Skip to content

How Cold is Too Cold for a Basenji?

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • should have added:

    i don't use all of the above all the time. usually 2 or 3 of the heated insert pads are plugged in

  • No problem I just wanna help! :) Because Basenjis are the BEST!

  • I feel your pain, Bellinduh! I recently bought a house in the country and my heating choices are wood stove or propane ($$$). A few points that haven't been raised:
    1. Remember that hot air rises, and most drafts are near the floor. So raise the crate off the floor on a folding table or something. It's cold near the floor!
    2. I have insulated crate covers (a blanklet works too) and leave the side near the stove rolled up.
    3. Put the crate near a sunny south window.
    4. Put the crate in a smaller room that's less expensive to heat, close the door, and turn down the heat in the rest of the house.

  • @vickayx:

    What about one of those electric fire places you can keep it in the room she is in. My parents used to have one for zone heating so they didn't have to spend money heating rooms they are not in and keep the door partially closed so they heat is contained. Also they are really pretty!

    Just found this on bradsdeals dot com and thought of this thread. It is from 2/2/13. be sure to use the code for the best deal (read the comments on the bradsdeals website)

    This LifeSmart 1000W Electric Home Fireplace/Stove drops from $97.95 to $64.99 via exclusive code BRADSTOVE at VM Innovations. Plus, shipping is free. The best price we could find anywhere else is $102! It features 2 infrared heating elements, a cool touch exterior, 3400 BTUs of max heat, and it heats up to 800 sq ft. There is no sales tax (except PA, NV and NE).

    http://vminnovations.com/Product_47404/LifeSmart-L-SIFST-S-1000W-Electric-Infrared-Home-Stove-Fireplace-Black.html?ni=1

  • @vickayx:

    Thats a good deal!

    yea, i wish i had a place for it!

  • There are a number of sites online with either heated dog beds alone, or heated pads for Igloo's or crates. The one that I think has the best and least expensive beds or pads is TheUncommonDog.com. They have a warmer pad that fits inside the current crate and simply heats up to the normal temperature for a dog, so she would probable be happy, warm and comfortable.

  • I'm kind of late joining in here, but I live in South Dakota and I keep my thermostat between 50 and 60 in the winter because I prefer it that way. I might bump it up to 65 if it's bitterly cold (sub zero) and windy, but otherwise I'm happy as a clam at 50-60 indoors. The dogs truly don't seem to be bothered, they adapt same as anything else.

    There are throw blankets everywhere, and extra blankets in the dog crates for when I'm not home to be snuggled with. I do have space heaters which I may bump on in the mornings to take the chill out of the air, so the Basenjis aren't shocked when they ooze out from under the warm bedcovers. And if anyone gets sick or has an upset tummy or something, I'll go ahead and put a heater on near the crate or something, as even I don't like to be cold when I'm sick…...but otherwise my dogs seem just fine with how I keep it in here.

    But if your dogs don't seem to adapt or you don't feel comfortable keeping them at that temp, the aforementioned suggestions of heating pads, etc are great ideas :)

  • @Woofless:

    The dogs truly don't seem to be bothered, they adapt same as anything else.

    I think that's true of any animal, but the trade off is they will generally grow more winter coat. Certainly the girl I had when I lived in North Bay had an impressive amount of fur for a Basenji! ;)

  • Oh, I never think about that. I'm the one getting cold, not the basenji. He curls up in blankets in the couch by himself, while I sit by the closest heater. :p

  • I live in Arazona, US, now it is too cold for me but Basenji feels good enough to bear such cold, so this is fine to Basenji below normal temperature.

