer tics), so I didn't even think twice about getting my dog the vaccine. although we keep him on a flea & tic preventative, the vaccine is another added precaution. like I said though, only if tics are an issue in your area. No, they don't seem to be a big deal here, the worst "pest" we have aside from fleas are chiggers or you may know of them as sand fleas. Thanks for you help.