Poor Juno

Discussion in 'Labrador Health' started by MaccieD, Feb 27, 2015.

  1. MaccieD

    MaccieD Guest

    Just feel like crying on Juno's behalf after seeing the specialist this afternoon. Likely prognosis is Elbow dysplasia in both elbows although the left is worse than the right. We are now booked for a scan next Friday so he can see clearly the problem and decide next course of action as he thinks there is some fragmentation of medial coronoid process. There was I thinking that as her parents had perfect hip and elbow scores there was little risk for Juno, I discovered this afternoon that there is still a 25% chance of dysplasia - still seems unfair as she one of a litter of 10 and she is only 8 months old! Juno seems completely unphased and is curled up in her bed having a snooze after having a lovely walk in the sun after the visit to the vet and a good splash in the water filled ditches along the path.
     
  2. Kirriegirl

    Kirriegirl Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    Aw I'm so sorry to hear this - she is just a baby :'( I'm sure with the right treatment she will still have a full and happy life as other on here can testify.
    Have a good cry to get it out of your system and then get on with enjoying your beautiful girl :)
     
  3. Rosie

    Rosie Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    Oh, so sorry to hear that! Poor Juno, and poor you.

    There are lots of posts on this message board about dogs with ED and HD having fantastic lives - I'm sure you'll get lots of support and advice from people who have been through it. But you must be feeling rubbish at the moment - big hugs, and tummy rubs to Juno.
     
  4. sunsetpines

    sunsetpines Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    sorry to hear....but I think it's likely harder on YOU than it will be on Juno long term.

    As others have said....lots of info on here about dogs with ED and HD with fabulous long and active lives!

    Hugs to you....and ear scritches for Juno!
     
  5. kateincornwall

    kateincornwall Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    So very sorry to read your post , life really is cruel at time, poor love . As for you ? Scream , shout, weep or just come on here and share your anger/frustration/worries , it really can help x
     
  6. Teena Ann

    Teena Ann Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    Poor boy sry for the news hope he gets well soon..:( :(
     
  7. Lisa

    Lisa Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    So sorry to hear this, I'm sure it was a terrible blow. Give Juno a cuddle and hopefully you will start to get some good info as to how to manage it and help him to have a good, active life. It can be done, as others have said, so try to keep your spirits up. :-\
     
  8. MaccieD

    MaccieD Guest

    Re: Poor Juno

    Thanks everyone, have to admit I've shed a few tears, alright more than a few, since we got home from the vets this afternoon. Probably not helped as my husband is in the UK this week and not due back until tomorrow afternoon. Juno is happy though, she's currently asleep on my feet! What surprised me, although dysplasia was my worst nightmare, was the vet saying that even where parents are clear from dysplasia there is still a 25% chance of a pup developing. How cruel can life be! I've had to email Juno's breeder to let her know as well - not easy when you have to translate everything into French and she's quite devastated as well. Just want to get next Friday over and done with now as Juno has to have an anaesthetic for the scan, something I was hoping she wouldn't have to undergo.
     
  9. bbrown

    bbrown Moderator Forum Supporter

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    Re: Poor Juno

    You poor thing, how tremendously disappointing for you. Great strides have been made with both treatment and care though so I'm sure you can make her more comfortable and have plenty more fun together :)
     
  10. Jen

    Jen Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    I'm so sorry about Juno 's results. As barbara has said treatment and care has advanced so much she will still have a full and happy life and be able to do many things. :)
     
  11. leejane

    leejane Mum to the Mooster

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    Re: Poor Juno

    Hi,
    My complete and utter sympathies go out to you, it's absolutely horrible to hear this news. You and I have probably been simultaneously crying for exactly the same reason this week on opposite sides of the Channel as we too got the inevitable ED diagnosis this week.

    We also went through all the genetic questions, good scores from parents etc with our vet, he said we had just been unlucky with a genetic throwback which can skip 4 generations and then suddenly reappear. I'm stunned at the 25% figure though, it is so very high that it makes you wonder how useful the elbow and hip scores are.

