Best posts made by LifewithAva

It goes by fast. Seems like Ava was just a feisty puppy a short while ago... and now she's nine. Her face just started turning white. Puppies are fun, but these older dogs are a treasure.

I walked almost the exact path with my last boy, who was also a Fanconi dog. He had a Grand Mal seizure at age 10 and the vet diagnosed a possible brain tumor and recommended a whole battery of tests, including an MRI. I went to another vet and the new vet recommended starting with a short round of steroids to see if he would respond. He did and had a healthy life until he was approaching 15.

The last year, his sight and hearing had been declining and he had become a picky eater, so his weight was down. Then one night, he had a series of seizures-- the first in almost five years. The meds and SubQs helped him keep going for another month, though he started eating less and was looking frail. Everybody said he would tell me when it was time-- and I wasn't totally sure I'd recognize it-- but that's exactly what he did. I felt like he wanted to keep going and I helped him do that for a month, then one night, he put his paw on my hand and gave me this look. I knew. You will, too.

I also had a B from the kennel that traded on the Cambria name. My dog had that "Cambria pedigree" so I thought I did my research. He, like most of his line, had Fanconi. He was a joy and I had him for 15 years, thanks to Dr. Gonto, but Fanconi is very hard. Which is why I personally checked that Knoxville breeder out.

Good luck, OP, on your Basenji search! Find a responsible breeder who cares about the breed and the health of their dogs, and you won't be sorry.

My last B came to me litter box trained, and it was so easy. I had a litter box set up for him when I brought him home and he went right to it and used it. No accidents in the house. To transition him, I took the litter box outside where I wanted him to go and he used it there. After a day or so, I took the litter box up and took him to the spot and gave him the "go potty" command, and he got it right away. My current B wasn't litter box trained and it was much harder with her.

He's adorable! Makes me really, really want a puppy this year.

Congratulations-- she is beautiful! My brindle girl's grandmother came from the Basenji Sisters. She was also a brindle.

And if anyone else is looking for advice on this thread, I would steer clear of Mountain Springs. There is a lot of Fanconi in their lines. As Tanza noted, they don't health test.

You mentioned soft cheese, but have you tried Kraft Easy Cheese (in the spray can)? It was my go-to for years. Most coatings, like meat, gravy or regular cheese, will either dissolve or separate from the pill so the dog gets the bitter taste and spits out the pill. Spray cheese is sticky, so the instinct is to swallow it quickly, pill and all. Vary the flavors so Lily doesn't get tired of it. For a change, you can coat in cheese and dip the tip in gravy, meat or bacon bits-- something extra fragrant and yummy.

I hope your Lily does well on the Protocol! I pilled more than 20 pills a day for seven years. It gets easier.

@elbrant said in Corn chips:

@lifewithava said in Corn chips:

Giving her a warm water and apple cider vinegar rinse will help

Are you mixing this in a 1:1 ratio and then applying it after a bath? ...maybe I should try it on my hair oops, did I say that out loud?

Yes, 1:1 ratio as a rinse after bathing or you can just use it as a rinse. LOL, works for human hair, too-- if you don't mind the vinegar smell. Fritos definitely smell better!

There are no reputable Basenji breeders in TN. Responsible owners who live in TN and care about the breed go out of state to get our Bs.

This woman does not have a legit kennel. There isn't even a fenced yard at the address she provides. She tries to charge $1000+ without providing any health info or really any info at all and assumes she can because the breed is "rare."

I didn't try to get a B from her-- both of mine came from other states-- but I know someone who did. I feel very, very bad for her dogs-- if she has any.

Looks like my parents' dog could have hypothyroidism, and I'm considering having the vet run tests through Hemopet. Has anyone used Hemopet and consulted with Dr. Dodds? I'm wondering which test I should order-- the Thyroid Profile 4 or 5... or the Thyroid Profile PLUS? The vet ran a CBC, but I wonder if it'll need to be run again by the same lab?

Also has anyone run vaccine titers through Hemopet? Ava had a minor reaction to her vaccines last year. She has another two years on her rabies, but I'd like to avoid the DHPP. All feedback welcome-- thank you!

Rescue Remedy didn't work for me. I tried it, but my girl didn't even like the smell. I also tried a DAP diffuser, a thunder shirt and all sorts of calming treats, but the only thing that worked for us was crate training. It was a challenging process-- for her and us.

I agree with the others that you deserve an answer. Whether there's a puppy for you or not, it impacts your family's life in a big way and you need to know. Did she tell you there would be a puppy for you from one of these litters? With multiple litters, you might not know which litter your puppy will come from until the little one is ready to take home, but I've never heard of no contact for a month after the puppies arrive.

I really hope it works out for you. Keep trying! Are you in touch with any other breeders who might have an extra puppy for you... or know someone who might?

I appreciate the replies! Her vet suggested the FT4 test, but I thought Hemopet's Thyroid 5 and a consult with Dr. Dodds would be more thorough. The Hemopet site is very helpful, but I didn't know about MSU. Thanks for the suggestion-- I'll give it a look.

@tanza My parents' dog is a rescue, but she had the Fanconi test when she was a year old. Luckily, it's not Fanconi.