Comments on: Save the Basset Hound – Petition

By: Jan

Jan — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:11:03 +0000

Hi Jon
Having nothing better to do on a cold snowy afternoon, I was browsing and came across the comments here on epilepsy and the Basset. I just have to say yes, it is around in the breed (in the UK – can’t necessarily speak for the entire world). I have happily never had it in my lines (British-American-Canadian and then back to British). However, the last mating I did was to a sire who developed late-onset epilepsy, as did his mother (obviously after I’d done the mating!!). I immediately ended my line, spayed the bitch we kept from the litter without breeding from her, and refused studs on the male we’d also kept. Although to my knowledge (and although one might not hear the good, you usually hear the bad!) none of the puppies in this litter developed epilepsy (and certainly neither of the offspring I kept, both now sadly no longer with me, did) and I had no reason to think the puppies in this litter would suffer with this, in later life, I felt the buck had to stop somewhere. At least I wasn’t going to be responsible for passing this on.
It is however, true that epilepsy can be caused by a number of reasons apart from it being hereditary. There is some thought that suggests this could come down from the outcrossing done years ago, to Bloodhounds. Epilepsy is around in Bloodhounds.

As I initially came in here via the Petition against the KC revisions to the Breed Standard I would just like to say that the revisions were not as significant as might be seen – what has happened is an attempt to bring the breed back to where it was meant to be, via the original Breed Standard …. ie an unexaggerated hound who, without the excesses (Skin, extreme lowness to the ground being the main problems) that have crept into the breed in the UK, in recent years, is stilll able to do what it was always intended to do – hunt. It’s really only the wording that has been subtly altered. Now we need judges to judge to the Standard. Not to flash and flab!!
Apologies for the length of this!

By: Jon

Jon — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:07:24 +0000

Thanks for stopping by Kathi. Keep those hounds safe !

By: Kathi Hill

Kathi Hill — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:48:33 +0000

I enjoyed your article. I have 2 long-haired bassets, which I understand the kennel clubs very much discourage and have tried to breed out of basset hounds. I love mine. One (female) is 12 and the male is 13. My male has had 3 seizures since we got him (he was about 4), but the emergency vet and regular vet attributed them to “anxiety attacks.” Knock on wood, no more. We almost lost him on the last one, which has been over 3 years ago. No sign of seizures from the female.

Keep up the good work.

By: British Bassets Fit for Purpose — Kennel Björkwood

British Bassets Fit for Purpose — Kennel Björkwood — Wed, 20 May 2009 15:01:47 +0000

[...] been so much criticism in the press about the basset hound that it’s a splendid idea to show hounds doing what they were bred to [...]

By: Jon

Jon — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 12:04:45 +0000

@Natalie
I am really sorry to hear that. I would talk to my vet and if s/he isn’t much help, I would then try alternative help. Some vets are also homeopathic partitioners. I personally wouldn’t go to anyone who wasn’t a qualified vet in the first place, but I am very open to those vets who have a specialisation in homeopathy as well.

Good luck with your woof!

By: Natalie

Natalie — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 11:46:35 +0000

I owned a basset about 7 years ago that had seizures. The vet tried to tell me the head shaking was due to ear mites. If you have seen this shake, you know that it, in no way, resembles the shake of an ear mite in the ear.

About 3 years later, I adopted another basset hound (from another part of the country) that did the exact same thing. I took him to another vet and was told that yes…they were seizures.

This week…I adopted a basset hound mix…and he is also having seizures.

By: The Best of Basset Hounds.nu — Kennel Björkwood

The Best of Basset Hounds.nu — Kennel Björkwood — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:40:38 +0000

[...] Save the Basset Hound [...]

By: Jon

Jon — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:43:47 +0000

Hello Joanna,
I’m so sorry to hear about your woofs having problems.
To my knowledge, I only know of two bassets that have had epilepsy (one proved fatal) here in Sweden. It’s not something I would assume is typical of the breed.

I would look first and foremost at the lines your dogs have come from. Has the breeder knowingly bred a dog with epilepsy (or some other kind of seizures)?

After that I would look at environmental issues. Lead poisoning is a common cause of seizures. Heat stroke can also cause them.

As you’ve had three cases of this I would first look to rule out hereditary issues (talk to the breeders) and then look at the environment they’re in. There’s a good overview of canine seizures here.

Please let me know if you come to a conclusion as to the cause or if there’s any link.

Very best wishes,
Jon

By: Joanna

Joanna — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:22:59 +0000

Jon,

I have two tri-colored bassets who will be three years old in April. Prior to that I had a lemon and white who lived to be 11 before having to be put down due to severe seizure disorder. Now my current hounds are starting to have seizures. My question to you is – are you aware of seizure disorder as something that it inherent in the basset breed? My vet says he is not aware of any such statistic but if not that, then why am I the owner of 3 bassets who have this problem?

I love my bassets. I love the breed. They have so much personality and love to share and they are so funny – they make me laugh a lot. I hate to see them suffer with these seizures. Any thoughts?

By: SVT Broadcasts Pedigree Dogs Exposed — Kennel Björkwood

SVT Broadcasts Pedigree Dogs Exposed — Kennel Björkwood — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:15:36 +0000

[...] have the supreme temperament that makes bassets such a wonderful breed. As I’ve said before, I am diametrically opposed to inbreeding and close-line-breeding. Although these techniques have produced so-called “successful” show dogs, I am [...]