Got a healthy basset? Seems like there is always something...

jaleely · 09-02-2011, 02:37 AM

I'd like to see a post of some of the Healthy bassets out there. I'm beginning to think its quite a hard thing to find in this breed. I am just sorta grumpy and down today, but it seems like there is always the big C or glaucoma, or genetic issues. My own guy gets shots every other week for his legs, and constantly battles skin issues and mange. Even my beagle has a constant ear infection we've spent at least $1,000 on over the past year trying to fix.

I want to hear about a basset who lives a nice long healthy life! Tell me a tale of how healthy your dog is!

BassetHoundHank · 09-02-2011, 02:57 AM

Yes, I am also in need of hearing a healthy basset*dog* tale!

vonny01 · 09-02-2011, 07:09 AM

Mine are not very old but do not have any problems

Rupert is the oldest at 6 and a half and apart from some Colitis when he was young has not seen the Vet for at least 4 years other than routine jabs.

Dudley and Patience have never been to the Vet for anything other than their booster jabs.
They are 4 and 3 and a half

RustyStickers · 09-02-2011, 07:19 AM

My Maggie Mae (ATB lived to be 15 1/2 years old. She did have some health issues in the last year but that is expected. She was healthy her whole life and spunky till the end. Rusty's diagnosis of Cancer at 6 is very sad. I think some is genetics and the environment and luck?

There are many Bassets who live to a nice old age. On the health forum most post about health issues looking for advice and or support. This breed is a wonderful one that will give you unconditional love and bring a smile to your face, guarantee!

paisleysmom · 09-02-2011, 08:19 AM

Hey Guys! I am a healthy basset! Sounds like a confession or something. But I am healthy -- knock on wood and only get to see the vet ladies for my health checkups and weight ins. Mom thinks I am so heathy because of my food (no grain). The parents last fur baby had Springer Rage Symdrome and cronic ear infections (Mom now thinks that he had food allergies which contributed to this). He was on Prosaic and daily pills for his ears. A nail trim and ear cleaning meant a trip to the vet where he would be put to sleep ( just to get his nails trimmed and ears flushed!!!) at a cost of about $400 and a lot of stress per visit at least every 3 to 4 months. They think that the rage syndrome must have been a genetic thing since Mom and Dad met a lady on the Island Place that they vist that also had a female Springer from the same small village that Sam came from that had the same things. This village was very small (pop of about 100 or so) so there must have been a connection between the two.
Mom and Dad think I am a blessing and don't hesitate to tell me everyday how lucky they are to have found me -- well they actually did'nt find me -- I came from a nice breeder but ya know what I mean.

Mikey T · 09-02-2011, 09:35 AM

Toughy livef to 12 without health issue other than the cancer that he succombed to

Mariah is 10 her only issue was a skin cancer that was easily surgical exicised no follow-up treatment necessary.

One think to keep in mind about cancer while many oncologist claim and believe a cure for all forms can be had in our lifetimes that cancer is by its very nature programed into every living cell of every creature it is a inheoirent part of the biology of the planet. To think we can change that is being nieve IMHO..
[url=http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Emperor_of_All_Maladies.html?id=5rF_31RVTnMCTh e Emperor of All Maladies:[/url]

Cancer World

Quote:

The more science tells us about the cancer cell, the more it resembles us. It wants to grow and multiply, as we do, but it doesn’t know how to stop. “Cancer’s life is a recapitulation of the body’s life, its existence a pathological mirror of our own,” Mukherjee writes. “Down to their innate molecular core, cancer cells are hyperactive, survival-endowed, scrappy, fecund, inventive copies of ourselves.”

Kirska · 09-02-2011, 10:49 AM

Harley is part basset and has only had 2 health problems: hypothyroidism which is very cheap and very easy to maintain and has no effect on his health when he is medicated, and a few tumors, all benign. A few allergies but nothing that requires a change in our routine. He is 11 now and overall is very healthy.

Anabelle has had her share of problems but almost none are genetic. She has a bad neck but we have not had an episode of pain since the first one (knock on wood). The only other thing we deal with is bladder function failing which is due to her being bred too much and easily fixed by natural supplements. A few ear infections but that happens with any long eared dog.

Statistically mixed breed dogs are healthier than the average purebred dog so if health is a huge concern you may want to consider adopting half bassets, etc. Pet insurance for a basset sized mutt is half the price of a purebred basset.

Quote:

In one landmark study, the effect of breed on longevity in the pet dog was analyzed using mortality data from 23,535 pet dogs. The data was obtained from North American veterinary teaching hospitals. The median age at death was determined for pure and mixed breed dogs of different body weights. Within each body weight category, the median age at death was lower for pure breed dogs compared with mixed breed dogs. The median age at death was "8.5 years for all mixed breed dogs, and 6.7 years for all pure breed dogs" in the study.

Soundtrack · 09-02-2011, 10:57 AM

I've had *well-bred* Bassets since 1979 - I've lost count of how many but probably close to 30 dogs overall. Most have lived to be 12-13 years of age and had very few health problems.

