If you are a regular reader of ours, you probably already know about our Lab mix Luke’s medial patellar luxation, otherwise known as trick knee, and how we are trying to deal with it. I researched his condition thoroughly and even though treatment options may have varied site to site, one point did not: this condition is almost always genetic and congenital, and dogs with this condition should not be bred.
One morning soon after Luke’s diagnosis I was getting ready for work. Luke was stuck on the stairs with one leg in the air, trying to come up to the bedroom to see me, but at that point still learning how to maneuver on three legs when he had to. I quickly went down the stairs to help him back down, and got him to go lie in his bed in the dining room. The look he gave me was heartbreaking. He didn’t understand what was going on and why he couldn’t just come upstairs to be with me. As I hugged him and consoled him, I felt a flash of anger…..anger that a dog with this condition had been allowed to breed and that now Luke had to deal with it. On top of being slowed down now, he might need expensive surgery in the future. I don’t care about the money, we’ll manage that somehow. But going through surgery and recovery will not be fun for any of us, and it’s always a risk no matter how easy a surgery it might be.
I later knew that I wanted to write about this for Blog the Change. When working out the story line in my head, I realized I wasn’t quite sure who to direct my anger at. Breeders? Any reputable breeder screens for health issues that are common in a breed, and this condition is common in Labrador retrievers and many other breeds that might be in Luke’s DNA.
Back yard breeders? Many of them are also careful in their breeding and screen for health issues. We got our golden retrievers Sheba and Moses from a backyard breeder who is also a friend. They screened for hip and other issues that are common to goldens. They had 3 litters with their dog and were considering one more. When Moses and 2 other dogs from their litters were diagnosed with and then passed on from cancer, they cancelled that last breeding. They weren’t taking any chances with cancer.
The truth here is that Luke didn’t come from a reputable breeder or even a backyard breeder. His pregnant mother was pulled from a high kill shelter down south just before the puppies were born.
It turns out my anger is directed at irresponsible, ignorant and uncaring pet owners. These are the kind of people who don’t believe their pets are family, and whose irresponsibility leads to the pet overpopulation we face today (along with puppy mills). Not only don’t they bother to spay or neuter their pets, they don’t hesitate to dump a pet at a shelter or on the side of the road when the going gets tough, or they just get bored. At the time we picked Luke the rescue had 22 puppies that needed homes from two different mothers!
We choose to spay and neuter our pets at an age that our veterinarian who we trust recommends. I personally don’t have a problem if others choose not to spay/neuter, if it’s for good reason; such as health reasons, or if one is planning to responsibly breed or show their pet; and they don’t let their pet run the neighborhood indiscriminately breeding. My problem is with people who choose not to do it for the wrong reasons; they think it takes a dogs’ manhood away to neuter him (really, does a dog care about that?), they just don’t want to spend the money, or they just simply don’t care.
Now I know who I’m mad at in general. What do I do with that anger? Seriously, do I really think we’re going to get through to these kinds of people…the uncaring people and the greedy puppy mill owners? Maybe I could get on Facebook and leave some angry comments on someone’s wall who is just expressing their own opinion, because it is different than mine. Plenty of people take that route, but I don’t agree with it. Besides, when it comes right down to it, I’m only angry that Luke has a medical condition, and many people deal with that. Could it have been prevented? Well, only by not breeding his parents or others in his line, and then we wouldn’t have him, and I wouldn’t trade having him in our lives for anything in the world.
Therefore I decided I need to turn my anger around and focus on something good, so when The Lucy Pet Foundation recently came to my attention I wanted to share their message and the good they are trying to do to help. They are looking for bloggers to work with, and since that’s what I do…..it seemed right.
The Lucy Pet Foundation was founded by Joey Herrick, former President and co-founder of Natural Balance Pet Foods. He started the foundation with a million dollars of his own money and never plans to draw a salary. The plans for the foundation include educating the American public and families about the importance of spay/neuter, free and low cost mobile spay/neuter clinics, grooming and training of animals in shelters to make them more adoptable, and enacting legislation to benefit pets.
