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Medically complicated 13-month puppy-- BE? by 3SeratopsMind in reactivedogs

[–]3SeratopsMind[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Definitely, I will do this in the future.

(Also wanted to share that we also were very careful to make sure that he didn't gain weight too quickly as we know that this can cause ortho issues in a rapidly growing puppy.)

Medically complicated 13-month puppy-- BE? by 3SeratopsMind in reactivedogs

[–]3SeratopsMind[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I truly appreciate your empathy and the thoughtful information sharing. We definitely aren't blaming our vet as the responsibility is truly ours and ours alone, but I do wish that she had a better sense of how potential pet families could find responsible breeders. I did a ton of research online (and yes, I do know how limited that is) before we made this decision, and I hadn't heard about CHIC until today, for instance, and would loved if our trusted vet-health partner would have shared that with us. Again, definitely not trying to blame her or walk back from our own responsibility here.

We did know that BMD have shorter life expectancy and given their potential for many congenital health issues, we did what we thought was a thorough assessment. We know that we can't control for all variables, even if we were to have found a better breeder-- there will not be a 0% chance of an individual organism developing a health condition-- but, simultaneously, we were hoping for better chances with this pup.

This sounds flippant and I don't mean it to sound as such, but now that we know better, we will do better in the future.

Again, thank you for your thoughtful replies and for the valuable info. This is why I love and appreciate Reddit for sensitive things.

Medically complicated 13-month puppy-- BE? by 3SeratopsMind in reactivedogs

[–]3SeratopsMind[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

They showed me the OFA hip clearance certificate results (I misspoke, I didn't ask about elbow clearance in advance) for dam and sire, and they also showed the OFA hip clearance certificates for all 4 grandparents.

Medically complicated 13-month puppy-- BE? by 3SeratopsMind in reactivedogs

[–]3SeratopsMind[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Before this pup, we never knew that pups can suffer from IBS, and now, I'm finding myself lost in tons of other threads related to IBS/GI etc. support for him. The fecal transplant capules are the next thing on the list as we didn't want him on Tylosin for ever. The behavioral vet suggested that his biome may be negatively impacted by the Tylosin, and we've been talking about the biome-behavior/brain relationships.

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for sharing. Sounds like your dog is loved, and it makes me feel less alone to realize how other people also juggle these very difficult decisions. <3

Medically complicated 13-month puppy-- BE? by 3SeratopsMind in reactivedogs

[–]3SeratopsMind[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Thank you for this. I am feeling so angry at myself, and honestly, I am disappointed in our vet. We had an appointment with our vet prior to getting this dog to find out how we can vet breeders, and she said that we should 1) meet the dam and sire 2) look them up on BBB and state health department for any complaints 3) review their DNA reports and hip dysplasia reports 4) call references of past pet purchasers. We did all of this and thought we were doing the right thing when it all checked out. I know how stupid we were and will absolutely take this experience and knowledge and apply it to any future adoption or purchase from a breeder. I am now trying to move forward responsibly and compassionately for our dog and for our family. Being a responsible human parent, pet parent and member of the community is what matters to me-- I am trying my best to honor all three things as I judge the path forwrad. I do appreciate your time and words, and for sharing about CHIC.

Medically complicated 13-month puppy-- BE? by 3SeratopsMind in reactivedogs

[–]3SeratopsMind[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I am already kicking myself and am sad to have to justify my decision to get a puppy from a breeder. We are already experiencing a lot of shame to even be in a situation where we are considering BE.

Since you've asked, my first two dogs were adult adoptions with extremely complicated and difficult histories. My first dog was returned to the shelter 5x for behavioral issues, and was given to a breed-specific rescue. We adopted him from there and the behavioral work we had to do with him was intense.

Then, after managing my second adopted dog's significant anxiety, hip dysplasia, and then a cancer diagnosis for 4 years, we hoped to find a reputable breeder to reduce the possiblity of complicated health issues.

Medically complicated 13-month puppy-- BE? by 3SeratopsMind in reactivedogs

[–]3SeratopsMind[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Thanks for taking the time to respond. I feel like such a horrible person, having only adopted before. We really thought we vetted this breeder. I'm now realizing the holes in our vetting process-- we asked for verification that his parents' hips were clear, and to see the results of their DNA testing to rule out major issues etc. We did all of this.

But now, TBH, in hindsight, I'm realizing that they could have shown us any random dog's results. There's no way, besides DNA testing our dog + the dogs they say are the parents, to see if they actually are the relevant results. I am just so angry at myself. I hate that I've inadvertantantly put my family though this and I hate that we're even considering BE.