Thinking of getting a Basset

TCBronson · 03-19-2010, 05:28 PM

I wanted to know how Bassets do with stairs. Our house has stairs and I wasn't sure if stairs were a problem with Bassets.

Thanks in advance.

Mikey T · 03-19-2010, 07:00 PM

I don't know of an adult basset that has a problem with stairs except of course for the "famous poem" Bassets with Erections Can't Climb Stairs
and the occasional fearful one that may have trouble decending stairs.

However it is recomended the basset under 1 year of age should refrain jumping and stair climbing. There is a sound reason for this. The grouth plates on bassets do not close until 8-14 months of age on average. These are located at the end of each long limb bone, long being a relative term. The growth plates are more like catiledge in structure, strength etc so are more easily damaged than calcified bone. Damage to the growth plate can cause a bone to stop growing. If the other bones around it continue to grow a severe orthopeadic adnormality occurs offten requiring surgery to correct. Most basset pups tend to be clumsy to a fail down stairs is common and there is an exponetially larger force put on the growth plated from landing of a height than simply walking so jumping down of objects wether furniture or stairs creates the posibilty of an acute injury or an acummulation of many small injuries that effect bone growth. The later and closer to the time the growth plate closes and the injury date the less likely it will effect the dog. As the growth slows before the growth plate closes. Personnally I think 6 months delay in stair use is appropriate but I also am engaged in much higher risk activities with my bassets than most as well so you need to consider the source of that info as well.

adopting an adult or near adult solves this issue

Surgical Management of Premature Closure of the Distal Ulnar Growth Plate in a Growing Dog

Treatment by the Use of an Ilizarov External Fixator of Incongruity
in the Elbow Joint Due to Premature Closure of the Distal Radial

Growth Plate in a German Shepherd

Quote:

premature closure of the growth plates is the greatest cause of deformity observed in the forelimbs of dogs

RADIAL AND ULNAR OSTEOTOMY

Quote:

The growth plates are composed of cartilage and appear radiographically as radiolucent lines. These are the areas where bone length is added. During active ossification, the cartilage cells proliferate, line up in columns, mature, hypertrophy, calcify, and disintegrate, leaving a straight strip or core of noncellular calcified cartilage matrix on which new bone is deposited by the osteoblasts

...Many physeal plate problems can lead to deformity of the forelimb. The severity of the deviation and the technique used to correct the problem depend on the specific epiphyseal plate injury and the age of the animal when injured. When the cause of deformity is recognized in an immature animal, the plan of treatment will probably be prophylactic, that is, minimizing subsequent deformity as the animal grows to maturity. This may require multiple surgeries as the animal continues to grow. To wait for the animal to grow to maturity without any correction may allow for formation of deviation beyond correction and may allow subluxation or luxation of the elbow or carpus to develop. Successful reconstructive surgery at that point is impossible. Conversely, the older animal, close to growth plate closure or beyond, can be corrected completely when the problem is recognized and toward an end point.

...Most distal ulnar growth plate problems originate as a result of trauma ...Trauma, usually automobile or crush injuries, to the forelimb may result in premature closure. The trauma may be directly to the growth plate in the form of a severe bruise or may result in fracture. Such direct trauma is not always needed, however, to result in closure. Any trauma to the forelimb of an immature dog sufficient to cause radial and ulnar fracture may also result in growth plate closure. Owners of immature dogs with radial and ulnar fracture should be warned of the possibility of distal ulnar growth plate closure.

Growth Plates

gsally · 03-19-2010, 08:51 PM

Thanks for sharing that poem Mikey T.........hysterical! ON the subject of stairs. We limited our first pup to the first floor for at least six months. And then we didn't let her go more than once or twice a day. We had open basement steps and she didn't do those until she was about 4, cause she was scared, then one day my son coaxed her down and that was it, after that she had the run of three floors. We also didn't let her jump on and off the beds until she was a year old. At age eleven, she still had a very healthy spine, did steps many times and day and jumped on and off the beds.

Lightning&Stomps · 03-20-2010, 04:43 PM

Thanks for posting the poem, Mikey! I've been wanting to ask if anyone had it but didn't want to seem pervey. The only trouble I've had with stairs were because the ones I had weren't carpeted, and the dogs occasionally would slip and fall down them (I wasn't in that house long). Because bassets are so long-bodied they don't go down steps very agilely (I don't think that's a word), so they have to be very careful.

SophieB · 03-20-2010, 10:12 PM

My Basset breeder/showing friends and my vet have always told me that stairs are a no-no for Bassets of all ages, especially going down them, when all their weight of 56-70lbs is pressing on those little front legs and it can be damaging for their long backs too. Also I've always been told that they shouldn't jump off anything higher than themselves and my family have had Bassets for three generations and have heeded any advice and had no orthopaedic problems with our Bassets! ..... Haha that poem is funny!!

mydawgz · 03-22-2010, 10:01 PM

Laying on the steps is a favorite past time. They could see who is walking by the front of the house, who is coming in the door, who is upstairs and who is downstairs. A view of the kitchen is most helpful especially when we are cooking. Getting up and down has never been a problem especially when they want something. I have heard it is not good for them, but I can't say that I had any problem with them. If anything, they got a little added exercise by using the steps.

