Willie may have fanconi

[jaclempner]

I had my boy, Willie, tested today - he's been drinking a lot of water lately and having frequent accidents in the house. He's actually been going into his crate to pee! Anyway, his blood showed alot of protein and my vet took blood for testing. He's going to research fanconi, but I think I need to go to a different vet for this (I have this amazing Chinese vet who uses Chinese herbs that save animals that otherwise would probably die - he's saved two of my cats from kidney and liver failure, respectively). He's a bit doom and gloom and has never heard of the Gonto protocol, but my dogs are the only basenjis he's ever treated.

I'm not panicked yet, although one of my daughters is very teary. I guess I'm looking to hear some hopeful stories from other people dealing with this.

Thanks

[tanza]

@jaclempner:

I had my boy, Willie, tested today - he's been drinking a lot of water lately and having frequent accidents in the house. He's actually been going into his crate to pee! Anyway, his blood showed alot of protein and my vet took blood for testing. He's going to research fanconi, but I think I need to go to a different vet for this (I have this amazing Chinese vet who uses Chinese herbs that save animals that otherwise would probably die - he's saved two of my cats from kidney and liver failure, respectively). He's a bit doom and gloom and has never heard of the Gonto protocol, but my dogs are the only basenjis he's ever treated.

I'm not panicked yet, although one of my daughters is very teary. I guess I'm looking to hear some hopeful stories from other people dealing with this.

Thanks

Is he spilling sugar in his urine? Have you been strip testing him? Only if he is spilling sugar in his urine and not in the blood would this indicate Fanconi. Then Blood gases must be done asap. Give the protocol to your Vet asap. Have him call Dr. Gonto… if he is not familiar with Fanconi

Some dogs do quite well on the protocol, some done.. however the most important thing is catching it early, which is why we tell people that should be stripping at least once a month, every month.

[jaclempner]

He's spilling protein, not sugar. The vet told me that sugar meant diabetes and protein meant fanconi. I'll get a copy of the protocal for him right away. He drew blood today and will have the results tomorrow.

Does the spilling of protein mean anything to you?

[tanza]

@jaclempner:

He's spilling protein, not sugar. The vet told me that sugar meant diabetes and protein meant fanconi. I'll get a copy of the protocal for him right away. He drew blood today and will have the results tomorrow.

Does the spilling of protein mean anything to you?

That is incorrect, sugar in the urine is Fanconi. Sugar in the Urine & Blood is diabetes. Please get him the protocol asap.

If you don't have the link for the protocol, here is it
http://www.basenji.org/fanconiprotocol2003.pdf

Could be something as simple as an UTI (urinary infection)

[tanza]

REMINDER…
All Basenjis should be strip test at least once a month beginning at age 3yrs.

If your Basenji has been tested DNA Clear, stripping is not necessary

[tanza]

If I am not mistaken, high protein in the urine is a sign of diabetes?….

[jaclempner]

I checked with the vet - he said sugar and protein for fanconi - I told him to look up gonto protocol. I'm going to have to re-do the blood test to check for gases - I live on the east end of long island and none of the vets out here have that kind of blood testing machine, so I'll have to go up island for that - I'll check with my chinese miracle vet and see if he has one.

I did previously have a bboy with diabetes - he was older when it developed, but what I had to test him for daily was for sugar in the urine - that was how I determined how much insulin to give him.

Can these guys live for a fairly long time with fanconi, or is it a case-by-case thing?

Thanks for all your help.

[jaclempner]

And I have another, younger dog (Willie is only 5, my girl is 4) and I will begin testing her monthly starting now.

[tanza]

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...

[tanza]

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.

[jaclempner]

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.

[jaclempner]

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.

[tanza]

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.

[sharronhurlbut]

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.

[RockysWoman]

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!

[jaclempner]

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.

[RockysWoman]

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.

[jaclempner]

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.

[tanza]

Do not matter when during the day you test for Fanconi.

[jaclempner]

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.