Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Bronwyn Hayward — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 10:26:56 GMT

At my practice we recommend PennHIP x-rays at 14 - 16 weeks for all our pups at increased risk of hip dysplasia - labs, retrievers, GSDs etc. If the pup's distraction index is high we perform JPS (juvenile pubic symphysiodesis) to try to improve the hip conformation as the pup grows. Not all clients go for it, but a lot do, and some of them have reported back to their breeders - in most cases because they were assured their pup would not develop HD, but the PennHIP x-rays have indicated a predisposition to it.

We've received several irate phone calls from breeders of these pups who are horrified that we've "forced" the pups' owners into putting their dogs through "unnecessary and excessively dangerous" surgery. One owner received an abusive email from their breeder saying their puppy was "lucky to be alive" and that the breeder never would have sold the puppy to them had she known they'd "be so stupid". My bosses have taken these phone calls and responded to emails, sent the owners & breeders the studies demonstrating the reliability of PennHIP in predicting HD and the possible benefits of JPS, to little avail. One breeder asked my boss what the point of screening a puppy she'd sold was, seeing as it was a pet dog and not being used for breeding purposes....umm, the health and welfare of the dog??

Some pups which have had an Ortolani sign etc. identified at vacc haven't had the x-rays because the breeders told the clients not to, meaning the window of opportunity to perform JPS, and potentially really improve the quality of life for the dog long-term, has passed by.

It just makes me so sad. I know there are fantastic, knowledgeable, responsible breeders out there, but I wish we saw and heard more of them!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Doolally — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 22:13:30 GMT

The breeder of my cats (mine are ex breeding stock) is lovely, extremely knowledgeable, and cares a lot about the health of the cats, as they're a relatively new breed hereditary diseases aren't that well known but as they have persian in their ancestory they're tested for PKD. But i've heard crazy ideas from some breeders, so like everything you get good and bad

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:28:36 GMT

[quote user="SmegSlayer"]

I'm sure there are Sandra, would you mind pointing them in my direction...

[/quote]

We have a a good few brilliant cat breeders in our practice, they test their breeding queens for everything breed related before breeding from them, all kittens are swabbed for PKD, and a few of the staff even get adult cats from the breeder when they are no longer used for breeding.

I get my Rotties from the same breeder , she IMO does everything correctly, feeding wise, care of the bitch, the pups, she investigates the sires lines before using him, all elbow hip and eye tested....

Sorry I am not pointing them in your direction, I think we will keep this little lot to ourselves ta very much

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

JaneRVN — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 11:01:15 GMT

We had a client cooking 10 roast potatoes every day for her 3 month old lab! The breeder had told her that was an essential part of the diet!

The poor dog was already so overweight, it was the same weight as a 6 month old lab!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Rachel Jayne — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:50:39 GMT

I've lost count of the number of arguements I've had with clients that start "well the breeder said....." I just tend to switch off & wait for them to finish wittering on!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Claire Lawrence — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:43:41 GMT

This isn't actually breeder advice but been as people have clients bath comments I thought I'd join :D

We had a client ring the other week. One of the puppies from the litter wasn't feeding or being looked after by the bitch so they asked if it was ok for them to be hand rearing it with Morrisons puppy milk! The nurse had to try and explain to them that puppy milk from morrisons really wasn't suitable for new borns and a proper milk sub was needed. Some people really are dumb!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Jennie — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:14:06 GMT

had some woman phone me in a blind panic this morning 'cos her dog was overdue with her 1st litter - she counted exactly 63 days from the day of mating - wasn't having it when I tried to explain day of mating isn't the day she gets pregnant, 'cos her 'experienced' friend has told her the exact day her dog would give birth -and it's apparantly really, really rare for them to go even 1 day over!!!!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

SmegSlayer — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 22:37:39 GMT

[quote user="Sally Roberts RVN, MBVNA"]

I had one client come in a few years ago asking when to book her " cav. king charles sp" in for it's nose to be pushed in. The breeder had sold her a crossbreed as a pedigree.

[/quote]

and sold under the wrong pedigree- king charles spaniels have the snubby nose, cavaliers king charles don't (see pic below of cavalier)

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

PHA86 — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 20:22:18 GMT

The best conversation I had was with a mad Rottie breeder, who picked dandelions from her garden to feed her dogs because ''that's what lions eat in the wild''.

What the flip?!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Sally Howe — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 17:39:55 GMT

I had one client come in a few years ago asking when to book her " cav. king charles sp" in for it's nose to be pushed in. The breeder had sold her a crossbreed as a pedigree.

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:46:14 GMT

I was doing a health check - *** tzu and it's owner.