Mom2Flash · 03-23-2010, 11:07 AM

Flash is a year old and has never had a problem with stairs. We have 2 flights of stairs in our home. One of his favorite games is "race you to the top!" Flash always tries to be the first one up (and usually is), but is slower going down, so I think he knows his limitations. I would recommend the stairs are carpeted. I would think a basset could slip and fall quite easily on uncarpeted stairs.

Mikey T · 03-23-2010, 02:14 PM

FWIW I Had Wooden stairs that were six feet wide for the pup I but a carpeted ramp that was half the steepness as the stair (i.e. twice as long) at about 4-5 months of age most found the wooden stair much easier to nagotiate than the ramp which the basically slid down

slbj.mouse · 03-24-2010, 12:22 PM

Oh my! I needed a kleenex to wipe tears and I am still gasping for breath after my gigglefest over the "Bassets with Erections can't climb stairs" link.

Where do I find the other pages??

B.Basset & I found the "my rescue is beautiful" particularly apt also. Again THANK YOU!!! to all who helped in those first few weeks me get through my first challenging rescue relatively calmly. He's doing so well, has a long way to go but I'd now say his chances of being a satisfactory companion for the right experienced single dog owner are more like 75% up from 50%.

03-19-2010, 05:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
TCBronson Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1	Thinking of getting a Basset I wanted to know how Bassets do with stairs. Our house has stairs and I wasn't sure if stairs were a problem with Bassets. Thanks in advance.

03-19-2010, 08:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
gsally Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: PA Posts: 275	Thanks for sharing that poem Mikey T.........hysterical! ON the subject of stairs. We limited our first pup to the first floor for at least six months. And then we didn't let her go more than once or twice a day. We had open basement steps and she didn't do those until she was about 4, cause she was scared, then one day my son coaxed her down and that was it, after that she had the run of three floors. We also didn't let her jump on and off the beds until she was a year old. At age eleven, she still had a very healthy spine, did steps many times and day and jumped on and off the beds. Last edited by gsally; 03-19-2010 at 08:53 PM.

03-20-2010, 04:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lightning&Stomps Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Versailles, Ky. Posts: 1,203	Thanks for posting the poem, Mikey! I've been wanting to ask if anyone had it but didn't want to seem pervey. The only trouble I've had with stairs were because the ones I had weren't carpeted, and the dogs occasionally would slip and fall down them (I wasn't in that house long). Because bassets are so long-bodied they don't go down steps very agilely (I don't think that's a word), so they have to be very careful.

03-20-2010, 10:12 PM	#5 (permalink)
SophieB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 839	My Basset breeder/showing friends and my vet have always told me that stairs are a no-no for Bassets of all ages, especially going down them, when all their weight of 56-70lbs is pressing on those little front legs and it can be damaging for their long backs too. Also I've always been told that they shouldn't jump off anything higher than themselves and my family have had Bassets for three generations and have heeded any advice and had no orthopaedic problems with our Bassets! ..... Haha that poem is funny!!

03-22-2010, 10:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
mydawgz Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 107	Laying on the steps is a favorite past time. They could see who is walking by the front of the house, who is coming in the door, who is upstairs and who is downstairs. A view of the kitchen is most helpful especially when we are cooking. Getting up and down has never been a problem especially when they want something. I have heard it is not good for them, but I can't say that I had any problem with them. If anything, they got a little added exercise by using the steps.

03-23-2010, 11:07 AM	#7 (permalink)
Mom2Flash Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 78	Flash is a year old and has never had a problem with stairs. We have 2 flights of stairs in our home. One of his favorite games is "race you to the top!" Flash always tries to be the first one up (and usually is), but is slower going down, so I think he knows his limitations. I would recommend the stairs are carpeted. I would think a basset could slip and fall quite easily on uncarpeted stairs.

03-23-2010, 02:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
Mikey T Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: West Warrwick, RI Posts: 7,728	FWIW I Had Wooden stairs that were six feet wide for the pup I but a carpeted ramp that was half the steepness as the stair (i.e. twice as long) at about 4-5 months of age most found the wooden stair much easier to nagotiate than the ramp which the basically slid down

03-24-2010, 12:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
slbj.mouse Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 40	Oh my! I needed a kleenex to wipe tears and I am still gasping for breath after my gigglefest over the "Bassets with Erections can't climb stairs" link. Where do I find the other pages?? B.Basset & I found the "my rescue is beautiful" particularly apt also. Again THANK YOU!!! to all who helped in those first few weeks me get through my first challenging rescue relatively calmly. He's doing so well, has a long way to go but I'd now say his chances of being a satisfactory companion for the right experienced single dog owner are more like 75% up from 50%.

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