Did you take your puppy to a vet when you first got it?
I did - he was 8 weeks old and the first thing my vet checked was his knees. He said that they were strong and stable -- and ready to go. He said that he does see a lot of little puppies with bad knees (especially puppymill puppies) - and that he was happy to find that mine had no problems at all.
With this in mind - I think that I wouldn't later hold my breeder responsible for any knee problems or any other problems -- since my little pup passed his whole exam with flying colors.
Also - I think that my guarantee said that they would only be responsible for any problems that were found by my vet at his first visit - not for things that might happen months or years later.
I think that we are entitled to healthy new little puppies -- and should be offered a replacement or refund or any serious problems that are found. But -I can't understand why breeders should be responsible for things that happen later on. There is no guarantee in life for any of us or for our pets that we will never have any health issues. And, taking care of our little dogs has to be our own responsibility at some point.
***** This thread should be a reminder for all of us to take our new little pups in for a thorough checkup when we first get them. Almost all serious problems can be found by a good vet at their first visit.
Carol Jean |