hi, we are really like to buy a lab and we are based in Australia. We initially wanted to get a pup from backyar breeders which cost us around $500 - $800 but then we found out there are hip and elbow problems that we have to worry about. so then we thought of getting a proper purebreed dog so then we are now looking for good purebreed places around Australia which will cost us around $1500. during my research there are few things they put on their profile which I really dont understand. If you can please explain those to me as we would like to know most of the things about a lab pup. Hips; 0:0 Elbows; 0:0 PRA Clear by parentage Hips; 0:1 Elbows; 0:0 PRA Clear by parentage Bronte : Hips 1:1 Elbows 0:0 EIC-Clear PRDC-Carrier Rocko : Hips 0:0 Elbows 0:0 EIC-Clear PRCD-Clear i know that EIC is excised induced collapse and PRA is progressive retinal atrophy. but can you please help me to understand the rest of those above information
Re: researching before buying a lab Hi and welcome! It's great that you are doing all your research and have come to realise how important it is to choose a puppy from parents who have passed all the necessary health checks. I'll use the examples you've given to explain what some of the scores mean. Hips; 0:1 The hips scores are a measure of how loose (badly formed) or tight (well formed) the hip joints are. Looseness of the joints is diagnosed by xray of dogs once they are a year old. Loose or poorly formed joints are bad as they will eventually lead to painful arthritis. Above are two numbers, 0 and 1. The number on the left (0) refers to the left hip and the number on the right (1) refers to the right hip. Higher numbers mean a looser (worse) joint while lower numbers mean a tighter (better formed) joint. The higher the score the worse the hips and the lower the score the better. The maximum score is 53 for one hip (these hips would be absolutely terrible). The lowest score is 0 which is perfect. You can get a total hip score for a dog by adding the two (left and right scores) together. A dog with 0:1 hips has a total of 1. A dog with 5:7 hips has a total of 12. A dog with 1:11 hips also has a total of 12 but you can see that the left hip is good (1) while the right hip is nowhere near as good (11), so the hips are very uneven. The average total score for Labradors is about 12, so you want a total score that is lower than that (and even/similar numbers on both sides is better too). This article explains more about hips scores: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/labrador-hip-scores-faq-2/ Elbows; 0:0 It's a similar story with elbows. This is also examined by xray. The numbers are also a measure of how well formed the elbow joint is - lower scores are better and higher scores are worse. The number on the left refers to the left elbow and the number on the right refers to the right elbow. A different scale is used for elbows though, compared to hips. 0 is perfect. 3 is the highest score and would mean a very bad joint. With elbows I personally would accept nothing other than 0:0 for both parents. It is easy to find 0:0 dogs in Australia. PRA and PRDC PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy) and PRCD (Progressive Rod-Cone Degeneration) are both genetic eye disorders that gradually cause the dog to go blind. The gene is actually a recessive gene and dogs need two copies of the gene (one from each parent) to ever show symptoms of the disease. [li]Clear by Parentage: If neither parent carries the gene for these disorders then no puppies can ever get the disorder and there is therefore no need to test their offspring as the parents tested totally clear. That is what 'Clear by parentage' means - the dog was not tested but it is automatically known that the dog is clear anyway because both parents were. [/li] [li]Carrier: If a dog has one copy of the gene they are known as a 'Carrier'. They can pass this gene on but can never get the disease themselves. As the gene is recessive and needs two copies to cause a problem, if a dog has only one copy (from one parent) this is still not enough to get the disease.[/li] [li]Clear: If a dog has zero copies of the gene and tests have shown this they are known as 'Clear'. [/li] It is fine to breed two dogs together if one is a Carrier and one is Clear. The puppies cannot end up with two copies of the gene from this combination. But it is not ok to breed dogs together if both dogs are Carriers (as the pups may end up with two copies of the gene = problem). Basically, the take-home message is that you want at least one parent to be Clear or Clear by Parentage. Here's an article on this: http://www.thelabradorsite.com/the-fight-against-pra-blindness-in-labradors/ EIC-Clear EIC means Exercise Induced Collapse. Again, this is a genetic problem and it causes dogs to collapse after vigorous exercise. Strenous activity has to be avoided. This is also a recessive gene and it seems that it will only cause a problem if a dog has two copies of the gene. If a dog has no copies of the gene it is 'Clear'. If a dog has one copy of the gene it is a 'Carrier'. As with the eye problem, you need at least one parent to be Clear. It should not be hard in Australia to find litters where both parents are Clear though. So, look for: [li]Low hip scores[/li] [li]Elbow scores of 0:0[/li] [li]PRA/PRCD: Clear or Clear by Parentage (but one parent being a Carrier is ok)[/li] [li]EIC: Clear (but one parent being a Carrier is ok)[/li] I presume that you have been looking at breeders/litters on Dogzonline?
