How do you go about reporting a breeder?
 

Ok...so to make a very long story short, I brought Capone home on Friday, took him to the vet this morning, find out he has a heart murmur, and then I found out he's only been to the vet to get the tails docked...basically just for their first visit. After that, they've only been to a vet tech!

My BF just spoke to her and he's basically saying that the vet tech misinformed her. The tech told her that she only needed to get the vacinations, and that the paper (health certificate) wasn't important! So rather than pay for the Vet & health cert, so just let the tech administer the shots in their house!

I knew someone was weird when I didn't get the certificate from their vet how I did when I got Mr. Biggs. But I went against my intuition and got him anyway. It was too late either way because I loved him from the second I saw him.

I feel like a child that just got a defective toy :( I not only do feel stupid for buying him from this "breeder", but my friend bought one of Capone's littermates :( He goes to see the vet on Friday, so I'm just praying that he doesn't have a murmur also.

My vet also said that his heart murmur could just be caused because he's adjusting to his new location, food water, etc. (Has anyone heard of that before??)

I almost forgot... Does anyone know who to contact to report this breeder? My vet said that I could call and report her and they would file charges or something against her. But I was so distraught by what he said about Capone, that I completely forgot!

Also, I'm getting the number to the vet that she first took the puppies to, as well as the vet tech and am going to give them to my vet, so that they could find out everything that has been done on the puppies and see if he had a heart murmur before.

Thanks for all your help! If any of you have any info on heart murmurs in puppies and the different stages/things to be aware of, please PM me!

-Christina, Mr. Biggs, & Capone.

A lot of breeders administer boosters and wormers themselves. But they do go to the vet for the health clearance.

I never heard a heart murmer being caused by adjustment. A murmer is caused by a tiny hole that can close up. Human babies are born with it and a good bit of them go away.

What does the vet suggest as a course of treatment?

I would say contact the BBB. Did you pay cash or by credit card to her? If it was by credit card transfer you can put in a dispute to the credit card for I hesitate to use this "damaged goods" and they would make her live honor her refund/replacement policy.

That's horrible. The poor thing. I don't know much about heart murmur's but my guess is that he had it before you got him. Do you have a health guarantee/contract? If you do, it would def be in effect seeing as though it's not even been a week since you got him. Hopefully a breeder can come help you... poor capone! You should definitely be able to get your money back on this one....but of course, I feel sorry for the dog.

i hope your baby is ok and everything turns out

Heart mumors are abnormal heart sounds caused by turbulence. In a young dog, it is normally congenital or developmental...the heart may not have formed correctly before birth or certain holes may not have closed correctly after birth. In the fetus, there are certain holes in the heart that are supposed to be there, but after birth they are supposed to close pretty quickly. If they don't close, it causes a murmor. Murmors can also be caused by valves that don't close correctly or are narrowed for some reason.

I have never heard of murmors being caused because of adjustment. There is something abnormal about his heart which is causing the murmor. Sometimes murmors go away with age, and sometimes they need to be corrected. You may need to see a cardiologist.

I paid cash, but she seems like a reasonable person, especially when my BF told her everything that was happening. I know that if I threaten her with a lawsuit or reporting her to the authorities, she'll refund at least a partial amount. I also have receipts from her..

Oh, I forgot to add that the vet said we will monitor it and check on it when I bring him for his shots in a week and a half. He seemed slightly concerned by it but also seemed like it wasn't a major cause for alarm. He just spent so much time telling me how bad some heart murmurs get and started mentioning shunts...needless to say he freaked me out! He did say that his lungs were clear though..

Sad about the heart murmur. Maybe this is something minor and won't affect his quality of life.

What charges can be brought against this breeder? Did you sign a contract guaranteeing the health of this pup? Are there puppy lemon laws in your state? What did the breeder say when you told her about the murmur?

I know that in Texas, health certificates are not required to sell ANY breed of dog...only necessary if they are flying.

Try to get some money back towards his medical care. I know you dont' want to give him back.

I'm so sorry about little Capone. Now, personally, I don't take my babies to the vet unless I HAVE to, because you can wind up exposing them to more diseases than you ever vaccinated them for in the first place. :rolleyes: I do all my own vaccinations, but I do offer a 1 year health guarantee against things like this. She should at least offer you half your money back, OR at the VERY she should have given you said amount of time to take him to the vet to check his health. But I understand falling in love with them when you see them. I too have learned the hard way in the past. My sister's dog, Chloe, came from a puppy mill and she has a heart murmer. She's almost a year old, and it hasn't affected her health at all so far, but it's still there. Only time will tell I suppose...

I'm not sure what to tell you about reporting. Did you ask the breeder if she would be willing to come to a financial agreement with you? Then maybe if she disagrees or is rude you could report her?

Good luck, I hope little Capone is ok!!

You can report your breeder to the Humane Society:

http://files.hsus.org/web-files/PDF/...laint_form.pdf

You should also file a complaint with your State Attorney General's Office (Consumer Protection) and the Better Business Bureau serving the area where your breeder does business.

I am so sorry about your puppy.

Unfortunately I was blinded by my excitement to get it in writing. But she did say that she was responsible for him until he got his next shots, and that she wasn't responsible for anythign after that. I will be bringing her my vet's invoice so she can see the amount. I don't want a refund, because I want to keep Capone regardless, but I do need some kind of reinbursment for his medical expenses if this murmur proves to be something serious. (Which we will know next visit...I also want to find out what grade it is)

Thanks! :)

Hugs to you and Capone. My cocker has had a murmur since we got her at 8 months old. She's 15 now and she JUST started having issues with it and she's on some heart meds. She's doing well. For the overall health and quality of life for him, I pray he's as lucky.

Unfortunately I don't ahve the health certificate, just receipts. We're in florida and we do have the lemon law. We're going to talk to the breeder later tonight and see what we can agree upon for the sake of Capone. I'm definately keeping him, so her only option is to refund my money or pay half of the doctor bills. I'm definately reporting her though either way, as that's what my vet advised. I was told by my vet that it's illegal to sell a dog without a health certificate...it protects both the breeder and the purchaser from the lemon law.

Well dont' be too rough until you get your money. Don't stress the reporting her too much.

As long as you don't let him get over weight and keep him exercised moderately he should be ok...god willing.