Crossbred Dog Put To Sleep As "genetic Disaster"

[Jed]

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/heartbreak-as-crossbreed-dog-put-to-sleep-as-a-8216genetic-disaster8217/story-fnii5smr-1226739181322

NewsHS State News Source: Supplied

A FAMILY has been forced to put down their beloved 14-month-old puppy because he was a "genetic disaster".

Max, a spoodle bought by the O'Reilly family last year, was euthanised in August after he developed serious problems with his limbs and hips.

His vet said he faced a lifetime of chronic pain because he had "a very serious genetic problem" and was an "orthopedic mess".

Sarah O'Reilly, from Eltham, said Max's problems were heartbreaking and showed "he should never have been bred".

Max "wanted to run like a maniac", Ms O'Reilly said, but was in significant pain and spent days without moving before he was put down.

Ms O'Reilly asked Max's breeder, Banksia Park Puppies, to refund more than $5000 she spent on his medical care.

They agreed, but only if Ms O'Reilly signed a confidentiality clause, which she refused to do.

Banksia Park owner Matt Hams agreed that Max's case was upsetting but said his breeding business took "all reasonable precautions".

"The cold hard reality of breeding living things is that sometimes things go wrong," Mr Hams said.

Ms O'Reilly said Banksia Park's confidentiality clause was unfair and she could not bring herself to sign it.

But Mr Hams said the clause was "standard business practice when we hand over that kind of money".

"We weren't trying to put this to bed so no one knows about it," Mr Hams said.

He said the agreement would not have been required if Ms O'Reilly had taken Max to Banksia Park's preferred vet, which was specified in the terms of the dog's purchase.

Mr Hams said Max's mum had since been desexed and retired from breeding, after she turned 5, while Max's dad was being assessed by a vet before a decision was made on his future.

He said his business had been an industry leader for more than 20 years.

[sandgrubber]

Opaque. How does one know a pup is a genetic disaster with no information on the genetic state of sire and dam, no identification of the vet, and no second opinion.

Methinks I hear someone grinding an axe in the background..

I had a purebred pup from sire and dam with excellent hip and elbow scores turn out with severe hip and elbow dysplasia, quite apparent by five months. The pup was, with much heartache, pts.

Genetics plus epigenetics plus environment sometimes throw unpleasant surprises: happens with purebred, crossbred, and mutt. The decision to put $5000 into vet bills, apparently without consultation with the breeder or a second opinion is questionable.

Edited October 14, 2013 by sandgrubber

[tdierikx]

Max "wanted to run like a maniac", Ms O'Reilly said

Doesn't say if Max was allowed to "run like a maniac" during his formative months...

Sure - Max may have started off genetically predisposed to certain issues due to the "breeder" not necessarily performing specific health testing of the sire/dam - but a lot of orthopedic issues in pets can be partly (or in some cases, completely) attributed to factors completely out of the control of the dog's breeder.

How many times will a vet tell a distraught owner that their dog's issues are genetic, when the case may well be that the owner may have had some part to play in the issues that have developed. When was the last time any one of us had a vet tell us that an issue with a dog we owned was all our fault?

I'm NOT supporting Banksia Park's breeding practices - but I still think there may be more to the story than the owner has told the media.

T.

[Clyde]

I have a pedigree dog who is a genetic disaster. I think this story is grasping at straws. Not that I advocate cross breeding, but it happens with the pure breed world too.

[Steve]

If they really were prepared to put out 5 grand that's pretty spectacular.No other breeder I know would do so and no breeder is obliged to do so. Of course they wanted it kept quiet because they will have all those puppy buyers from a decade ago pushing now for vet bills to be paid on all manner of things.

[Alison03]

My opinion is if you buy a puppy and something goes wrong with it, the buyer beware rule should apply, genetics is a strange thing in everything with a heartbeat, there will be issues, not might be, will be, with any breed. It's different if someone is selling puppies they know to be genetic disasters.

It's up to the buyer to do some research too.

I researched Shihtzu's and Maltese dogs before I bought a Shihtzu cross, a lot of them get luxiating patella's I found out, I still got the puppy and guess what, she has a wonky knee, so I'll deal with it. It's not the breeders fault. You can get litter mates, one with an issue the other one fine. I don't know any dog owner whose dog doesn't have some kind of problem from allergies to wonky hips or knees.

My cousin bought a Maltese cross, he got a hip problem I've forgotten the name of (starts with a p) she spent $2000 on his op's without blinking. I'd do the same. He lived in good health until he was 16, didn't run very fast but he was as happy as a clam.

If anyone is allowed to start claiming back from the breeder, they'll have to get insurance policies and that cost will be added to the puppy price. If someone spends $5000 on a dog, it's their choice, they shouldn't bellyache about it afterwards.

Edited October 14, 2013 by Alison03

[trinabean]

I have a pedigree dog who is a genetic disaster. I think this story is grasping at straws. Not that I advocate cross breeding, but it happens with the pure breed world too.

Snap! Me too Clyde, and my thoughts exactly.

[Diva]

I don't know any dog owner whose dog doesn't have some kind of problem from allergies to wonky hips or knees.

I find that comment sad. I have had 13 dogs over my lifetime, all pure bred, and 10 of the 13 have had no chronic disease at all with their first serious health problems occuring in old age. I have actually been very shocked when anyone has turned out to have an issue, it is so unusual for me. No allergies, no hip issues, no bad knees.

But I agree it can happen to any dog, and no-breeder can guarantee otherwise. Although they can do a lot to reduce the risk they can't remove it. I found the article well over the top and dramatised, not suprising, that is what the media do. But at least it might make people think twice about claims that designer mixes are healthier than pure breeds.

