I went to a pet store 3 weeks ago and purchased a rare blue male Doxie. It was not an impluse buy; I wanted a Doxie; Maltese or Beagle so I was happy when I saw one. There was actually two: blue male and blue femalw but I wanted to buy him for breeding purposes as I recently opened a small kennel of Doxies. I currently have 3 female Doxies and a male and wanted a new addition. I know a bit about puppy mill dogs and asked the pet store where they come from, owner said rep. Doxie breeder in Missouri.
He is currently 15 weeks old and is limping, supporting himself on his two front legs, back two are a bit stiff; hard to move. He has keenel cough and gave him meds that I gave one of my female Doxies when she was 8 weeks, his skin is PEELING off and becoming BALD, he has yellow discharge from the eyes. I went back to the shop and told them this; they said it would all clear in a few days. They gave me meds for the cough and anti-biotics for eye. Checked him over with THEIR vet, said he...
2006-12-20 21:10:14 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
...was the healthiest Doxie they've sold in 9 years! The people at the pet store (not the vet) told me that all Doxie pups shed their fur at 10-20 weeks old; I said that I've raised Doxies before and I know thry don't; lady said that I don't know enough about Doxies to know that. I was offered $50 back (paid $900 for him - reduced from $1100), free de-sexing at 6 months old and a free Kong toy worth $5.99!!!!! I was told that I should be happy to get all this free stuff, a reduced puppy and a very RARE, one-of-a-kind BLUE Doxie.
I've never seen a blue Doxie before my puppy (named Seal) - can anybody give me information about Blue Doxies? I told the pet shop that I wanted to breed and they said that if I breed him with a red Doxie, I can get red, black and blue puppies; is this true?
He is so special to me and my kids!
Also, he has lost his appetite almost completely. Only eats little bits every 6-7 hours even though the food is always left out for him ONLY - he is very thin.
2006-12-20 21:17:23 · update #1
I asked for registration papers (they said he was registered with the AKC), ceritficates of health from parents and a certification from a vet clearing both parents of hereditary diseases. They said I would get it in the post in a months time. I gave them my cell number, home number, work number, moms house number and my adress but no mail or phone call!!
2006-12-20 21:19:37 · update #2
Oh and by the way, they told us he has to come to THEIR vet until he is one year old or they will take him away from me and make all these claims to pet stores not to sell a pup to me because I didn't follow their agreement?
2006-12-20 21:21:04 · update #3
1) Now you know why you shouldn't ever buy a dog from a pet shop.
2) The reason blues are "rare" is because they are considered undesireable by serious breeders, BECAUSE they are more prone to skin and health problems.
3) The pet shop can't take him away from you, nor will they be willing to spend the legal $$$$ to try. Take him to a real vet if you want to keep him.
4) Putting the word out not to sell to you is an empty threat. And who cares anyway, surely you wouldn't want to buy from a pet shop again?
5) Pet shops are not the place to buy breeding stock.
6) Dogs that are this unhealthy should not be bred.
7) If you are this unknowledgeable on the subject, you should not be breeding dogs. Period.
2006-12-21 01:26:14 · answer #1 · answered by DaBasset - BYBs kill dogs 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
OMG! Take this puppy ASAP to a reputable vet. Do not pass go!
Missouri is where the puppy mills are. The mid-west is a hot bed of puppy mills. The pet store is not going to tell you the truth about your puppy! Don't believe what anyone at the Pet store tells you, please.
Kennel Cough is a very common problem and needs to run it's course (about 3-4 weeks). I can guarantee you this puppy came from a puppy mill. This puppy needs to be on antibiotics to prevent secondary infections occurring from Kennel Cough. What you had for your other dogs is probably expired. Don't use it.
It sounds like he also has a back problem which is going to be major. Doxie's are known for this. Keep this puppy away from your other dogs and don't let him jump off of any furniture. If I were you, I would take him back and tell them you want your money back before you are stuck with high vet bills, a paralyzed dog, and a broken heart.
