SaddleNotIncluded Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 One of my friends is buying a Whippet pup from a backyard breeder. Just a newspaper ad; pups only have microchips, not even the first vaccination {you have to pay extra if you want this} I told her to go to a registered breeder, listed all the reasons why, and gave her a list of breeders in her state. She called back the Whippet 'breeder' and said she no longer wanted the pup because they don't do health testing. The 'breeder' told her that it's no problem, that only Giant breed sighthounds need health screening. They told her there is no health tests for Whippets or Italian Greyhounds; that they're 'naturally' immune to health issues, and that's why she shouldn't bother spending extra at "a fancy show breeder" She paid a deposit, believing them, and picks the pup up in 2 weeks {at 7 weeks old} Determined to prove them wrong, I went online to find health testing that is recommended for Whippets, and the common health issues they suffer from. However, I couldn't find anything! All the sites I looked on said that Whippets are very healthy breeds...and that's about it. Can anyone help me out with this? She won't buy the backyard bred pup if I can find a registered breeder in Victoria who screens for common health issues, but so far I haven't even found out what issues they can have. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Hmmmm .. (oh, and WELCOME) there are some whippeteers on D O L , hopefully they will see your post (maybe change it to WHIPPETS ?) I had a quick look and could only find some heart issues .. have a read ofTHIS THREAD..there may be something you can use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Hmmm... I'd be saying that if the "breeder" won't even vaccinate the pup unless the new owner pays extra for it, that they don't actually have the health and wellbeing of their pups as a priority. I'd run a mile myself... T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 (edited) Whippets are a generally healthy breed but they have problems. Undescended testes, heart murmurs, epilepsy, in the US there's that awful double muscling gene in some lines that I hope hasn't got to Australia, probably quite a few more health issues, they're just the ones that come to mind for now. I have a suspicion that auto immune diseases are creeping in too. They're starting to do alot more health testing on whippets in the US. Edited August 27, 2012 by Kirislin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RubyBlue Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Isn't it illegal for puppies to be sold without their microchip and first vacc in Victoria? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 I have bred Whippets for a long long time. Whippets are a very healthy breed, and yes their is no REQUIRED health tests. American Whippets seem be be having problems in THEIR lines, you would rarely if ever hear of AUSTRALIAN Whippets having a problem unless it it closely linked to American lines. Most American dogs coming into this country are heavily health tested and certified clear before leaving the states. This doesn't mean you WON'T EVER get problems but it's pretty unlikely. My thoughts are if purchase off ethical registered breeders you will lessen the chances of any problems. Purchasing off back yard breeders is asking for disaster especially if they are not vaccinating. I have lost sales and was happy to do so from people that refused to purchase unless I furnished the dogs health certificates. These people told me they went onto a dog list and were told to ask for the dogs health certificates and if the breeder didn't offer them they had bad stock. Some people just believe what they are told and don't do their home work and research their chosen breed. These type of owners I believe I do not need. Most American Whippets are tested for Heart, Sight and Hearing problems. If any breeder wants to test for these things then be my guest and go ahead. I would not be testing for these problems because my dogs have been running flat out for years and never dropped dead. They can hear the fridge open I swear a mile away :laugh: and nothing can move in the yard that they don't see it. Italian Greyhounds are now my chosen breed and they also have NO health testing available. They do suffer from PRA. Their is NO test available at this point in time but ethical caring breeders address the problem by having stock regularly eye tested and only purchasing from other breeders with tested stock. Testing can start at any age but usually you will find nothing till the dogs are approximately 3 to 5 years of age. Testing continues till the age of 7 and if nothing untoward is found they are given a certificate stating that the dog is clear. So after that lengthy discussion the persons were telling the truth but I would run a mile and never purchase of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iggy mum Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Italian Greyhounds are now my chosen breed and they also have NO health testing available. They do suffer from PRA. Their is NO test available at this point in time but ethical caring breeders address the problem by having stock regularly eye tested and only purchasing from other breeders with tested stock. Testing can start at any age but usually you will find nothing till the dogs are approximately 3 to 5 years of age. Testing continues till the age of 7 and if nothing untoward is found they are given a certificate stating that the dog is clear. So after that lengthy discussion the persons were telling the truth but I would run a mile and never purchase of them. Great choice - I love iggies too, obviously lol! I'm not a breeder and do not know much about iggy health issues other than epilepsy. Could you please tell me what PRA is. I thought you could explain it to me in plainer english than researching it online. Plus I'm lazy too :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Italian Greyhounds are now my chosen breed and they also have NO health testing available. They do suffer from PRA. Their is NO test available at this point in time but ethical caring breeders address the problem by having stock regularly eye tested and only purchasing from other breeders with tested stock. Testing can start at any age but usually you will find nothing till the dogs are approximately 3 to 5 years of age. Testing continues till the age of 7 and if nothing untoward is found they are given a certificate stating that the dog is clear. So after that lengthy discussion the persons were telling the truth but I would run a mile and never purchase of them. Great choice - I love iggies too, obviously lol! I'm not a breeder and do not know much about iggy health issues other than epilepsy. Could you please tell me what PRA is. I thought you could explain it to me in plainer english than researching it online. Plus I'm lazy too :laugh: Maybe if I say night blindness would be the closest I could get to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iggy mum Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Maybe if I say night blindness would be the closest I could get to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Progressive Retinal Atrophy. http://www.animaleyecare.net/diseases/pra.