Suggested Topics

  • Sick Basenji :(

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    8
    0 Votes
    8 Posts
    5k Views
    P
    I too am sorry for not seeing this thread sooner and hopefully the poster will return. My Basenji had some teeth removed and the vet prescribed Carprofen as the follow up antibiotic. My Basenji turned out to be allergic to Carprofen which caused her liver to fail. I went through the same scenario you are describing. She gradually quit eating over the course of several days and then her water consumption started to go down. The eating had me worried since she had an excellent appetite upon return from the vet and the final purging of the anesthesia from her system. Nevertheless, her condition started to degrade. I followed her outside and watched her urinate. Her urine was a very bright yellow. I suspected then a liver issue. Once back inside she was shivering - off to the vet we went. LIver panel blood work up showed very high on specific indicators for failing liver. Vet prescribed Denamarin (containing SAM-e and silybin). SAM-e helps protect liver cells from cell death and aids in cell repair and regeneration. The Vet also started fluid injections. Fluid injections were everyday for two weeks. My Basenji showed a remarkable response to the fluid injections becoming much more her normal self even after the first day. She hated the injections and I could hear her cry when receiving them at the vet (believe me that will tear you up). But she was doing better and she (me) were going to have to tuff this out. Also a different antibiotic was prescribed to prevent liver infection during recovery. The Denamarin comes in dosages based on weight (medium for us). It is the size of a large human like solid oblong vitamin pill. Instructions want you to give it on an empty stomach and preferably not to cut it or place in something similar to a pill pocket however you can if necessary. My Basenji would not take that size (can't blame her). Cutting and disguising it did not work either. I was frantic and got the SAM-e in powder form. I couldn't slip her that either. All though some folks had success with peanut butter and liverwurst. I finally after three days had to have the vet pill her along with her fluid treatments. A week later another blood sample and her liver panel indicators were coming down. The pilling would last for a month and it took two people to get the pill down her. The important part is - she fully recovered from the liver failure. She is 13 1/2 yrs old. My experience after having 5 Basenjis is that the breed is sensitive to medications (anesthesia also). Many of the medications work just fine in most other breeds and mixes. The vet, if not that experienced with the Basenji, must be cautioned. Mine was not. Before accepting any medication have the vet go over any contraindications with you and to double check their resources for potential side effects when dealing with Basenjis. They may switch to something else if a medication has a bad track history with Basenjis. Know what to watch for should your Basenji start to react in a non-positive manner. The poster did not indicate if there were medications in play when the dog started showing degenerating conditions. I sincerely hopes this helps in some way and helps other Basenji owners
  • Basenji skirts

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    6k Views
    KipawaK
    Kipawa's skirt - it isn't big, but I actually love running my fingers over it. :)
  • Sick Basenji

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    10
    0 Votes
    10 Posts
    4k Views
    O
    Yes, Spencer is much better now, but he is still very thin. He lost six pounds. Even strong antibiotics cannot fight a severe abscess. I'm sure your vet found and resolved the problem under anesthesia, so that should put Egyn over the hump. SubQs and a few weeks of antiobiotics will hopefully get him back on the road to health. I had to feed Spencer critical care dog food through a syringe for several days after the surgery, then make him special soft food– the aforementioned meatballs-- for weeks after that. Good luck to you-- and positive thoughts to Egyn!
  • Basenji dental

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    37
    0 Votes
    37 Posts
    14k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    @tanza: LOL …. so hmm... great weather = higher Vet costs... makes perfect sense to me!!! LOL great weather equals more want to live there. More want to live there, drives real estate costs up. Increased real estate costs drives other expenses up. LOL, it does make some sense. But then, wth is up with NYC which has icky weather? Oh wait, massive overcrowding, never mind.
  • Basenjis are popular..

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    14
    0 Votes
    14 Posts
    5k Views
    JannekeJ
    @ibi_n_sane: the ears of the basenji of the pictures you show look like their is really something wrong, but it is not right to think that a basenji with a bit thin fur on his ears also has a condition/ disease that causes this. Of course, this dog is diagnosed with pattern baldness. And no, you can't say that every basenji/dog with less fur on the ears has this condition. Like Tanza said: it could be flies, or maybe cold, malnutrition.. I do think that Tillo's bald blackish ear rims are more than just 'loosing hair because it's winter/spring/summer..' And I would love to know what's causing it. That's why I wanted to ask it at the University and that's why I was suprised to see the B-ears on the screen and to hear about this 'pattern baldness' :)
  • Homeopathy for Basenjis?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    2k Views
    MaxBooBooBearM
    Yes–I forgot that there are actually homeopathic vets available. We are so lucky here in the Bay Area--we have great vets, specialists and also UC Davis veterinary school/drs not too far away--and believe me--I have used all of these resources over the past 18 years.....