Re: researching before buying a lab Hi and welcome to the forum. Lots of very useful information from Oberon in answer to your questions. I would add a note of caution regarding hip and elbow scores, these scores show the condition of the parents hips/elbows. Unfortunately, as I understand it from research, hip and elbow dysplasia are genetically carried, although environment can also impact, and these genes have not been identified. So in effect you can have parents with perfect hip/elbow scores but have a puppy that develops dysplasia having inherited genes from both parents. Questions I would now ask of breeder is whether any siblings of the parents have shown dysplasia, or if the dogs have produced litters before whether any offspring have developed dysplasia. I personally know how hard it is to be told that your precious puppy has dysplasia despite her parents having perfect scores......
Re: researching before buying a lab Hi and welcome from me , two excellent replies here for you, just wanted to wish you well , great that you are researching so well too , please come back and let us know if/when you find your puppy
Re: researching before buying a lab Hi Lich, welcome to the forum, and Many thanks to Rachael for taking the time to write such an excellent reply
Re: researching before buying a lab Hello and welcome from me and Lilly (who HAS hip dysplasia) I would echo the bit about environmental impact and the importance of protecting a youngsters hips and bones/joints during growth. This is something that I feel is such an unknown with our own diagnosis. Good luck with your puppy-choosing Jac and Lilly
Re: researching before buying a lab Hi All, Thank you so much and taking your time and replying to this. This was really helpful. Today I paid the deposit for georgous female lab pup. here was their description Dogs NSW Member 2100010828 I am a member of Dogs New South Wales for over seventeen years. My membership number is, 2100010828. I live at East Kurrajong N.S.W. situated near the Blue Mountains on a 5 acre property with 2 small dams. Our labs love to get out when it's a little warmer and swim in the dams. I am a small kennel and have been breeding for over seventeen years and have bred for the New South Wales Guide Dogs situated at Glossodia on an ongoing basis prior to the implementation of their own breeding program. All my dogs are DNA tested for hereditary diseases with nil issues detected. Further Hip & Elbow tests have been undertaken with good score results. Our puppies are raised around our family and friends and socialised with kids and our other pets and are sold to you as a family member not just a pet . Dam : Dowlfalls Brooke Sire: Gunlance Wizardry and Dam: Avokah Irish Koffee Sire: Taieri Deigo We have Yellow ,Chocolate ,Black in males and females ready to go to there new homes the week end of 13th June 2015 . Our puppies come with : Registration and Pedigree papers from Dogs NSW ready on pick up : Vaccinated Card filled in by Vet : Vet checked : Wormed from 2 weeks on : Microchipped : Puppy pack with lots of info : Toy & Food : Car seat belt and collar Copies of parents DNA and Hip,Elbow, paper work in a folder. Our puppies are sold with a non-refundable $100 deposit if you change your mind and a balance of $1400 payable at 8 weeks. We are really excited and so happy. my daughter is counting days now
Re: researching before buying a lab Hi, Thank you so much, Here is a pic. they still 2 weeks old. I have to wait until mid june to have them. My daughter is sooo excited
Re: researching before buying a lab Such gorgeous puppies.... Welcome to the Forum,good on you from researching so conscientiously too buy a puppy with the best chances of a healthy life. Now you have got all the getting ready to do....which if course includes name choosing!have you thought of any yet? Best wishes from me and yellow Dexter who is nearly 3...... There ,I've written it,nearly 3 :'( enjoy your puppy ,time just speeds away x
Re: researching before buying a lab Beautiful! Please keep posting pictures as she grows - we love a bit of puppy porn here! Names, yes! What are your thoughts? [quote author=Dexter link=topic=10820.msg161747#msg161747 date=1431062954] Best wishes from me and yellow Dexter who is nearly 3...... There ,I've written it,nearly 3 :'( [/quote] Ah, Dex will always be your little boy Welcome to the forum from me and my two nutters
