[donell67]

i heard you can give them drugs so they dont feel the pain. is this true? or do you right them off for hunting?

 

[shrpshtr]

personally, i wouldn't. that hip is likely to come out of joint anytime. if this is your sole purpose for the dog, see if they can operate to fix it. they may have artificial hips now. if you're not interested in taking this route, find him a good home and get another dog. i personally wouldn't want to deal with a dog in the field (giving drugs, putting him in compromising situations, etc.). hth and good luck!

 

[heeler]

I personally saw a dog today that had both hips operated on & is doing really well.Don't know what all was involved with this particular procedure but I know it was very expensive.Doping a dog up to hunt,that has any kind of delibitating disease or ailment is not a good idea.

 

[donell67]

looks like ill be getting my own birds for awhile. kinda hard to get rid of him. when where already attached to him. i would say the hip operation would be a little spendy. this afternoon he ate a bunch of medication and is at the vet right now. i have the worst luck with pets, but hopefully he will be ok.

 

[shrpshtr]

how old is he donell? your vet may be able to work out payment arrangements if you are that attached to the dog. if he's not too old, 6 or 7 it maybe worth it for the years you'll get to enjoy each other in the field. anyway, i hope he does turn out alright for ya. if he's anything like my dog, he is as much a part of the family as any of the rest of us. man, it's easy to get attached to them.

 

[duckdog]

I had a black lab that loved to hunt, ecspecially over water. I dont know if he had hip displacia or not never got him checked, but every time after hunting water, the poor guy could hardly get up for a couple day's, he was so sore. Even when I took him swimming in the summer he was this way. Unfortunatley he was hit by a car. I would,nt recommend drugging the dog, and surgery if you can afford it, other wise you might just have frien to be at home and in the truck with you, still a pertty good life with your friend.

 

[huntmq1]

duckdog...that's good advice about just having a friend at home.
Shoot, I have 5 nutcases running around my home and the only purpose they serve is guard duty and just being a good friend that's glad to see ya every day. Their trust and loyalty is unconditional, hard to find human friends like that.
:salude:

 

[98ramtough]

Donell,

How bad is the displasia? I know MANY guys that hunt dogs that still have displasia, you have to be very smart in how you work them though. Do not let them jump in and out of the truck, this is hard on them and probably hurts them more than hunting. Swimming is easy on a dog, its all the running around and stuff thats hard on them. If your dog swims well and the retrieves are short, I would still take him out, keep him on a leash, don't let them run around. Lift him from the truck to the ground, when the hunt is over, lift the dog back into the truck etc.

Some may disagree, but think about it. My dad has severe rumatoid arthritis. It kills him to fish, but he does it every chance. Because it makes him happy. When a dog loves to hunt, make some modifications to your style so they can still hunt.

Oh, and if the displasia is really bad ignore this post...

Good luck man, displasia sucks and it is really common in labs. I have seen some pricey dogs from great breeders come with displasia.

Mike

 

[dukhnter7]

I have been through 2 dogs with health problems. The first dog had hip displaysia diagnosed just after a year old. The replacement for that dog was diagnosed with osteocondrosis (sp) or OCD, also a genetic disease. Needless to say, I did not get another dog from that breeder. (long story).
I can't stress this enough, GET YOUR DOGS X-RAYED AT 18 MONTHS!!!!!! Yes, it is a bit expensive, but for the peace of mind, it is well worth it.

p.s. - my current dog is certified - hips, elbows, eyes and I have his DNA profile. I am certain that this dog is healthy! :salude:

 

[donell67]

the displasias not real bad. he just yips a little when getting up after a workout. thats not good to here mike about a top breeder dog coming up with displasia. your not safe from it anywhere you get a dog then. issed:

 

[shrpshtr]

67, it doesn't sound like the breeder he was referring to was a top breeder. any breeder worth his salt will have several things done with a pup before he considers letting them go. i have certain criteria that must be met/proven before i will even come on-site to kennel. most any decent breeder will meet these conditions without any problems.

here is a list that may help someone...

1)both parents registered with the ukc/akc or both
2)hips certified
3)eyes certified
4)7 generation pedigree on the sire and dame
5)contact list of people (at least 4) who purchased puppies from previous litters by both parents. *Preferrably previous litters from the same pairing.
6)veterinarian contact info w/release to inquire about both parents.
7)Both parents are required to be on-site upon my arrival for evaluation
8)Dew claws removed
9)will not consider releasing puppy until 49 days old and require pick-up between 49-52 days.

this may seem extreme to some, but i have noticed people willing to go through all of the above mentioned steps, not just for me but for the litters sake, are good breeders and have the best interest of the breed/dogs in mind.

 

[dukhnter7]

:withstupid: I think you hit the nail on the head. This is not too extreme for a decent breeder. That is pretty much standard procedure for a good kennel.

 

[donell67]

hip certification. is that the same as a hip guarantee. i know some breeders have a 2 year hip guarantee but it wasnt on labs. do they have this on labs. and if not there must be a good reason why. :help:

 

[shrpshtr]

no, a guarantee is something they are vouching for the hips on that dog. there is no proof that the dogs lineage is free from hip problems. that wouldn't be any different from me saying i guarantee that if you throw a basketball at a goal a million times you will make it at least once.

a certification is number given to you by the OFA (orthopedic foundation for animals) saying that 3 seperate, independent radiologists have reviewed film of the dog and agree that the hips meet a certain standard. more info can be found on this at the ofa website (listed below). also note, the OFA will not give a certification number to a dog that is not permanently marked (tattoo, or microchip). hth!

http://www.offa.org/index.html

 

[98ramtough]

I believe that dogs even if they are certified not to be displastic can have a puppy with dysplasia.

It reduces the chances greatly however. This is why you spend more money on a pup. You have the better odds in your favor. It is stil no 100% chance that the dog will be of great health, but the odds are better.

Mike