Quote:
Originally Posted by Ladymom  Actually, a so-called "designer dog" like Morkies, etc. has just as much probability of inheriting genetic diseases as a purebred, maybe even more.
Maltese and Yorkies share many of the same genetic illnesses like liver shunts, luxating patellas, Legg-Perthes, etc. so the probability of puppies inheriting one of these diseases is just as high.
The best way to predict the long term health of a puppy is buying him from a reputable breeder who does extensive health testing and screens for genetic problems before breeding. Committed breeders like this do not mix breeds, but concentrate on producing the best possible offspring from one breed.
Reputable breeders also sell their puppies with a spay/neuter agreement so their dogs do not end up in the hands of breeders of designer dogs to be bred indiscriminately. |
This is not true..I spoke to a very good vet in California about this, she said that although some of them (morkies) do have some problems occasionally, they have far less problems genetically, etc than purebreds..