My puppies will be current on all de-wormings and vaccinations for their age before they leave my home, they will also be examined by a vet, and have a clean bill of heath before leaving my home. You get 72 hours from the time the puppy leaves my home to be examined by your choice of veterinarian- if your vet finds something GENETICALLY wrong with the puppy then you will be asked to bring puppy back to me , with a copy of the diagnosed genetic issue..
** You will be offered a replacement puppy from the next available litter if their are true genetic anomalies found ** **Anomaly** = Something that deviates from what is standard, normal or expected
To help ensure healthy offspring All of our adult dogs are examined yearly by our Veterinarian and we also go a step further and run genetic testing for some diseases that are common in our Labrador breed ( EIC , PRA/prcd & CNM,DM) These tests can be run at any age. There is no excuse for breeder not to be health testing their breeding dogs.
When my dogs are of appropriate age I also like to have them checked and certified for Hearts, Hip/ Elbows/ Eyes through the OFA.
With that being said I DO NOT GUARANTEE my puppies free from the above genetic diseases as there are so many factors that fall into play as why a pup/dog develops it - I do as much pre-SCREENING and ruling out before mating my dogs to help PREVENT these genetic issues from happening..
ALL of my litters are out of health screened parents from a very solid background. What does this mean for the puppies and you? This means that we have reduced the risk of the offspring to become affected by: Orthopedic issues such as hip and elbow dysplaisa, eye diseases such as Rentinal Dysplasia and PRA (usually causes blindness at an early age), and eliminate the risk of EIC and CNM. By taking steps to evaluate and have our Labs health tested, it sets a better foundation and future for their puppies, reducing the chances of serious health problems commonly found in the breed.
When purchasing a Lab puppy, the parents should be health tested for the following (and NOT just "vet checked/ cleared"- vets can only do so much and VERY few know enough to give accurate information per breeding and gentics! These tests are done by specialist in these veterinary fields):
Hips: Xrayed by a vet and films sent to the OFFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) for proper grading. Be wary of someone who says "the vet cleared him/ her".
Elbows: Xrayed by a vet and sent to the OFFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) for a proper grading. Be wary of someone who says "the vet cleared him/her".
Eyes: examined and cleared by an ACVO vet (commonly known as CERF/ now eyes are considered "OFA Clear" after the proper form has been submitted)
EIC: Exericse Indused Collapse, this is a DNA test offered through many genetic laboratories. A Vet cannot "clear" a dog of this.
CNM: Centronuclear Myopathy, also a DNA test - A Vet cannot "clear" a dog of this, a DNA sample must be sent in to a laboratory for results
PRA: Progressive Retinal Atrophy, an eye disease that commonly causes blindness at an early age. Common in Labs, this disease should be shown great respect. We always have at least 1 parent CLEAR so we never produce an affected puppy.
However, we, like all other reputable breeders, are still at the mercy of the unseen genetic makeup of dogs and therefore cannot guarantee against diseases over which we have no control. Having said that, we only breed dogs that are free of genetic disorders and make every attempt to improve the wonderful breed. Environment, food, weight and exercise also have a significant role in the development of dysplasia and these are things we have no control of.
NO MATTER WHAT BREEDER YOU CHOOSE( HOBBY OR PROFESSIONAL ) show dog or hunting partner-No person or animals health is a guarantee!!
look for honesty and someone willing to speak in depth with you about your concerns.. these are some sites that may help your understand these genetics a bit better.
there are many forms of PRA(progressive retinal atrophy) however the prcd form(progressive rod cone degeneration) is the only form that has a genetic marker test- http://www.prcdtest.com/en/pra-prcd-disease/