They have been running some contests and have several very unique plans to get their message out there. I invite you to come back tomorrow when I would like to tell you more about it, and let you know of ways you can join in and help spread the word. Or if you don’t want to wait, you can visit their website at lucypetfoundation.org.
I think we need to put aside our anger at and disagreements about the injustices in the animal world (let’s face it, there’s plenty to be angry about) and who we think is responsible, and try to focus more on spreading the word of the good that’s being done to try to help. Maybe there’s something we can do ourselves along the way as well, big or small. I hope you’ll come back tomorrow and read more about ways you can help The Lucy Pet Foundation (they are holding a fun photo contest you might want to enter).
It really sucks about Luke and his patella, but I’m glad you found a way to channel your anger. Sometimes when you look at the big picture of animal welfare it can be very overwhelming, but focusing on one thing is good. If we can make a change for one person, hopefully they can make a change for one person and the snowball begins. It will come, it’s just a slow process.
You are so right, Jodi. Focusing on one thing helps to keep it from being so overwhelming. I hope it’s like “paying it forward” and that that snowball really gets rolling.
I thank you for sharing this with us. You have introduced me to the Lucy Foundation. Headed over there to learn more and find out what I can do, thank you my friend, and bless you for loving Luke.
Thank you, Cathy, for caring and for being interested in seeing what you can do as well.
I hope our love for Luke will guide us into making the right decisions for his health.
I am so sorry about Luke. There sure is a lot to be angry about when it comes to human interference with the animal world, from horrific and even the acceptable dog breeding practices condoned at dog shows (English Bulldogs now with noses pushed in so far they can’t breathe and legs too short to give natural birth or the Pekingese dogs who can’t cool their own bodies down for all that celebrated fur.)
But your response is a terrific one. Anger doesn’t get us as far as compassion. Thank you for sharing about The Lucy Pet Foundation! Spay/neuter programs are certainly one way to cut down on the suffering.
(Well, that and recognizing when even “good” breeders have taken a shepherd’s legs too far from normal to the point of having no hips. Speaking out against the dramatic aesthetics regardless of degraded function in the dogs we purport to love is important as well.)
Kim C.
BTC4animals.com
I know there are so many different types of breeders out there, and I like to believe the ones that really care about the breed and their long term health outnumber those that are just greedy like everyone else. But I’m probably being naïve about it. And there are probably larger groups behind some of that too, and that is especially unfortunate.
I hope that organizations like LPF can also outnumber those organizations that aren’t doing the right things. At least it’s one step along the way.
Good post, I’ll come back to hear more about the Lucy Foundation.
Thank you!
This was a great post, well done! Thank you for sharing your anger and thoughts with us and how you plan on turning it around. The lucy foundation is a great cause hope the word gets out.
Thank you, JoAnn! I hope the word gets out too, I hope their commercial brings the attention it deserves to the plight of pet overpopulation.
I certainly understand your anger and feel it myself at times. But I’m glad you were able to turn the anger into something positive. I’ll be back later to read more about the LucyPet Foundation.
I find their story to be encouraging in a sea of discouraging things going on. To basically have a millionaire give such a large portion of money to help animals is wonderful.
It’s great that you’ve found a way to channel your frustration and anger into something positive that will help prevent pet overpopulation.
Regarding breeding, my biggest frustration is that the AKC and other organizations set breed standards that are allowing breeds to become dysfunctional with traits such as absurdly brachycephalic skulls. If the breed standards were changed, breeders would be forced to select for more physically functional dogs (and cats like Himalayans). These are the people who are supposed to be protecting the form and function of the breeds, and in my opinion, they’re selling out to popular demand, to the detriment of the animals.
I agree, I have definitely heard many of these things, and big organizations especially should be putting the animals’ welfare first. Slimdoggy has written some good posts on the subject of Labrador retrievers and how some of the breed standards and show judges have been encouraging this breed to be overweight. I guess it just shows there are many ways we need to come at these problems, and so much more work to do to fix things.
