Just wondering what other breeders do when one of their prospects turns out to have either ED or HD that requires surgery.
Do you pay the money then give the dog away or euthanize or what?
In my area it costs about 4 thousand for surgery on an elbow.
Cost of diagnosis and treatment.
Any suggestions? I’d never euthanize but I know some breeders who do.

Personally, I'd pay but I don't breed often and put a lot of pride in the puppies I produce. I know some breeders who have refunded the purchase price to help cover the surgery cost.

What a question ! How bad could it be that you would think of euthanizing a dog. Is the dog that cripled ? One of the first show dogs I purchased had bad hips and elbows and lived till 13 years and did obedience and therapy work. Sure hope you never need hip surgery, your family might put you down.

One of my dog's contract stipulated that should the pup be rated as severely dysplastic by OFA, the dog 1. must be euthanized, 2. the death certificate must be forwarded to the breeder, and 3. the dead dog must be signed over to the breeder. At that point, a puppy of comparable value might be offered as a replacement.

So, no, it's not an unreasonable question. Some breeders actually stipulate this in their puppy contracts.

Please read my post again ...I never said any such thing!

I was simply wondering if it's YOUR puppy do you as the breeder pay for the surgery and sell the puppy or give it away. How could anyone afford this type of surgery over and over. (every other litter)

My post was in response to breeder....

I know Mary ...people just don't read.

You may not have said it but you offered it as a suggestion to ponder. That alone makes it seem as though it is an option.
One has to wonder what the heck is WRONG with anyone that would even consider euthanizing a dysplastic dog instead of doing whatever is available to them as a treatment to make sure that dog has a chance at a normal life!!!!
I believe anyone that would do that should get OUT of dogs. You don't belong here.

I don't breed often, 1 litter a year or every other year. My first experience of a serious ortho problem in my 10 years of breeding happens to be my pick puppy from my last litter. She will have the hip replacement and she will stay here as a house dog. Yes, estimates are $3000 - $4500 for one hip and it's a heart break and an expense of course but I rather it's me it's happening to than some other family I might have placed her with.

I have no answer to your question how anyone could afford it over and over. For me, it'll be going on a credit card since I lost my full time job due to the economy and only have part time work now.

The thing is most live long lifes, its not a death sentence. They can be given Glexo Flex, etc. and be great pets. Alot of elbow surgery does not help anyway. And even severe can be worked with. Just blows my mind that anyone would suggest putting a pup down for this. And your contract, thats sad.

One of my first show prospect puppies that I purchased ended up with GRII DJD/ED. I spayed her immediately, and she is a beloved pet along with all my show/breeding dogs. I put her on Glyco-Flex II and 1000 mg of vitamin c daily. She is perosnality galore and rarely has any issues. She is not heavy nor is she kept bone skinny. I figure the way she butt tucks and plays she can't be in too much pain. I don't think they always need the surgery that is recomended. This is my personal experience. Good luck with your puppy!

my vet said NEVER do an arthrotomy for elbow dysplasia. Arthroscopic surgery only!

I believe we have bred and brought into the world these wonderful puppies and its our reponsibility to do whats best for them. Never Euthanize, they all deserve to live and will have very long lived loves like my 1st Lab Cheppy. He lived to be 12 with severe ED and bad hips. He saved my 2nd dogs life and they remained close up until the end. They all have a purpose and a reason to be here.

If I need to place a youngster with ED or HD then its a free placement with all the information and med advice. The buyers get all the facts and truly love these dogs that I have placed. They are swimming, playing with small children and with Cats too. They all deserve to live and the operations are not fool proof and don't necessarily correct things.

I believe we have bred and brought into the world these wonderful puppies and its our reponsibility to do whats best for them. Never Eutanize, they all deserve to live and will have very long livrd likr my 1st Lab Cheppy. He lived to be 12 with severe ED and bad hips. He saved my 2nd dogs life and remained close up until the end. They all have a purpose and a reason to be here.

If I need to place a youngster with it then its a free placement with all the information and med advice. The buyers get all the facts and truly love these dogs that I have pleaced. They are swimming, playing with small children and with Cats too. They all deserve to live and the operations are not fool proof and don't necessarily correct things.

I had to put a 10th month old to sleep. She was a loved pet my second lab from a backyard breeder. It turned out she had ED on both elbows so she was scheduled to have surgery one elbow at a time 1 week before the 1st surgery she blow out her knee. My vet and I believed that she would never have a good quality id life a had her put to sleep. That experience makes a better breeder because I had to learn about what I was doing and getting.

To make a blanket statement that if one chooses not to operate, or go to all ends, shouldn't be breeding and doesn't love this breed is wrong. I take offense to that as I have gone to great extremes to fix a problem(3 surgeries) that frankly was a procedure that the surgeon and I both knew was going to have a shelf life. Sometimes anatomy won't allow the dog to live out a long life comfortably and that's what I'm facing with a beloved girl(never bred)who's gone far longer on her bad knees than we thought she would. She's 7 and her life is no longer free of pain and another set of operations is not in the cards. We're doing Adequan injections and Deramax and homeopathic...nothing is working. She's a poor surgical candidate due to her bowed legs and severe arthritis. It doesn't make sense to spend that kind of money again with a poor prognosis. So, before making statements that euthanasia is wrong, please consider the people that have real anguish when faced with horrible circumstances and that includes going into great debt in a bad economy. Some folks just can't do it. I sympathize with anyone dealing with crippling orthopedic issues in their dog. Make your own informed decision. It's between you and your vet.