[curly]

Diva, I agree. I've had I think 9 'lifetime' dogs so far (and 42 puppies)and only 1 has had any health issues. The rest just keep going, like the energiser bunny. We don't see the vet very often, pretty much only for injuries.

Sadly, most of the bought-in-a-petshop dogs I see do have dicky legs, allergies and much more.

[espinay2]

I don't know any dog owner whose dog doesn't have some kind of problem from allergies to wonky hips or knees.

I find that comment sad. I have had 13 dogs over my lifetime, all pure bred, and 10 of the 13 have had no chronic disease at all with their first serious health problems occuring in old age. I have actually been very shocked when anyone has turned out to have an issue, it is so unusual for me. No allergies, no hip issues, no bad knees.

But I agree it can happen to any dog, and no-breeder can guarantee otherwise. Although they can do a lot to reduce the risk they can't remove it. I found the article well over the top and dramatised, not suprising, that is what the media do. But at least it might make people think twice about claims that designer mixes are healthier than pure breeds.

This. While yes, 'things happen', I would hate to think that someone thinks major chronic health issues are a given. Not my experience at all.

I both like and hate the article. Like as it is an example that the mixes can be just as prone to issues (and that so-called 'hybrid vigour' in this type of dog breeding scenario is a myth), but hate for its media beatup and the holes in the story when it comes to the owner/breeder relationship. Owners should be contacting the breeder of their dog and at least keeping them informed from the beginning and not suddenly laying it on them at the end when they can do or contribute not much of anything. This has to be applied no matter what type of dog the breeder is breeding - whether pure or crossbred. We can't ask it for one and not the other.

Edited October 15, 2013 by espinay2

[Bjelkier]

I don't know any dog owner whose dog doesn't have some kind of problem from allergies to wonky hips or knees.

I agree with the others that this is so sad.

Out of the six dogs I have currently only one has a health issue and he's from a very well known puppy farm (before I knew better)

The others, all pedigree, well bred animals are very healthy. No wonky knees, elbows, eyes issues or allergies here.

[tdierikx]

Of the 12 dogs I have owned since leaving home - only 2 have had any problems... one was allergic to beef, and the other was allergic to fleas - neither could be attributed to genetics 100%. One was purebred but from a BYB, and the other was a mutt.

One of my current dogs is a true blue Aussie Camp Dog - born in an Aboriginal camp in the middle of the NT - she is mobility challenged due to a scar in her brain of unknown origin, but it doesn't impact on her health or get in the way of having lots of fun with the other dogs... in fact, she is the most hardy of all the dogs I've ever owned... *grin*

T.

[Alison03]

It is very sad I agree.

A lot of dog owners don't do a lot of research into the puppy they are buying or where it has come from, some seem to pay a lot of money for their puppy and end up with problems. Pet shop puppies are definitely a lottery, I would never buy one.

A friend of mine breeds standard poodles, she tells me horror stories of pedigree dogs that have been bred "down the line" and consequently have genetic issues but do very well at the Easter Show.

I got my Shihtzu cross from a friend who has a pedigree Shihtzu, that mated with her sisters dog who was a Maltese/Shihtzu. I bought her because I'd seen both parents who seemed very healthy.

My cousin bought a pedigree (with papers as she says) West Highland Terrier that cost $1600 it seems to have a neck and jaw problem, tends to choke a lot too and has a peculiar gait. My little Shihtzu cross runs rings around him, he can't catch her, he can't seem to do the stretched out position when he runs. My cousin says he's moves like a cart horse and is very clunky when he runs. Her vet just shrugs and says she sees all kinds of problems with all breeds.

Researching the breeder is just as important as researching the breed.

For my next dog, I'll be going to a registered pedigree breeder, I'm happy with my girl, she's healthy (apart from the one suspect knee) and has a lovely temperament, I think I was just lucky when I found her. : )

[~Anne~]

I think this comment is a doozy. What a crock of shit.

But Mr Hams said the clause was "standard business practice when we hand over that kind of money".

"We weren't trying to put this to bed so no one knows about it," Mr Hams said.

He was trying to protect his brand. Good on the purchaser for not agreeing to it. I wonder if he could hold back the compensation using such a clause anyway?

[mita]

I have had 13 dogs over my lifetime, all pure bred, and 10 of the 13 have had no chronic disease at all with their first serious health problems occuring in old age. I have actually been very shocked when anyone has turned out to have an issue, it is so unusual for me. No allergies, no hip issues, no bad knees.

My experience has been similar with our purebred Sheltie & Tibetan Spaniels ... all who've had no illness until well into old age. Like one Tib at the moment, who's getting on to 13 years but has never had a health problem of any kind. Same with 2 former ones. All have come from registered breeders who are top of their game.

Tho' we did have a little mixed-breed dog, rescued as a puppy. Looked like a poodle crossed with some kind of spaniel. She lived until she was 22 yrs. First health problem of any kind, was some teeth surgery at age 19 yrs. Have no idea of her background, tho'.

Edited October 16, 2013 by mita

[Salukifan]

And the elephant in the room?

What health testing had been done on the parents of this poor dog? THAT is the question that needs answering IMO.

[Ronda]

And the elephant in the room?

What health testing had been done on the parents of this poor dog? THAT is the question that needs answering IMO.

Seeing as it came from Banksia Park Puppies, most likey none.

[Steve]

And the elephant in the room?

What health testing had been done on the parents of this poor dog? THAT is the question that needs answering IMO.

Seeing as it came from Banksia Park Puppies, most likey none.

Id like to take a shot at cross breeders too but hard to do on this one. Banksia park are under Victorian laws and parents have to be checked and given a tick and no matter how much testing is done this particular problem could happen to any breeder. May not have anything to do with genetics and may be a one off. They are not going to cut too many corners because there is too much bad PR and money in it if they get things like this happening.