    Sending you hugs across Europe... happy to compare notes and treatment with you but I guess right now you are just very sad, angry and worried about what happens next.
     
  12. MaccieD

    MaccieD Guest

    Re: Poor Juno

    Thanks Leejane. I keep switching between anger that it's my little girl that's affected and tears because it's my little girl that's affected! I guess you know how that feels as wellbeing! I think I'm finding it hard to take on board after taking care when selecting a breeder to try and ensure a healthy puppy, and then wait for a planned litter to be born and a little girl to be available (I actually had first pick of the girls) and then all of a sudden a limp which doesn't even seem to bother her suddenly turns into ED. I was surprised at the 25% figure as well, it just doesn't seem fair that it's your little pup out of a litter of 10 that's affected. Not that I'd wish ED on anyone.

    I see you have 2 lovely four legged friends. Which one has just received the bad news? Please feel free to email/message me as I'd love to keep in touch and compare notes.

    Sorry that this seems to be a bit rambling, don't think my heads on straight yet!

    Rosemary and Juno
     
  13. leejane

    leejane Mum to the Mooster

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    Re: Poor Juno

    Hi Rosemary,

    We just have Monty, my name is Natalie and just use leejane as a username as it's a family nickname, an amalgam of my first and middle name, not thinking that might be confusing to people...

    I feel a bit the same about the breeder, but truthfully didn't go into it in quite as much depth and research as you have.

    In a way I feel better after talking to the vet about it, I feel a bit more absolved of the weight of responsibility in the sense I am beginning to accept it as pure bad luck - I had been worrying once we got the HD diagnosis at 6 months that we may have walked him too much, over exercised, etc when he was younger, but our vet has said categorically it's genetics in his case. So we are where we are, only trying to look forward about what we can change from today,


    WE start hydrotherapy tomorrow - have just done a course of laser therapy, will let you know how it goes

    I hijacked Nick & Dyson's thread this week, 'Intermittent limping' which you may have read - we have started to discuss some of our treatment plans, so let us know what your vet comes back with.
     
  14. Granca

    Granca Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    I hope all goes well, both for Juno and for Monty too.

    It's really hard knowing that something's wrong, even though you've 'done your homework' to try to ensure a healthy puppy. The 25% probabilty seems high. Even though neither of mine seems to have hip or elbow issues (and I'd done my research too) one possibly has another condition, again genetic but one that I wasn't aware of until now.

    As has been said, Juno and Monty will probably lead full and happy lives - perhaps only with a few adjustments. Good luck for the future.
     
  15. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    I'm so sorry to hear your news, but hopefully, you'll find out what's what, and have a plan to move forward - and lots of dogs live great, happy and very active lives with treatment. I hope that you settle into a plan and routine that allows you to still have a wonderful time with your pup.

    It's so tempting to think why? But people get genetic disorders, so do dogs, sometimes it just happens, no matter how careful you are.

    [quote author=MaccieD link=topic=10033.msg146404#msg146404 date=1425068466]
    I was surprised at the 25% figure as well
    [/quote]

    Just for others reading....yes, puppies can have HD and ED even if the parents don't - but it's not as straightforward as a single chance for all labradors puppies from unaffected parents. The "scale of liability" for any litter depends on the genetic characteristics of all the ancestors of that puppy. If you want to see examples, look at the UK Kennel Club's EBV scheme which can show you the liability for any registered dog:

    http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/mateselect/ebv/Default.aspx

    I don't think it's the case that 25% of Labs have ED. The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) puts the figure at 5%.
     
  16. Oberon

    Oberon Supporting Member Forum Supporter

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    Re: Poor Juno

    So sorry that you have had this diagnosis. But treatment is excellent these days and the outlook is bright. It's just a big shock when you did all the right things and chose the litter so carefully.

    As Julie says, it's not the case that any puppy has a 25% chance of dysplasia. It's just not as common as that, or as simple.

