Skip to content

Not Interested In Eating His Food!

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • @tanza There were five cases of HA in Veronica's earlier litters, Pongo of the Congo was alleged by VTW to be a carrier. Pickapepper of the Congo was a sufferer, as was Petal of the Congo but she lived to a great age. These were in the early 1950s.

    @Mmasco I feel for you. There is nothing like not being with them when they are sick. But HA hasn't been around in Basenjis for many years. We have to hope it is not re-surfacing.

  • @tanza / @Zande we got the news that they are leaning towards PK pyruvate kinase deficiency seeing as ultrasound and xray came up empty, bone marrow to make reticulocytes are normal BUT Rbc's not being made. Labs not showing hemolytic anemia. The breeder DID NOT test for PK leaving me either to dig into the entire family tree (which who knows accuracy in testing) or wait 1-2 weeks for the PK test to come back.
    Not sure if there is anything you both know that will help sway me away from PK .... or if there is any experimental treatment you've heard about. I just don't know how to process this TBH. His blood transfusion seemed to stablize him w/ numbers back into the 30s for RBC counts.. He will likely come home tomorrow.

  • It would be unusual but not impossible, not common in Basenjis but not unheard of, either. Apparently more common in Beagle, Pug, Cairn, and West Highland White. DNA testing can detect it, also whether the dog is a carrier, clear, or affected. I would think his breeder would want to know the status of his sire and dam. I am hoping they come up with something easier to manage or cure.

  • @mmasco You can find the PK test results on OFA website. I don't include them in the on-line database, but if you have that open as well you can then check parents line by line as you will have their registration number in front of you.

    Good luck and cuddles and tummy rubs to the little one when he is home.

  • @mmasco - I put out a couple of feelers to other breeders, will let you know what I hear. You might want to message me directly [removed private email]

  • @mmasco - I have looked up DNA testing on the OFA site and going back to early 1990's there have been NO afflicted (all clears) (rescessive gene like Fanconi) and while there have been a few testing in 2021 (2) and 2020/2019 again they are all clears. And honestly PK testing has not really been on the radar for Basenji Breeders for many, many years. I have someone checking into aquired PK as that is a possible. If you would please email me privately you can find my email on the web link for my website below. Hope that he is home and doing better.

  • @tanza From the certificates and things I get in from breeders and owners who have used Zoogen (Russian laboratory) for testing for PRA and Fanconi - PK is also being tested for in many cases. But it is coming up clear.

  • @elbrant No idea why. But it won't let me like your post. But I do.

  • Just sent to vet tech friend.

  • I'll just add this in case the testing doesnt give you answers.

    Anorexia exits. Although nearly ALL cases of dogs who do not want food has an underlying medical cause.

    But some dogs simply have anorexia. There are drugs that work very good for it..At one point they stopped making one type so we had so we had to switch. They increased Sayblees aggression. So from then on i handfed her.

    https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/anorexia-in-dogs

Suggested Topics

  • No longer eating

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    43
    0 Votes
    43 Posts
    6k Views
    T
    @JENGOSMonkey, @elbrant, @tanza, @Kembe, @eeeefarm, @helle-devi Thank you all for the kind words, it has not been easy but this does help. We actually got his ashes back today and the place did a fantastic job, came back with ceramic paw print and all. It will last bring final closure, he is home. @helle-devi results confirmed what was suspected, IBD, for which we had already started his medications. I think it was just his time.
  • Kidney disease… food?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    29
    0 Votes
    29 Posts
    18k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    Thank you all.
  • Homemade food?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    3
    0 Votes
    3 Posts
    2k Views
    ibi_n_saneI
    i have no recepies, i make my own dog food most of the time as well and it is quite easy: cooked rice or cooked noodles ( I prefer noodles as that has more energy for my dogs ) then you add raw beef , mince, chicken, liver, kidneys , lamb whatever kind of meat, or fish ! and if you wish you can also add some mashed veggies and/ or herbs. By the way I only give noodles in the winter when they can use a bit more energy / fat. otherwise I mainly feed them raw and also bones and fresh tripe etc. But I guess that is not what you meant ;)
  • Not eating or drinking water

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    106
    0 Votes
    106 Posts
    34k Views
    thunderbird8588T
    How is Cody?
  • Eating soil

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    2k Views
    MacPackM
    Topper loves to eat dirt and he gets a good diet and a vitamin/mineral supplement from the vet. I think he likes the taste!
  • Raw food continued

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    13
    0 Votes
    13 Posts
    3k Views
    nomrbddgsN
    I did buy a grinder-kind of in between a commercial and home use one. It will grind bones. When Zina was on the basic raw, she was on chicken and bone. But there were no organs in it. She was on it for about a month-supposedly to rid her body of toxins. Like I said she did fine at first, but when I started on the mixtures, that's when it went to pot. I wonder if I start her on one thing with organs and bones, maybe beef? if she would still have a reaction. What do you guys think about this. If she is allergic to chicken, and I'm still unsure about this (I wonder if she's sensitive to it), is she also allergic to other fowl?? The think I worry about is that if I do put her on one type of meat, will she get all her nutritional value? Freezer space isn't a problem, I can always pick up a second hand one fairly cheap, but I do have a 27' one and two small house freezers. Also, don't forget, this is a boxer. I haven't heard of a case of Fanconi in a boxer myself. If you are on a higher protein diet, your creatinine levels tend to be higher as well. I believe, this is why when you are on the Atkins diet, you still have to watch your intake. And Zina will not live another 5 years, most likely. What I have to do is make her life comfortable now. If she's happy for 3 more years and then I have to put her down, so be it. At least she was happy in the time she spent on this side of the Rainbow Bridge. It's better than the miserable first 7 months she spent. And this was not a breeder problem. The pet people who had her did not listen to the breeder, caused the issue to explode, literally, and the replacement puppy died at 2 1/2 of issues as well. I can get the meat fairly cheap, as I do have the grinder and the butchers will sell cheaper if they don't have to do anything to the meat. I also have the space, if this does work, to grow some of my own food for them. If I have to go to pork, because she's allergic to chicken, then in 6 months, I can have enough food for a long time. But I want to make sure of what I am doing first. She deserves to be happy.