Dog Health: A Purebred Dog - A Pure Heartache

All that Phil and Donna O'Brien wanted was a Great Dane puppy.
What they got was heartache.

Three years ago Phil and Donna purchased a six-month-old Great Dane from a local breeder. At the time they went to pick her up, the breeder told them that the dog had drank some mop water but assured them that the pup was fine, and to give her lots to drink.
They took her to the vet and the vet checked her over.
A couple of days later Jewel ,as they had named their new puppy, started having seizures.
Alarmed, Donna took the dog back to the vet.

The vet told them that there was something "not right" about the dog health and they should take her back to the breeder.

Phil and Donna were reluctant to do that as they had already fallen in love with the dog.

However, the seizures got worse, causing Jewel to not only twitch, but to violently shake and flail around. Donna describes the seizures that started happening one after the other as violent, causing the dog to flop back and forth on the floor.

With a heavy heart Phil reluctantly took the dog back to the breeder. The dog died a short time after.

Instead of a refund, the breeder promised them another puppy.
Thinking that it was a fluke that Jewel had had seizures, they picked up their new puppy almost a year after they had gotten Jewel, a male puppy they named Duke.

Duke is now a beautiful 2-year-old Great Dane.
A few weeks ago things started to go wrong with him.
He started losing weight, and it seemed as though every move he made caused him great pain.
The O'Briens noticed that if anyone went to pet the dog, he would lower his head. When they were out walking the dog would keep his nose close to the ground. Donna said She had laughed at the time, saying that Duke had the nose of a Bloodhound.

What was really going on?
It turns out that Duke has Wobbler's Syndrome, a disease that is common in young Great Danes.
The following was taken from a Veterinary website, which describes what Wobbler's syndrome really is.

". The outstanding symptom of Wobblers is a slowly developing, progressive, uncoordination and paralysis of the hind limbs. This paresis and/or uncoordination is caused by pressure on the spinal cord as it passes through the vertebrae of the neck, the last three being the most prominent sites. The animal may appear clumsy, "wobbling" or display swaying of the rear legs. On slick surfaces it may be difficult or impossible to walk. The dog may fall when attempting to turn and the toes of the hind feet may drag when walking. The dog usually has its legs spread out as far as possible trying to better balance itself. Initially front leg involvement is minimal or undetectable. As the disease progresses, a characteristic short choppy rolling stride is seen on what appears to be somewhat rigid forelimbs. As the
compression of the spinal cord becomes more severe, the front legs can have the same signs as the rear legs. There is usually little or no neck pain but the dog may stand with the neck flexed which usually alleviates some of the spinal cord pinching. Many dogs will object to neck manipulation and may even collapse when the movement is forced. "

Wobbler's syndrome can be genetic and when purchasing a Great Dane the breeding line should be checked thoroughly to make sure that it hasn't affected that lineage.

To Phil and Donna, who had never even heard of the dog health disease before, it came as a shock.

When a few weeks ago, the dog showed reluctance to walk, and it seemed to take him a long time to lie down and be comfortable, they once again took him to the vet where he was diagnosed with Wobbler's. He is losing weight from lack of excercise and a poor appetite.

Duke's prognosis is not good. He is on many painkillers and steroids in an effort to prolong his life a bit, but Phil and Donna know that in the end, Duke will probably have to be put down.

Duke, when he stands, bends his body into a U shape as seen in the photos at right. His back legs are splayed, he drags his front paws when he walks and he rarely keeps his head up for more than a few minutes.

Sometimies surgery is an option, but for Duke it is not. His Wobbler's is severe.

Besides the hundreds of dollars the O'Brien's have spent on the dog and on vet bills, the worst part is the heartache of losing another dog that they love. Their vet has told them that this latest round of pills and pain killers is the last step. When they stop working, Duke will have to be euthanized.

For Phil and Donna the thought of losing another beloved pet is devastating. They fear what their two little girls will feel when Duke doesn't come home anymore.
They are shocked about the whole affair.

Because they bought from a breeder who is registered with the Canadian Kennel Club, they had thought that the puppy would be healthy.
Now they know better. Just being registered with the CKC is not enough. There are several other dogs in this city who are having health problems with puppies they've purchased from this breeder, and these puppies have been reported to the CKC so that they can investigate.
What is foremost in the O'Brien's thoughts is that they want to prevent other people from going through the heatrtache that they have experienced. They want this breeder to stop breeding dogs.

They ask the public to contact them if they have a Great Dane puppy that has or is experiencing health problems.

Duke is a gentle giant, the main reason why Phil and Donna chose to purchase a Great Dane. He has been a therapy dog for the old age homes and the residents there will be missing his companionship too. This is a dog who is loved, and who will be missed by everyone who has met him.