Owner had been instructed by the breeder to give the dog a cup of coffee or coffee granules every morning with a biscuit and also to always boil the water and let it cool before giving it to the dog. No justification for the coffee, or coffee granules, and breeder had told the owner to boil the water because the puppy came from a different location in the UK and wouldn't be used to the water in it's new home (which was also in the UK)!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

SmegSlayer — Sun, 30 May 2010 20:59:09 GMT

we have a cocker spaniel breeder who insists on this before mating and before whelping.

she rang up to request pre-mating AB's when her favourite vet was away so the locum put them up and i rang her and said that such and such was available for her to collect. She said- no that's the wrong one, that's the pre-whelping one it (can't remember name) I need. went back to vet to get it corrected- turns out both are the same AB with a different name!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Mac Feather — Sun, 30 May 2010 13:34:01 GMT

[quote user="Sal (the 1st) Holesworth VN CMH Chyp (M)PNLP"]

yes have heard this one before - is either to prevent the bitch catching something or making tsure the bitch is not passing on anything to the stud

[/quote]

Oooh that takes me back years! I recall a breeder that would ask for her breeding bitches to be swabbed and a/biotics dispensed prior to being mated.

Yep- there are allsorts of people in this world,good eggs n cracked ones, all part of lifes rich tapestry I guess. Certainly provides us with something to chat about!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Anonymous — Sun, 30 May 2010 11:53:58 GMT

[quote user="Kay Lockwood"]

[quote user="Emma Bartlett"]

Anyway......i'm not sure if you know this but Bengal cats don't get FeLV The vet got the breeders number and had a word with her!!

[/quote]

We were discussing this at work the other day, how their ancestors were used to breed from as they didnt FeLV? Need to look into this one I think!

[/quote]

the breed was started from a us breeder attempting to breed a immune cat. the ALC(asian leopard cat) has a natural immunity to FeLV. but it wasn't a carrying gene. Many still believe it's carried though and are clueless.

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Kay Eminson — Sun, 30 May 2010 11:51:29 GMT

[quote user="Emma Bartlett"]

Anyway......i'm not sure if you know this but Bengal cats don't get FeLV The vet got the breeders number and had a word with her!!

[/quote]

We were discussing this at work the other day, how their ancestors were used to breed from as they didnt FeLV? Need to look into this one I think!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Anonymous — Sun, 30 May 2010 11:30:06 GMT

[quote user="Stuart McQueen RVN MBVNA"]

[quote user="StephB"]

You probably never see or hear from them or their clients because they are such good breeders! lol

;)

[/quote]

Along the same lines as nurses then.. you never get told you're doing a good job... but if you mess up the bosses come down on you like a ton of bricks!

[/quote]

lol yep! basically in the profession of fixing things you always get the duds and bads. it's part of the territory and also why there is such a high rate of suicide! try not to dwell on the negative and you might not be so bitter and jaded! but it's easily done :D

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Stuart McQueen RVN MBVNA — Sun, 30 May 2010 11:22:33 GMT

[quote user="StephB"]

You probably never see or hear from them or their clients because they are such good breeders! lol

;)

[/quote]

Along the same lines as nurses then.. you never get told you're doing a good job... but if you mess up the bosses come down on you like a ton of bricks!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Anonymous — Sun, 30 May 2010 11:09:12 GMT

[quote user="SmegSlayer"]

[quote user="Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA"]

I think it is unfair to label all breeders as stupid, there are some fantastic breeders out there and I am sure we could all learn a thing or two from them.

[/quote]

I'm sure there are Sandra, would you mind pointing them in my direction...

[/quote]

You probably never see or hear from them or their clients because they are such good breeders! lol

;)

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

SmegSlayer — Sun, 30 May 2010 10:26:25 GMT

[quote user="Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA"]

I think it is unfair to label all breeders as stupid, there are some fantastic breeders out there and I am sure we could all learn a thing or two from them.

[/quote]

I'm sure there are Sandra, would you mind pointing them in my direction...

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:39:20 GMT

I think it is unfair to label all breeders as stupid, there are some fantastic breeders out there and I am sure we could all learn a thing or two from them.

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

A Little TLC — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:32:31 GMT

It like that craze for dog *** implants... give me strength!!!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Phrin Vernon RVN — Sat, 29 May 2010 22:19:55 GMT

Hahahaaa!

Men are always so funny about castration! Its hard not to crack a smile sometimes!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Kim Buckley — Sat, 29 May 2010 21:41:13 GMT

Must have been invented by a man as an excuse not to get his dogs balls chopped off!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

A Little TLC — Sat, 29 May 2010 21:36:15 GMT

How did they possibly think it was wise in the first place is beyond me!!!! Weirdos!

Re: Stupid Breeder Advice!!!

Emma Purnell — Sat, 29 May 2010 21:05:23 GMT

Read the recall section, it looks like it was a serious idea that they decided was stupid and scrapped!!