Kirk's Hips =( **8/26 GOOD update!**"

[My Peanuts]

I'm so sorry. Kirk is so young, poor guy. On the other hand his age may be the silver lining. He can heal faster after surgery and maybe they can help correct this.

You should call the breeder. Maybe be nice about it to an extent, but in my opinion, those parents shouldn't be bred anymore. If the breeder is a good breeder they should agree. I’m not saying your breeder judgment is/was bad. I’ve referred people to what I thought were reputable breeders and once I found out that I was wrong. Sometimes they can be sneaky and misleading. Or maybe the breeder will do the right thing and get a new breeding pair.

It is very nice and responsible of you to contact the other puppy owners. Their dogs may not be showing any signs of trouble, but maybe there are preventative things that can be done.

Kirk and you are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Giselle]

Oh dear. Poor Kirk My heart goes out to you. This must be terribly hard on you but you do have very tangible options to help Kirk.

Don't worry about your co-workers. If their nonsense is really getting to you, you can inform them that your dog is undergoing some medical issues and it is not possible to exercise or train him like they are suggesting you to.

Can I ask if you actually *saw* the OFA papers? How often were they tested? I'm not quite sure how you evaluated this breeder, but many "ethical" breeders claim to OFA their dogs but actually never did or the tests were outdated. You must must contact this lady as soon as possible. Since Kirk got such severe dysplasia in such a short time, chances are that his illness is genetic. However, the only person who can vouch for/against that theory is the breeder. Perhaps Kirk's parents did not show signs of HD but it is entirely possible that their parents or grandparents did. Tell your breeder that you are not blaming her for anything and that you do not seek monetary compensation. You are, however, interested in how this illness could have affected Kirk and if it is possible that his littermates might contract this same illness. If so, kindly advise her to contact the other families.

Lastly, if this type of HD is indeed genetic, advise her to speuter her breeding pair and check into their pedigree (if she has not already). You may want to meet with her in person. Things can get a bit skewed on the phone/internet. Plus, she's less likely to kick you out of her house than hang up on you I hope Kirk does better!

[wolf_Q]

Oh my, what awful news. Poor Kirk, I hope that he will be able to be helped with surgery. I'm sorry to hear that your co-workers are treating you badly. You can't expect a 5 month old pup of any breed to be perfectly behaved, let alone a high energy dog in pain!! Don't listen to them, I know you are a great dog owner and Kirk will turn out to be a very good boy, it just takes time. I definitely think you need to contact the breeder and that she should also contact the other pup's owners. I don't have any advice what to say really as I'm not so great at talking to people. Good luck!

[Cataholic]

I am so sorry, Kate. For Kirk, for you. You will do what you think is best with the breeder. Maybe a letter would be best?

[bckrazy]

Oh nooo :'< I'm so sorry, what a horrible thing for you & Kirk to have to go through SO incredibly early on.

I cannot imagine how hard that must be for you & your little boy! I know, that keeping my 5 month-old quiet after his neuter is an immense pain, for 1 week... much less semi-permanently. I'm really really hoping that it will improve with growth, and his surgeries will be successful. Poor little guy! It's a shock that a pup with parents who are good & excellent rated could develop HD right away... wow. You should definitely call the breeder and inquire about previous pups and littermates, that is not in any way rude! If I was his breeder, I would absolutely want to know, and she will probably be willing to help you out. Is there a guarantee on his genetic health?

My advice (and I'm sure your Vets advice) is to get him swimming/doing low-impact exercise and building up lots of muscle, as often as possible. My Flyball trainers Staffy also had 2 bad hips at a young age, and what kept her relatively pain-free until surgery was all of the muscle in her hindquarters, from swimming and exercise.

[cloverfdx]

Kate and Kirk my heart goes out to you both {{Hugs}}. I am sending lots of positives vibes your way. I cannot offer any advice but want you to know you will be in my thoughts.

[shais_mom]

I've been replying to you in LJ - just posting here to show my support and for any updates!