Wouldn't you think it would be a breeder's responsibility to make sure the puppies were physically sound before releasing the litter? The Siberian Husky puppy 2 months old AKC I picked up near Fargo, ND Sunday, according to my Montana vet has a hole between the lower two chambers of his heart. That's why he's slow, that's why he flops out on play and on walks. I'm within the 5 days the contract says I must be in to get my money back, which really is my only option, I can't drive back to Fargo to return him, he most likely wouldn't make it on a plane ride. My vet said as he grows, the heart will grow and the problem will get worse then the dog will expire, he said the puppy most likely doesn't have very long to live. NOt sure how long, but you can hear his little heart working overtime here at 2 months. Wouldn't a vet have checked the litter's heart rates? I really don't want to believe this breeder passed off a defective puppy knowingly, but how could a good breeder miss this? She seemed like a reputable breeder, but aren't heart conditions genetic?
Any good breeder would stand behind their pups. Have you contacted the breeder? Possibly have your vet fax them the records of problems found. Sorry you & the pup are going thru this.
I contacted the breeder as soon as I stepped out of the vet's office making her aware of the issue. I told her I would call her back within 24 hours to let her know what I will do about it. I have a signed contract that says if anything if found by the vet within 5 days then I can get my money back or get a replacement puppy. Now I really wanted two huskies, they are better when there's more than one, but now I have 2 I have to keep apart because the other one gives the defective pup a relentlessly hard time. I had considered possibly breeding huskies because there aren't any husky breeders within several hundred miles from here. But I can't even consider that now with this pair. My other pup is tip top, but Little Wolf is comprimised considerably. He has a hard time catching his breath and his lil heart just races all of the time. It's so sad. I'm so bummed and pissed. Wouldn't a breeder have a vet check them out though Before they're released? And if a vet checked them, how was this missed? I want to believe this is a case of negligence, I don't want to belive the she did this to me knowingly. But some person screwed up, either the vet who released them or the breeder. Like I said, aren't heart conditions generally genetic, if so, there's a major flaw in their system they either know or don't know about.
if the contract has that wording, you have five days to find the problem, not to return the puppy. The vet found the problems, you can get your money back (doesn't say anything about you having to return said puppy?). It's the breeder's responsibility to come get the puppy, I would think. Look at how the contract is worded, tell the breeder you want your money back and see what she does. Keep copies of all correspondence, send all letters certified mail return receipt requested. unfortunately, anyone can put two dogs together and sell the puppies. Most people who do it are in it for the money, and not the love of the dogs. In order to make a profit, they have to be a little bit on the shady side.
You are talking about Ventricular Septal Defect (more commonly just called a hole/s in the heart). It's a developmental issue. Dogs rarely die from it, the condition generally fixes itself within a few weeks. Severe cases can take up to 6 months. She can be treated with medications and herbs to strengthen the heart and the healing process, and she'll need decreased exercise. Alot of times it goes undetected. It usually doesn't cause problems, and the only way to detect it at first is to hear a "swish" in the stethescope, which is usually so soft that most vets won't even hear it. It's possible it was overlooked. But it is a recessive disorder, meaning that both of the parents carried it. Siberian huskies are a relatively healthy breed and so it is unlikely that the parents hearts were OFA certified. They only really require certifications for eyes and hips. Judging by the puppy's conformation, I highly doubt this was a very responsible breeder, and I would ask for your money back.
I'm going to call the breeder back today and ask her to put a check in the mail back to me. I guess I'll keep him, maybe he will grow out of it, but my vet seemed to believe he wouldn't live very long. This really sucks because I want to make sure my other husky pup gets as much as she needs, I hate leaving him behind on walks but he just poops out so quickly. It's like after he runs up to me, or anything, he has to rest and chatch his breath. He wants to go with us and my other husky wants him to come along too, she's constantly turning around and looking back in the sound of his cries when we leave him behind. I really wanted two healthy huskies.
