Comments on: Is It True That Labs Have More Health Problems Then Other Dogs?

By: Bread

Bread — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:11:33 +0000

Most breeds have health problems, I wouldn’t say that labs have the most problems.

By: Lizzie

Lizzie — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:46:52 +0000

From my experience with dogs I would have to say that’s true.

By: .

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:44:26 +0000

No, I think German shepherds, bulldogs and poodles are sort of tied for that.

By: More Bored Collie

More Bored Collie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:10:04 +0000

I doubt that. Dogs are susceptible to different illnesses by breed.

By: Rachel

Rachel — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:46:20 +0000

Labs have a lot of health problems due to the excessive breeding of them done by BYBs and Puppy Mills.
A lab from a reputable breeder will have had parents whom were health tested prior to breeding and will have less of a chance of having such a high amount of health problems

By: KellyO

KellyO — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:40:01 +0000

Yes and No. Some labs are over bred and inbred. It’s not the breed, it’s the breeders. If you buy from a reputable breeder, health problems outside of the norm shouldn’t be a problem. Mixed breed dogs tend to be healthier than purebred dogs as well.

By: dobemomm

dobemomm — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:48:02 +0000

Because Labs are so popular, they are often bred by people more concerned with making money than in preserving or improving the breed. That’s why it seems like Labs have alot of problems.
Like most big dogs, they are prone to hip dysplasia. You want to be sure you get a dog from a reputable breeder – ask about the results of hip xrays on both the mother and the father. Make sure that both are clear for OFA and CERF (eyes and heart).
Below is a link on what to look for in a reputable breeder. While it is written for Golden Retrievers, it applies to all breeds.

By: show breeders sell sick pups.

show breeders sell sick pups. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:41:10 +0000

no, labs tend to be a healthy breed, how ever, you have to be careful when looking to buy a lab, as there are soooo many backyard breeders who skip the cost of health testing, they just breed to make money. the last I heard was hip dysplasia has an occurance of 47% in labs (this is high b/c of the lack of testing). There are a lot of breeds with more health issues, I breed dobermans, do a lot of health testing, because we have several health issues to deal with.