We hope the results are good, and we will cheer if they are, and if they aren't, we will support you.
Do let us know what you have found please.
Willie may have fanconi
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And I have another, younger dog (Willie is only 5, my girl is 4) and I will begin testing her monthly starting now.
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So is there sugar in the urine or not? I am a little confused at this point… and if there is not sugar in the blood work, the next would be the blood gases.
I don't remember where or if you said that Willie came from, but if he has Fanconi, be sure to tell the breeder.And yes you should be testing your girl for sure.
And again, if Fanconi, some do really well, so do not... some live a long time, some do not... you have to remember that with Fanconi, as the kidneys are affected, while being helped with the protocol, it will result in other areas/organs being affected...
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Also if it does turn out to be Fanconi, you might want to send a PM to red and white furever, her Stormie has Fanconi and as I understand, he is doing quite well on the Protocol. Also there is a yahoo chat list that is just for people that have Fanconi affected dogs.
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The vet was focusing on the protein, I'd have to ask him if there was any sugar. He didn't mention it when he was here this morning - just the protein.
They are both from Hacker's Basenjis and I don't think that they are breeding any more - at least they weren't a few years ago, but I was planning on contacting them. Both dogs are bred back to some of the same dogs, so I'm worried about Rose - I'm going to the drugstore this afternoon to pick-up the test strips.
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To tell you the truth, I'm a little confused right now, too. I will be speaking with the vet tomorrow and I can clarify then. By then he will have read the protocol info from Dr. Gonto. In the meantime, I'm checking with my other vet to see what he knows about the disease. He's far away, so I don't use him for regular shots, etc., but when there's a problem with one of my animals, he's the vet I use. He gets great results when others tell you there's no hope.
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Let us know what the test strips show.
Have you check the OFA Website to see if any of the dogs in their pedigrees have been DNA tested for Fanconi?
I think they are still breeding but not often and they are into another breed now, I think… something makes me think Toy Fox Terriers? However they are both AKC Conformation show judges and Ann Harrison was just out this way last October.
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There are special web support group for fanconis basenjis.
So, and I hope its not true if it is indeed fanconis, you will have a lot of info and support from families who are going through the same thing you are. -
Best of luck with your Boy… regardless of the diagnosis. Fanconi is a difficult disorder to live with, even on the protocol. Some dogs respond fantastically to it. Others... not so well. Just remember that your dog is not doing this to spite you (although sometimes you can swear you see an evil glint in his eye). Its frustrating and heartbreaking, but just remember, it's not a death sentence. Just a more difficult road to live.
Best of luck!
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Thanks to everyone!
The blood work that was done seems to indicate liver problems, not kidney, according to my vet. I'm now totally confused. The pharmacy was closed yesterday and I had a totally crazy weekend with my kids and a late day at work today, so tomorrow I go to the drugstore to get strips and start to test on my own. I'm sure that something is wrong with him, and I do see excessive drinking and lots of peeing, especially early in the morning. He seems to need to go out about three times in about an hour first thing in the morning or we have an accident in the house.
My regular vet gave me the blood test results so I can share them with the other vet that I use. I have the distinct impression that he doesn't want to deal with this - I think he feels he's in over his head on this one. I'll let you all know what I find out.
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May I suggest putting down some puppy training pads for around the house? My dog started having accidents but we have been able to minimize th mess and anxiety by placing the pads in stragetics spots around the house. (As a mom with two kids and a hectic life, anything that makes it easier is a god-send!)
Best of luck and keep pushing your vet to explore this. whatever the diagnosis, keep pushing to find an accurate diagnosis. Don't dismiss what your gut tells you.
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I think they are still breeding but not often and they are into another breed now, I think… something makes me think Toy Fox Terriers? However they are both AKC Conformation show judges and Ann Harrison was just out this way last October.
I know that when I got my dogs, Dan Harrison was breeding dachshunds (maybe minis?) They haven't updated their website for basenjis since I got Rosie - they had five litters that year.
I'll be getting test strips today - I'm assuming that I need to test first morning urine - that's what I had to do with my bboy who had diabetes.
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Do not matter when during the day you test for Fanconi.
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Got the strips and will test them either later today or tomorrow morning.
The vet stopped by my office and clarified some things - even though the test strip showed protein, there was no protein or sugar in the urine when it was tested in the lab. The blood test showed that some liver enzymes are elevated as sell as his bilirubin count. He rarely runs free - only at the beach and I can see what he's up to 95% of the time (every once in a while he disappears into some trees, but never for long) so I can't imagine he ate anything. I'm going to keep checking and might take him to the other vet I mentioned and I will be strip testing regularly. My vet did mention measuring his water intake to see if I am right about how much he seems to be drinking, and we are going to do a fasting test to further check out his liver.
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Good idea to test, but I would say by what you wrote above, not Fanconi. But for sure something going on with the Liver…
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Yes - now to figure out what it is!
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I have such a hard time reading threads like this. I think I've posted that Jazzy tested "probably affected" and that has become my biggest fear for her. I know it's treatable, but to think of my precious Jazz being ill just makes me so sad. I do her strip tests monthly, and every time I hold my breath.
Keoki tested as carrier, so I feel sooooooooooooo much better about that.
{They share a bloodline – his dam is her grand-dam --- hence no surprise that something showed up there. I'm just glad it was the "carrier something" and not the "probably affected something"}
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I have such a hard time reading threads like this. I think I've posted that Jazzy tested "probably affected" and that has become my biggest fear for her. I know it's treatable, but to think of my precious Jazz being ill just makes me so sad. I do her strip tests monthly, and every time I hold my breath.
Keoki tested as carrier, so I feel sooooooooooooo much better about that.
{They share a bloodline – his dam is her grand-dam --- hence no surprise that something showed up there. I'm just glad it was the "carrier something" and not the "probably affected something"}
You know, you might want to think about having blood gases done. Many with "probably affected" have done that to see exactly were they stand.. and some have seen some changes. Don't know if they have talked to Dr. Gonto and if he recommended anything, but certainly you can send him the blood gases to review…
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I had thought of that. We didn't strip test today because there has been torential rain here all day. My regular vet has some plans to further test
Willie's liver, so we'll be doing that. I'm sure he didn't talk to Gonto - he feels sure it's not fanconi because there was no sugar in the urine. If that doesn't help us figure this out, the blood gases might be next. -
I had thought of that. We didn't strip test today because there has been torential rain here all day. My regular vet has some plans to further test
Willie's liver, so we'll be doing that. I'm sure he didn't talk to Gonto - he feels sure it's not fanconi because there was no sugar in the urine. If that doesn't help us figure this out, the blood gases might be next.My message was to JazzysMom… sorry.... since Willie is not spilling sugar, at this point, blood gases will not really help much, I don't think... The reason I said that for Jazzy is that her DNA test came back as Probably Affected, so the blood gases even with her not spilling yet might give her an indication as to her current health besides strip testing.
Also for JazzysMom, I would start strip testing her more then once a month or at the very least 3 to 4 days in a row. When they first start spilling, one day they might test for sugar and the next two not... so IMO only doing it one day, once a month is not the best in your case...
And for all else, since the strips go bad in 6 months, there is no reason not to just use them up... and do a couple of days in a row...
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Actually, if Willie is spilling proteins he may have fanconi. Fanconi dogs spill all sorts of nutrients in their urine but sugar has been the easiest for us to test for since there are urine test strips for it. What were Willie's symptoms that led to testing his urine and finding the protein?