Blue's and merle's have a weaker gene that can cause a lot of skin problems, more so than other stable colors do, IE black & tans, or reds. We can deal with the skin problem, but the back problem is a no brainer.
You should have gone to a responsible Doxie breeder yourself and got a guaranteed healthy puppy. It would have been cheaper up front and in the long run. Pet stores overcharge people for all their animals. How do you think they pay the rent? Breeders charge half of what Pet stores do. Never buy a dog or cat from a Pet store no matter what! Pet stores want to pay breeders low prices for puppies and kittens and sell them for a high profit. That's how they make most of their profit. People get taken all the time by these Pet stores. People buy with their hearts and not their heads. The reputable breeders are not going to deal with them because they want more money for their puppies or kittens. The Pet stores just don't want to pay it, so they buy from the puppy mills.
As for the skin problem...get a shampoo called "Malaseb" and follow the directions. It will kill any bacteria or fungus causing the hair loss. Give this pup Omega 3 Fatty Acids once a day for his skin and coat. If the hair doesn't start to grow back within 3-4 months we have a genetic problem. But at this point, I don't think so.
Keep up the antibiotics in the eyes. He probably has conjunctivitis. It's very contagious and your other dogs will probably get it if they are in close contact.
Puppies from puppy mills get all sorts of things because of the close, cramped and filthy conditions. They are also inbred to the umpteenth degree. You will have to be especially watchful over this puppy if you decide you want to deal with his paralyzed condition the rest of his life.
If I were you, I would have this puppy put down. This is a difficult decision. Also, please report this Pet store to the local Health Department, the BBB, the SPCA, and go to the local newspapers.
Let me know if I can help any further. I will pray you make the right decision. God bless.
2006-12-21 05:54:48 · answer #2 · answered by a10cowgirl 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You need to go to your vet if you are breeding then you should have a regular vet.Never bye a pup fr pet store for breeding. People make a big deal about papers (AKC,CKC) because with these papers comes a guarantee that if your pup is sick the breeder is responsible that and to many complaints about a breeder they get there rights taken so you know if they can't get papers they shouldn't be breeding.I have never heard of any dog shedding its skin at any age.I have worked for a groomer since high school (12years). Please take him to the vet it is good you gave him a home all puppies need a home no matter were they come from but please don't breed him.there is a blue color in doxie's but they have to have the tan markings to to be a registered color.I hope he pulls though this and become a wonderful new addition he defiantly needed out of were he was.were are you from so I know not to go to pet store near there?LOL I just seen what you wrote about there vet if this is what they are saying to you you need to do some thing. They can not tell not to take him to another vet or they will take him. What they are doing is protecting them selves if you take him to your vet and he says he is sick he maybe able to report them to some one. There has to be some kinda health inspector for pet stores please were are you from.
2006-12-21 05:35:11 · answer #3 · answered by sabledane 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he came from Missouri, then he is most likely a puppy mill dog. The state is notorious for that. Look it up online. I have never heard of any dogs skin "peeling off" reffered to as normal. And 900.00 for a pet store dog is outrageous. They can not force you to use their vet, and once you purchase a dog, they can not take it away from you. If he is coughing, with an eye discharge, and appears to be lame, he may have distemper. You need to go to a real vet and have his blood tested for distemper titers. There is no cure for that. You can treat it, if you go to a real veterinarian. And any vet who works for a pet store chain is a sell out, who will do and say what ever the owner of the pet store chain tells them to do. They are working for the best interest of the store only, and not for your pet's health. But once it starts causing neurological problems, it may be too late. And even if he appears to get well, it will probably re-occur in him later in life. Distemper is a virus, and there is no cure for any virus. That's why people are dying everywhere from the Aids virus. And if it's not distemper, there are alot of viruses that can be transmitted to dogs that are housed in puppy mills. I am sorry this happened to you and your puppy, but this is a classic reason you should never buy puppies from a pet store. The employees are not properly trained or educated, and the dogs are badly bred, most of the time are sick, and are way over priced. Please find a real vet to treat your puppy. Those vets that work at pet stores usually have good reasons that they can't work at a real clinic. Reasons like they are too stupid to work for a real clinic, or have been in trouble with the state board of vets and are working under the umbrella of another vets license. Just like the human doctors that work at those "Doc in the Box" places that are popping up everywhere. And anytime you buy a "rare" color dog, you can expect health problems. There are genetic reasons that this happens. I have seen very few Blue dogs that don't have severe skin problems at one time or another. My old boss used to tell people, "If you want a dog with horrible skin problems, then buy a Blue Doberman". This was years ago, before all of these other breeds started coming out with the "rare" Blue coloring. Please go find a real vet soon.