    Big hugs to you. It will all be fine in the end, even though now it feels like it is not right in any way at all. Much sympathy.
     
  17. leejane

    leejane Mum to the Mooster

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    Re: Poor Juno

    [quote author=JulieT link=topic=10033.msg146413#msg146413 date=1425071551]
    The "scale of liability" for any litter depends on the genetic characteristics of all the ancestors of that puppy. If you want to see examples, look at the UK Kennel Club's EBV scheme which can show you the liability for any registered dog:[/quote]

    Julie,
    Thanks for this, very interesting - I remembered Monty's KC name and his Mum's KC name, and although Monty comes out at -12% and -16% below average for both hips and elbows, his mum comes out 7% above average on both - I know Monty's scores is an average of his parents. and I know at the time we bought him both parent's scores were within the average / acceptable' range, it's made me think how his scores could be swayed by one parent being more highly scored than another. I will have to find his dad's KC name to investigate more thoroughly , I know.

    With hindsight, the problem (in my view only) is that we are so drawn by a cute bundle of fur in our arms when we go and look at puppies that a detached mind is hard to find - for example I spent hours if not days trawling websites for the right puppies - coming form homes where we could see both parents, within distance of our home, that had acceptable hip / elbow / eye scores, - but in all honestly, we bought the first puppy we visited, as we were quite overawed with the whole process and you just want to believe that the puppy you are holding is the one for you. I remember our breeder reeling off all the things the parents had been tested for, what a good pedigree he was, etc, but I hardly remember much as I was so excited we were finally getting a dog.

    He almost certainly came home with the giardia parasite - and probably should have been aware he did a big runny poo in he yard when we visited him - avian. without much experience you don't really think much about this and are transfixed with the cute puppy you are playing with. This was a complete nightmare to get rid of, numerous antibiotics / probiotics / vitamins / shampoos / weekly washing of bedding, the house, the decking. patio and garden later...

    And on all of this rambling reflection I still would not change the dog I've got. And perhaps it's a good thing we are led by our emotions at times as this ensures dogs with these stored-up health problems get homes to go to and owners who love them.
     
  18. drjs@5

    drjs@5 Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    Sorry you are having all this worry Natalie.
    When we got lilly we didn't know about breeders and testing. She was from an add in a local paper.
    He had a couple of working dogs and had had a couple of litters over several years.
    Although it was disappointing to find out about Lilly's bilateral severe HD we did think that under other circumstances she might not be here.
    At least we can afford to pay for treatments keep up insurance etc.
    That might not have been the case if she had been sold elsewhere.

    Love her to bits in spite of her dodgy hips and dubious choice of perfume x
     
  19. JulieT

    JulieT Registered Users

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    Re: Poor Juno

    Charlie's EBV results are less than minus 100 on hips and elbows...his parents and 5 generations had excellent results...I travelled hundreds of miles to buy him...I didn't compromise.

    He still ruptured his cruciate. (Thankfully fixed and seems to be ok for now).

    You do what you can, but can still get unlucky - I did too. That's life.

    You have the dog you have, and that's that. No-one would swap them once you have them, you love them and you just have to deal with what comes your way. And enjoy the precious time you have with them, in whatever form that takes.

    Best of luck to you, I'm sure you'll get sorted, love having your dog and enjoy him.
     
  20. leejane

    leejane Mum to the Mooster

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    Re: Poor Juno

    Jacqui,

    It's funny (not funny, at all, I know, just a turn of phrase) how we all came to be in these similar situations with puppies selected from different backgrounds; you got Lilly from an ad in the paper, I did a small amount of research but didn't actually do all the follow up checks to see if the what the breeder said was true, it sounds like Rosemary with Juno did lots of research and picked a suitable litter before they were born - and yet we all have labradors with displaced joints.

    I am thinking of a complete mongrel for our next dog with absolutely no pedigree... my sister in-law has had three, grandmother, daughter, granddaughter, with the mongrel sire being both the father and grandfather, if this makes any sense ..and all have been extremely healthy.
     

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