I feel your pain and frustration. Our posts about the overweight Labs has been a real thorn in my side…although I pretty much know where to direct the frustration – it falls on deaf ears. Just like the irresponsible breeders who allowed Luke’s mom to breed without a thought about health issues, some show breeders do the same. THEY should know better, but don’t. I missed BTC4A this time around, but should Blog about that next time. Good post – and good to bring it around to something positive.
Yes, you definitely should write about that next time. There are irresponsible people everywhere, but breeders really should care about the health and well being of the breed they supposedly love. Part of the problem is as you said….it falls on deaf ears….we just can’t get through to the people that we need to get through to.
I have a very hard time dealing with people that let their dogs run loose. The overpopulation of unwanted dogs is a result of this problem. We are #TeamDog!
Even if they didn’t get their dogs spayed or neutered, if they at least kept them home that would help!
I’ll be writing a post about which #Team we’re for…since we have members of both in our household!
This is a topic I’ve been tossing around for a few months, but I haven’t gotten my mind all the way around it yet–I love that you’ve turned your frustration into something positive and can’t wait to read more about it!
Thank you, Beth! It did take me a while to get my mind around it as well, and finally to come up with the approach I wanted to take on the subject.
I like your thought about turning your anger towards a cause to help others and educate others. I’ll come back tomorrow to learn more about Lucy Foundation.
I guess the one good thing anger can serve is spurring us into action!
We totally agree. There is no need for so many homeless animals in shelters. Humans need to be more responsible…and spay and neuter their pets. There are no good reasons not to.
Sometimes when I hear the numbers, it just blows my mind. How can so many people continue to let this happen?
Poor Luke. It is hard to see pups suffering from genetic ailments that should be bred out of pets.
It certainly is, and I hope someday all people will be more thoughtful and considerate about breeding their dog.
Wherever Luke came from, I doubt his parents had any health screenings. Many people claim that mixed breed dogs cannot develop these skeletal issues like bad knees, elbows and hips, but that is not true. It can happen whenever parents have not been screened and sometimes even when they have. Truly the issue could have been further back in the pedigree than Luke’s parents. Luke’s parents may not have exhibited any symptoms. Even if they had been screened, it is not full proof.
There is more and more evidence that early altering (before growth plates are closed) contributes to skeletal issues including luxating patella. Our dogs will never be altered before they are fully grown (especially if they are a medium or large dog). If you speak to long time breeders (I am talking 30 + years) of medium or large dogs they will tell you that when they have seen issues with hips/knees/elbows/CCL’s it is usually (not always) on dogs that were altered before full grown. Parents screened clear so where did it come from? I know there are studies going on but they are long term and it will be a awhile before they are complete, but the few that have been done have suggested a link.
I absolutely agree with spay/neuter but only after the dog’s growth plates are closed. I am speaking only for myself. Of course everyone should do what is right for them. BTW there is a screening clinic for knees at the show this weekend along with cardiac, and eyes. The screening clinics are usually available at larger shows.
I used to buy into the thought that mixed breed dogs were usually healthier than purebreds, but after we lost our first mixed breed to lymphoma at only 6 years old, I no longer believe that. Now with Luke I feel even more certain.
I have read some of that about not altering at an early age, it can be so confusing with conflicting opinions out there. It’s certainly something we’ll think harder about and discuss with our vet for future pets. I almost think we even did talk about that a bit, and he doesn’t agree with what you said (but I don’t remember for sure).
I do appreciate you sharing that information with me, and it’s something I will continue to research and consider.
This past weekend the repro clinic was in the same room where they were doing the patella screening (they were not anesthetizing for this screening). There were few dogs for the repro clinic and many for the patella screening. I made a comment that it seemed like there were a lot of small dogs coming in, but they said that they also screened some larger breeds. It was pretty interesting to watch them do the exam.
It almost makes it sound like the patella is a common problem then? I do believe from everything that I read that it might be more common in many small breeds than in large ones.
That’s cool that you got to see them do the exams!