And you can bet that the store has an attorney on retainer, just for problems like this. All they care about is the sale, not the health and well being of the animals they are selling.
2006-12-21 08:42:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, You are not going to like what I have to say, but you need to bring him back for a refund. Blue's should not be bred. Is he a blue and tan? You will most likely see that he does not end up with too much hair where he is blue. Most blue Doxie's have very little hair where they are blue. A blue and tan for example will have normal coat where they are tan and hardly any where they are blue. Blue's tend to have tons of skin problems. On another note here, if your females don't carry the blue gene, you would not get any blues. Research the breed more before you decide to breed. He could have spine problems even at this young age. Bring him back.
2006-12-21 09:08:14 · answer #5 · answered by bear 2 zealand © 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Never buy from petstores you are supporting puppy mills by doing this. Do you know what goes on in mills? Most likely the mother of your pup has been bred every cycle she has her babies on wire cages not protecting them from the heat or the cold. If it is a hot part of the year the puppies die by frying like an egg on the wires. These dogs usually have cages that are pile on top of each other so the ones at the bottom get to live in not only their own crap and piss but all of the dogs crap that are on the top. these dogs get no medical care its a waste of money to the miller they also get debarked by having a metal rod shoved down their throat. When they can no longer produce they drowned them usually they wouldnt want to waste money on a bullet to put the dog out of its misery........ when u buy from a pet store you are supporting this, which u probably didnt know but in the future dont buy from stores. One other thing why in gods name do you want to breed when shelters are overflowing with dying animals.......... there is a pet overpopulation did u know this? have u ever seen a euthanization? it is sad ......... Here is a video that might change your mind about breeding it also has info on puppymills
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0KucYppXO0
2006-12-21 06:54:30 · answer #6 · answered by pwabit1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
And have you learned your lesson not to buy a dog from a Pet Shop selling puppy-mill bred dogs? Your pup has got all of the sickly signs of bad breeding.
Next time get a puppy from a reputable breeder and you won't have all these problems.
Take the puppy to a "Real" vet and get him checked out!
2006-12-21 05:25:47 · answer #7 · answered by Yo LO! 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get him to another vet now. The only reason they tell you not to go to another vet is to cover there _ss. If the dog dies and you want to take them to court what proof do you have. They have there vet on there side. Get a hold of animal control, if they go in garenteed they will find other sick dogs and that will help your case out. Don't give these people more chances to do this to other people. Hopefully it will help shut down a puppy mill.
2006-12-21 08:18:13 · answer #8 · answered by dee g 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Always ask to see a sellers license before buying. It is to late now, but it sounds like your dog wouldent be of the breed standard you wanted it to be. I wouldent us this one for mateing i would use for pet ownership only. If you want a dog make sure it is of the breed standard and check it with things like blood tests and so on when it is brought. Take it to the vets and they might be able to prescribe something a bit mor powerful. Never ever give a dog medicne prescribed to anthour one as the dog might have a bad reaction to it.
2006-12-21 05:14:54 · answer #9 · answered by Time is nigh 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They can't legally take the dog away if you don't take it to their vet. We have one of those kind of places in our town, and the good vets have a heck of a time with unhealthy dogs from there.
Even if they made you sign a contract, it is not legally binding. You may take your dog or yourself for a second opinion with any doctor at any time, and they're not allowed to tell you otherwise.
Find a good vet before he gets any worse.
2006-12-21 05:29:29 · answer #10 · answered by Emmy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