All of my current dogs are healthy, and they range in age from two to thirteen years.

Soundtrack · 09-02-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kirska

Statistically mixed breed dogs are healthier than the average purebred dog so if health is a huge concern you may want to consider adopting half bassets, etc. Pet insurance for a basset sized mutt is half the price of a purebred basset.

The statistics often quoted are dubious at best, and do not take into account the difference between a "purebred" that is bred by ignorant pet owners or those breeding commercially with little knowledge or interest in health issues, and those produced by breeders who factor health into their selection process.

If what you want is a healthy animal, while there are no guarantees your best bet is a responsible, knowledgeable breeder of purebreds, not a random-bred mongrel.

Kirska · 09-02-2011, 11:45 AM

Hence the use of the word "average" :P

09-02-2011, 02:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
jaleely Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 942	Got a healthy basset? Seems like there is always something... I'd like to see a post of some of the Healthy bassets out there. I'm beginning to think its quite a hard thing to find in this breed. I am just sorta grumpy and down today, but it seems like there is always the big C or glaucoma, or genetic issues. My own guy gets shots every other week for his legs, and constantly battles skin issues and mange. Even my beagle has a constant ear infection we've spent at least $1,000 on over the past year trying to fix. I want to hear about a basset who lives a nice long healthy life! Tell me a tale of how healthy your dog is! __________________ Baby Bowsah's Bwog

09-02-2011, 02:57 AM	#2 (permalink)
BassetHoundHank Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: DFW Metroplex, Texas Posts: 147	Yes, I am also in need of hearing a healthy bassetdog tale! __________________ http://bassethoundhank.blogspot.com/ Visit Hank and me on our blog!

09-02-2011, 10:57 AM	#8 (permalink)
Soundtrack Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,577	I've had well-bred Bassets since 1979 - I've lost count of how many but probably close to 30 dogs overall. Most have lived to be 12-13 years of age and had very few health problems. All of my current dogs are healthy, and they range in age from two to thirteen years. __________________ Rosie-Ch Soundtrack Cracklin' Rose CGN AGN RA Am RN TT Melody-Ch Soundtrack Unchained Melody TT Sailor-Ch Soundtrack Expedition Sailor RN TT Chili-Ch Soundtrack Spice Up Your Life Curry-Ch Soundtrack Canadian Brass Pepper-Ch Pennieslogon Living La Vida Loca CGN Vina-Ch Soundtrack Grand Illusion Leila-Ch Soundtrack Almost Paradise Deela-Ch Soundtrack Wink Of An Eye Hermione - Soundtrack Spellbound Eowyn - Soundtrack Rain Dance Last edited by Soundtrack; 09-02-2011 at 10:59 AM.

09-02-2011, 11:45 AM	#10 (permalink)
Kirska Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 932	Hence the use of the word "average" :P __________________ Mom to Anabelle and Lila, rescued ladies and Harley, Corgi/Beagle/Basset/?? mutt "Saving just one dog won't change the world, but it surely will change the world for that one dog." - Richard C. Call

09-02-2011, 07:09 AM	#3 (permalink)
vonny01 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 107	Mine are not very old but do not have any problems Rupert is the oldest at 6 and a half and apart from some Colitis when he was young has not seen the Vet for at least 4 years other than routine jabs. Dudley and Patience have never been to the Vet for anything other than their booster jabs. They are 4 and 3 and a half

09-02-2011, 07:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
RustyStickers Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 26	My Maggie Mae (ATB lived to be 15 1/2 years old. She did have some health issues in the last year but that is expected. She was healthy her whole life and spunky till the end. Rusty's diagnosis of Cancer at 6 is very sad. I think some is genetics and the environment and luck? There are many Bassets who live to a nice old age. On the health forum most post about health issues looking for advice and or support. This breed is a wonderful one that will give you unconditional love and bring a smile to your face, guarantee!

09-02-2011, 08:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
paisleysmom Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Sudbury, Ontario Posts: 507	Hey Guys! I am a healthy basset! Sounds like a confession or something. But I am healthy -- knock on wood and only get to see the vet ladies for my health checkups and weight ins. Mom thinks I am so heathy because of my food (no grain). The parents last fur baby had Springer Rage Symdrome and cronic ear infections (Mom now thinks that he had food allergies which contributed to this). He was on Prosaic and daily pills for his ears. A nail trim and ear cleaning meant a trip to the vet where he would be put to sleep ( just to get his nails trimmed and ears flushed!!!) at a cost of about $400 and a lot of stress per visit at least every 3 to 4 months. They think that the rage syndrome must have been a genetic thing since Mom and Dad met a lady on the Island Place that they vist that also had a female Springer from the same small village that Sam came from that had the same things. This village was very small (pop of about 100 or so) so there must have been a connection between the two. Mom and Dad think I am a blessing and don't hesitate to tell me everyday how lucky they are to have found me -- well they actually did'nt find me -- I came from a nice breeder but ya know what I mean.

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