Yes, definitely something that’s very angering… I’ve seen it personally too and actually had to deal with (at least) one of these irresponsible people. This lady wanted to breed her pet Chihuahua with her friend’s male Chihuahua… the male was blind and had only 3 legs. That’s fine, but he was BORN this way… I mean, what is going through these people’s heads? The breeding did happen, and later the female got a bone stuck in her esophagus and had to have anesthesia while pregnant. She could hardly afford the treatment for her dog… I don’t know how the puppies turned out, and that might be a good thing.
Oh, that’s just horrible, Ann, yes, what on earth were they thinking? It is probably best that you don’t have to know how that story ended.
Our foster pup had a trick knee and had cryptorchidism. One study I was reading said that dogs with cryptorchidism had a higher chance of having other genetic problems. And he wasn’t neutered until the shelter found him wandering on the street…
Which possibly led to more dogs with those medical issues out there….but at least in this case he was rescued and that was stopped at that point. Which might be the best we can hope for in a lot of cases.
I agree that angry comments solve nothing. I am looking forward to reading more about Lucy Pet Foundation tomorrow.
Thank you, Beth, I’m so glad I’m not alone in that. People should be able to express their opinions without being attacked. If I don’t agree with something I see on Facebook, I just move on.
Thanks for this post. I think it’s important not to go to extremes and blame all breeders. And to recognize that ranting on someone else’ Facebook page rarely converts anyone!
I’m sorry for what Luke has to go through medically, but happy he found a home with someone who will take good care of him and not return him to the shelter because of his challenges.
Leo’s breeder offered a guarantee on his hips. If they tested badly at two years we could trade him for a new puppy. I was laughing about that the other day, it was so ridiculous. Sorry, Leo, your hips are no good, we’re trading you for a newer model. But I come from the mindset that Leo is family, not a commodity. Anyway, I don’t plan to buy from a breeder again.
Thank you so much for everything you said about Luke…it does make me feel good to know that we are doing something good….not that we would do anything else other than keep him and take care of his health in whatever way we need to.
We got our beagle Cricket from a really good breeder, someone I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from again, and we referred people looking for a beagle to him when we could. Unfortunately he passed away a few years ago and I doubt we’d be able to find another like him if we wanted to go that route again.
I understand… and it’s a huge problem here too. Neutering is not common and it drives me crazy when a bitch in heat runs around and marks all houses where a dog lives… because the owners can’t push a button to close their automatic gate…. sigh…
Apparently there’s plenty of people with no common sense everywhere! It is very frustrating.
The cost of spaying and neutering being an issue is the irresponsible excuse that makes me the most angry. Spaying and neutering is FREE for low income people in Seattle. Not cheap. Not at the price of a web of paperwork. Just ask for a coupon and it is FREE. Arg. And still people offered the coupon brush it off. I have heard the most horrible excuses from “not wanting to put her through the painful surgery recovery” (like giving birth to 11 puppies is such an easy thing for a body to endure!) or the ever stupid “I will make money from selling the puppies.”
Even years after my Tynan went over the rainbow bridge, I still have those split feelings between if Tynan hadn’t been created by irresponsible breeding, he wouldn’t have had such a horrible cancer and being SO thankful Tynan existed. I am thankful that Luke went home with you and will not be returned to the rescue because of his condition as his fate would more likely have been with anyone else. Be proud of that and keep up the good work in making positive action out of your anger.
I agree….I think most areas, even our rural one, have some kind of assistance for spay/neuter. I think my friend found out the reality of making money with puppies. They gave some away, and ended up keeping at least 1 from each litter. They at least enjoyed having the puppies though, they weren’t really in it for the money only.
Thank you for your kind words about Luke! I couldn’t ever imagine giving him up, no matter what his issues. He’s just such an active boy, and I hate that his condition slows him down.
I completely understand where that anger came from. I would have felt the same thing. Lexus did come from a backyard breeder. She was rescued from a man that had over 60 huskies. She was just a pup. She has some health conditions, but I don’t regret her adoption one bit.
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
I’m so glad you understand, Jenna, thank you. Even though there are good breeders out there, there are bad ones everywhere too. That sounds like a case of greed, pure and simple. Ugh. I’m so glad you are able to give Lexus a good home and all that can be behind her.