November 27, 2000
Written by: Celeste A. Clements, DVM, Diplomate ACVIM

Basset hounds are long-bodied, short-legged dogs with a long nose perfect for scenting and trailing rabbits. The ears are plush and long enough to touch the tip of the nose—they give new meaning to the expression "standing on his ear." The lips are pendulous, and the dogs are inclined to drool. The skin is loose and forms a dewlap and prominent wrinkles.

 

The basset is a friendly dog, with an even temperament, making him a good companion to people and other dogs.

The breed standard described by the American Kennel Club is deep-chested, with a prominent sternum. The body is balanced and the limbs straight, providing for a smooth and powerful gait that’s suitable for traversing the uneven terrain encountered while hunting. The basset is a friendly dog, with an even temperament, making him a good companion to people and other dogs.

But before you bring a basset home, there are some basic health concerns, both unique and ordinary, that you need to be aware of. A number of conditions may affect their candidacy as a pet or breeding animal. As is the case with all purebreds, some of these defects are heritable.

One of the more serious inherited diseases is thrombopathia, or platelet function disorder. Platelets are small circulating elements that stick together at the site of an injury to the lining of a blood vessel. With Basset thrombopathia, the platelets do not clump or aggregate properly.

The disease causes affected basset hounds to bleed spontaneously into the urine or feces, and to develop pinpoint hemorrhages on the skin surface or mucous membranes. Other possible signs include the forming of hematomas, or swellings, on the ears, and prolonged bleeding with dewclaw removal or shedding of baby teeth. Males and females are equally affected by the condition and if they have thrombopathia, they should not be bred.

Although a simple, in-house test—called an oral mucosal bleeding time test—is readily available, it isn’t conclusive. Definitively diagnosing thrombopathia in a basset requires the analysis of a fresh blood sample, and only select labs have the capability to evaluate it. However, the test has major advantages: it can also document abnormalities in dogs that are not showing signs of bleeding tendency, and the screening of potential breeding animals for this disease is wise. Treating bleeding patients for thrombopathia usually requires blood transfusions, which may not be readily available in times of crisis.

Thrombopathia isn’t the only serious disease that affects the breed. Bassets also may inherit a platelet function disorder described as von Willebrand’s disease. Animals with this condition are deficient in a blood protein, von Willebrand factor, which helps the platelet adhere to damaged vessels. Patients may be assessed preliminarily with an OMBT; verification requires an assay for factor activity. Hemophilia is a sex-linked bleeding disorder that occurs in some male bassets, but is an uncommon cause of bleeding tendency in this breed.

Abnormalities of the eyes are common among the basset hound breed, but only a small percentage will develop glaucoma. In these dogs, fluid cannot exit the eye properly and it accumulates, raising pressure in the globe. Increased intraocular pressure causes a red painful eye that ultimately may lose vision. The genetic trait for primary glaucoma in the basset is a recessive one. Males and females are equally affected.

Everyone loves the basset’s outwardly funny frame, but sometimes that strange shape can lead to medical problems. Dwarfism is recognized in the breed. Luxating patellas or "trick knees," as well as cartilage maturation disorders such as osteochondritis dissecans, may be heritable in the basset. Spontaneous lameness in young or growing dogs should be investigated; chronic joint problems and osteoarthritis are likely if joint incongruency is not surgically improved.

Because of their deep-chested conformation, bassets and other breeds with similar shapes, are prone to gastric dilatation and volvulus, where the stomach distends and turns on its long axis, disrupting blood supply. This condition is potentially fatal and warrants emergency veterinary attention. Signs include rapid bloating and unproductive retching. With progression of signs the dogs may collapse, succumbing to shock. The mechanisms for bloat or GDV are not currently understood, but most recommend that dogs be restricted from vigorous activity for a time after meals and prevented from tanking up on food or water to prevent over distention of the stomach. Bassets like their chow, so these limitations may take vigilance on the part of the owners.

The heavy flop ears that make the basset so distinctive also may permit the development of ear infections.

The heavy flop ears that make the basset so distinctive also may permit the development of ear infections. Bassets are predisposed to seborrhea, which is a skin condition that is associated with accelerated skin cell turnover and abnormal oil secretion. Excessive flakiness or greasiness of the skin is common in this breed and may contribute to a pervasive "doggy" smell that is difficult to overcome, even with frequent bathing. Medicated antiseborrhea shampoos are particularly useful. Seborrhea affects skin inside the ear, as well, and is a primary cause of otitis externa (ear infections), making preventative ear care particularly important for this breed.

After all, the ears make the dog.