masador

Thank you so much for your messages. I re-read the post and even now there is so much more that he was I just dont seem to have the words. I was so lucky to have had the time we had and I will treasure his memory forever.

The moment we first met, you lay your great head in my lap looked up at me and I knew we were meant to be together. You changed our lives with your gentle loving nature and although we didnt realise it our world began to revolve around you. Our home became a place of monogrammed drool towels, we stopped wearing black, squeaky toys that lasted no more than ten minutes lay peaking from under chairs. A car whose windows and rear seat were glazed with drool and smelt like wet dog from your daily swim in the dam and we got so used to stepping over you to put wood in the fire that we do it still without thought. Even before the heroic deed that took you from us you were my Hero. You saved my life. You were the reason I lived through horrendous cancer surgery, when things were darkest and the will to live had left me my children kept telling me that if I left you would not understand -you would think I had anbandoned you. And so I fought not for me but for you and as I got better all I could think of was that if I could make it home and lay my head on your neck and wrap my arms about you I would be ok. After a month in ICU and time in the ward they let me home and all the tears and the pain and horror that I couldn't reveaL to my family who had dealt with so much already were released on your great shoulders. You became my self appointed assistance dog. When I didn't have the strength to rise out of a chair you lent me your strength when I could walk no more than a few steps it was you who were there to steady me. You were always my hero and your last effort to protect your family cost you your own life. The snake that took you paid with its life but oh how i wish you had not seen it that my daughter and her horse had been elsewhere that day- that that day had never happened....You fought so hard to stay with us and we did everything to try to save you but in the end it was no good. The grief I feel is enormous, the house is too quiet , too clean. i miss your face Henry-bear. I will miss you forever...

Thanks for the support. I doubt really that she did not know but I have always given her the benefit of the doubt. . I have contacted the VCA who told me to take it to the small claims court as they can't do anything about it, even though they should.

I do understand that there are no guarantees with anything in life but $2000 is a lot of money to pay for something in good faith then to end up with nothing but a vet bill of the same again. The puppy was diagnosed with hypoparathyroidism which is reasonably rare and we purchased him at the age of almost 4 mths. I dont think the breeder knew that the pup was ill but there were signs from day one that this pup was not 100%. He had attended the vet on three previous occasions due to our concern and I had contacted her about the situation at the time and when I did she revealed that she had had contact with the owner of one of the litter mates who was also having health problems. I am not a novice in the world of dogs having been a vet nurse for many years but I do not understand the mentality that agrees and sympathises and then just basically says too bad. I have known many breeders some good some not so good but for the sake of the other owners I hope that she is honest when they ring and ask about any health problems in the litter because it could save the life and heartache of another family losing a loved pet. Hypoparathyroidism is not something an animal can catch it is born with it and I believe that there should be legislation put in place to protect buyers in these situations. If you ordered a new car and it was faulty you would take it back for a refund I dont see why pet owners should be contunually ripped off by the "Its not genetic its not our fault" clause. If it is congenital it should be the breeders responsibility to cover it. Basically a breeder is selling a product and if that product is faulty due to a defect that was present from the start it should be their responsibility morally and ethically. No amount of money will fix the heartbreak of my family at the death of this little guy but these kinds of breeders just keep on doing it and getting away with it.

Hey Jed , she is apparently not breeding any more so the offer was for a full refund of the purchase price. I emailed her and got a really nasty reply stating that my vet has said that although the damage to the puppy's kidneys shows that he has probably had the problem since birth it cannot be proven.(This puppy had developed an undershot jaw which meant that his bones were turning to cartlidge due to the high levels of toxins in his system. According to the vet this takes much longer than the one month that we had owned him for and he has never seen one this bad in twenty years of vet work. He gave her the option of having futher tests done post mortem at her expense which she declined. He offered to speak to her vet which she declined all the while assuring him that there would be no problem with refunding the money. She has now made me feel bad because in asking for a refund she has decided that I have threatened her and says she has no money . I am not rich either and paid the money out in good faith and so in my email I offered her the option of discussing how the refund would be paid but if only she would make contact. All I got was a nasty email saying threats wont work. Go figure.

Thanks for your support it is greatly appreciated. He was a little trouper and would have been an incredible dog had he had the chance to grow. Unfortunately the breeder has gone awol and is not able to be contacted which I find strange after her assurances to both the vet and I that she was horrified by our loss and that a full refund of the purchase price would be forthcoming. I am trying to give her the benefit of the doubt but it is not looking good.

Hi there just an update. Our little guy was pts yesterday morning. The general concenus is that it was something he was born with but not easliy picked up because it was chronic in nature but his kidneys were damaged beyond any help. The vets believe it to be just plain bad luck and not genetic in nature. The breeder was just as upset and horrified as we were and readily agreed to refund our costs which will perhaps at least cover the vet bills. He was such a sweetheart even the vets were amazed that no matter what they did to him he was always happy to see them and greeted them with a wagging tail. He will be sadly missed. Thank you to all who replied for your caring and concern.

Hi just wondering whether anyone else has struck this problem. We have a 5mth puppy bought from a registered breeder who began showing signs that something was not right almost immediately. Subsequent vet visits and reassurances later he has today been diagnosed is in hospital on fluids and may not last the week. The vets cannot tell if the renal failure was caused by a massive infection or vice versa at this stage but I do know that at least one other puppy from this litter had been hospitalised. Should I contact the breeder and discuss it with her. The puppy was expensive and his vet bills if he survives the week are going to be massive added to this is the fact that we have grown to love him dearly and are angry that this has happened to him. What do you suggest?