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HazyWal Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Italian Greyhounds are now my chosen breed and they also have NO health testing available. They do suffer from PRA. Their is NO test available at this point in time but ethical caring breeders address the problem by having stock regularly eye tested and only purchasing from other breeders with tested stock. Testing can start at any age but usually you will find nothing till the dogs are approximately 3 to 5 years of age. Testing continues till the age of 7 and if nothing untoward is found they are given a certificate stating that the dog is clear. So after that lengthy discussion the persons were telling the truth but I would run a mile and never purchase of them. Great choice - I love iggies too, obviously lol! I'm not a breeder and do not know much about iggy health issues other than epilepsy. Could you please tell me what PRA is. I thought you could explain it to me in plainer english than researching it online. Plus I'm lazy too :laugh: Maybe if I say night blindness would be the closest I could get to. Isn't night blindness only the first stage of PRA? A friend of mine has a greyhound diagnosed with PRA and was told he will eventually be totally blind. Iggy Mum in you google Progressive Retinal Atrophy in dogs it explains it fairly clearly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merijigs Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 It stands for Progressive Retinal Atrophy and means progressive blindness, from night blindness to eventually day blindness to...Blindness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*kirty* Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 PRA is Progressive Retinal Atrophy. It basically means that the retina (the nerve tissue at the back of the eye that sends info to the brain) gradually atrophies/wastes away. The first signs are often night blindness and this usually starts at around 4-7 years. Gradually the vision gets worse and worse and the dog will eventually be completely blind. This usually happens by 6-8 years old. There is no cure and the dogs will also develop secondary cataracts, which often leads to glaucoma or uveitis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 (edited) I can't speak for Whippets, but most sighthounds don't have required health tests and there are very few DNA tests available for diseases in the sighthound breeds. They are a pretty healthy group as a whole relatively speaking, especially the rarer breeds which haven't been bred in large numbers and aren't popular as pets or for commercial racing. I still prefer hearts, thryoid and eyes checked in my sighthound breed (not Whippets) as well as the sole available DNA test, for Degenerative Mylopathy, but many in Aust don't do it. Mostly they get away with no consequences because of the generally good genetic health of the breed population. The big killers - bloat, bone cancer - can't be tested for. But complacency is dangerous, and there are genetic health problems in the breed here and elsewhere which do need to be watched for. I'd run a mile from the breeder you quote though - anyone who says a breed is naturally immune from health problems is not someone I'd deal with. Edited August 28, 2012 by Diva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaddleNotIncluded Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 Excellent, thank you everyone. I've passed along the info and she said she'll think about it. Including first vaccination and microchipping {no desexing, other vacs, worm or flea treatment}, she's paying $950 for the backyard bred pup. I told her she's being ripped off by about $950, but we'll see what she does. I'm still sending her links to rego breeders, hope it catches! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 I know of a woman who is breeding pedigrees and I think they will sell for $1000 and will have pedigree papers, microchip, vaccination and ongoing lifetime support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Salukifan Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 (edited) Excellent, thank you everyone. I've passed along the info and she said she'll think about it. Including first vaccination and microchipping {no desexing, other vacs, worm or flea treatment}, she's paying $950 for the backyard bred pup. I told her she's being ripped off by about $950, but we'll see what she does. I'm still sending her links to rego breeders, hope it catches! Wow - $950 for an unpapered pup. I can think of ANKC breeders who sell pups for less than that. Agree with the other posters. Few if any inheritable health problems occur in Whippets. You hear occasionally of epilepsy (which has no health test) and there have been a few incidences of heart issues (confined to one line that I'm aware of). There are a few breeders that check hearts but that's about it. Of course, if you don't know the pedigree behind the pup, then knowing the lines behind it and the potential issues becomes completely impossible. Edited August 28, 2012 by Haredown Whippets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaddleNotIncluded Posted August 28, 2012 Author Share Posted August 28, 2012 I know of a woman who is breeding pedigrees and I think they will sell for $1000 and will have pedigree papers, microchip, vaccination and ongoing lifetime support. If that's in vic, could you PM me the prefix? Are the pups desexed, or do they get a desex voucher? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Whippets available Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pattycake Posted August 28, 2012 Share Posted August 28, 2012 Excellent, thank you everyone. I've passed along the info and she said she'll think about it. Including first vaccination and microchipping {no desexing, other vacs, worm or flea treatment}, she's paying $950 for the backyard bred pup. I told her she's being ripped off by about $950, but we'll see what she does. I'm still sending her links to rego breeders, hope it catches! Keep trying to get through to her, I don't know anything about whippets except what has been said on here, but $950 for an unpapered dog is crazy I paid $850 for my English Springer Spaniel (working line) and $1200 for our Lab both of them registered pedigrees. Good luck in persuading her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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