Jan
07
2010
Health Problems With Labs? (dogs)?
Posted by: Alan in Dog Health Problem, tags: Dog's, Health, Labs, Problems, With
My family is devastated by the death of our black lab today of cancer in his liver. We’ve had labs all of our lives and we love everything about them. We love their size, personality, friendliness. EVERYTHING.
the thing I’m asking is do you have experience of unhealthy labs?
we don’t know where to go next because some friends also have had shorten lab’s lives
- do you know anything about how prone to illnesses and disease labs are?
Entries (RSS)
January 7th, 2010 at 11:00 pm
The problem is that labs have become so popular that they are being bred way too much, and the quality of pups has gone down. Way too many people are just breeding their pet quality dogs without doing an ounce of health testing. Your best bet of ensuring a healthy dog is to get a pup from a breeder who does extensive health clearances on the parents prior to breeding. They check, hips, eyes, elbows, temperaments, etc.
While it is great to rescue a dog, if you are adamant about knowing the history of your dog, going through a responsible, ethical breeder is the best way to avoid serious health problems down the road. This is what you are paying for when going through a responsible breeder vs. adopting. Both are excellent choices, it comes down to what is important to you.
Let me be clear on one thing… No matter how much screening is done, some dogs will get cancer, will develop joint problems or otherwise fall ill. I’m so sorry about the loss of your lab, and hope that when the time is right you are able to bring another one home to love.
January 8th, 2010 at 4:57 am
I know that labs are prone to joint problems, and are predisposed to arthritis. Also Labs do not have a long lifespan in comparison to other domesticated animals.
My neighbor had a lab for 4 years before an autoimmune disease took him.
Labs are a very popular breed and over-breeding and inbreeding could result in genetic problems. So the best thing you can do is research the breeder which you intend on getting your pet from.
January 8th, 2010 at 11:56 am
You need to go to a reputable lab breeder first and be sure you investigate the PEDIGREE of the parents. AKC registration means nothing if there is not champion lineage in the pup you are buying. It DOES NOT MEAN you are buying a show dog but it will mean you are buy quality breeding with the characteristics and health you expect.
January 8th, 2010 at 3:57 pm
As labs tend to be popular they have been over bred. The result is dogs are inbred, and dog that should have not been bred are bred.
My advice is avoid buying a pure bred lab entirely. Get a lab mut. The lab look is pretty dominant, and mixed breeds tend to be healthier. (hybrid vigor)
January 8th, 2010 at 9:42 pm
My lab is 12 years old and he has horrible allergies.. we do everything we can but we can stop his ears from swelling shut! That’s my experience.. other than that he is an amazing dog.. his name is Elway. I am very saddened to hear about your loss.. I just lost my Schnauzer named Monte.. so I understand. My heart goes out to you guys!
January 9th, 2010 at 4:15 am
Every breed of dog has certain illnesses/diseases that they are prone to. In order to find a dog that has the best chance of living a long, healthy life- find a reputable breeder that does health testing.