Following are a few things you should ask breeders before purchasing a purebred puppy of any breed: Not all breeders are malicious, some just aren't as knowlegable as they should be.

1 How long has the breeder been breeding this breed of dog?

2. Is the breeder knowledgeable about the breed? Does he/she demonstrate a knowledge of the Standard of the Breed? Responsible breeders try to breed dogs as close as possible to the breed standard.

3. Does he or she represent his dogs as honestly as possible and try to assist the serious novice in his understanding of the breed?

4. Is he or she involved in competition with their dogs (conformation, obedience, agility)?This indicates valuable experience with the breed.

5. Does she/he trace health problems in the dogs he sells? If new to the breed, has breeder carefully researched the genetic problems that may lurk in the background of his lines? The breeder should be knowledgeable about and working to control and/or eradicate conditions, including those that are particular to the breed, such as renal dysplasia, portal systemic shunt, hip and eye problems, allergies, Von Willebrands disease, thyroid disorders, and inguinal hernias? ASTC pamphlets can tell you more about breeding healthy dogs and renal dysplasia.

6. Have the puppies been raised in the home?
Puppies used to home activity will more easily adapt to new families and homes. Puppies require proper socialization by gentle handling, human contact, and a wide variety of noises and experiences, and should not be removed from their dam or littermates before 8 weeks of age. (The ASTC Code of Ethics suggests puppies not be sold before 12 weeks.)

7. Have the puppies' temperaments been evaluated and can the breeder guide you to the puppy that will best suit your lifestyle?
A very shy puppy will not do well in a noisy household with small children, just as a very dominant puppy won't flourish in a sedate, senior citizen household. A caring breeder will know the puppies and be able to help you make a good match.

8. How often is the dam bred?
Breeding every heat cycle is too often and may indicate that profit is the primary motive for the breeding.

9. On what basis was the sire chosen?If the answer is "because he lives right down the street" or "because he is really sweet," it may be that sufficient thought was not put into the breeding.
10. Are the puppy's sire and dam available for you to meet? If the sire is unavailable can you call his owners or people who have his puppies to ask about temperament or health problems? You should also be shown pictures or videos''

11. Where did you find out about this breeder? Responsible breeders usually breed only when they have a waiting list of buyers and don't need to advertise in newspapers or put a sign in the yard.

12. Will the puppy be sold with a mandatory spay/neuter contract and/or limited registration (which means that if the dog is bred, the puppies cannot be CKC registered)?
A breeder who cares enough about the breed to insist on these for a pet puppy is usually a responsible breeder.

13. Do the puppies seem healthy, with no discharge from eyes or nose, no loose stools, no foul smelling ears? Are their coats soft, full, and clean? Do they have plenty of energy when awake yet calm down easily when gently stroked?
If the puppy is in good weight, a slight, clear nasal discharge may be due to pinched nostrils, quite common during the teething phase. They generally open as the puppy matures. Small umbilical hernias almost always close with age.

14. Does the breeder advise you to have the puppy checked by a veterinarian within 2 days (48 hours) of sale, with additional time allowed if the puppy is sold on a Saturday or Sunday, and provide a written agreement to refund the purchase price or take the puppy back and replace it if it is found to be unfit by a veterinarian? Has the puppy received the necessary immunizations and been checked for parasites and treated if necessary?

15. Does the breeder provide a 3-5 generation pedigree, a complete health record, and material to help you with feeding, grooming, training, and housebreaking?
A registration form should also be provided and clearly explained.

16. Are there a majority of titled dogs (the initials CH, CD, etc. before or after the names) in the first two generations?
The term "champion lines" means nothing if those titles are back three or more generations or if there are only one or two in the whole pedigree. Also, remember that not all champions are created equal and that a champion may or may not produce quality puppies.

17. Does the breeder have only 1 or at most 2 breeds of dogs and only 1 litter at a time?
If there are several breeds of dogs, the breeder may not devote the time it takes to become really knowledgeable about our breed. If there are several litters at a time, it is very difficult to give the puppies the attention they need and may indicate that the primary purpose for breeding is profit, rather than a sincere desire to sustain and improve the breed.

18. Will the breeder be available for the life of the dog to answer any questions you might have? Is this someone you would feel comfortable asking any type of question?
If you feel intimidated or pressured, keep looking!

19. Will the breeder take the dog back at any time, for any reason, if you cannot keep it? This is the hallmark of responsible breeding (and the quickest, best way to make rescue obsolete).

20. Responsible breeders also do not sell puppies to pet shops or commercial pet mill establishments, donate puppies for raffles or auctions, crossbreed or sell crossbred puppies, or give stud service to unregistered dogs.


Story source: http://www.soonews.ca/viewarticle.php?id=17309