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Beautiful Havana Silks! Dedicated to Restoring the Original Cuban Breed. |
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HEALTH Why is health testing so important to this breed? This really seems like a strange question to ask, but then why do people continue to buy Havanese that haven't been health tested or health guaranteed? Quite frankly, one look at a cute little puppy and really-its no big deal- what could my new puppy possibly have that can't be taken care of with a small vet visit? You, the consumer and owner, assume the health of this little one for his or her lifetime. It is a big deal! The question is, do you want to pay for the extra expense now of having a health tested puppy from health tested parents in the beginning or do you want to pay later with expensive tests and surgeries along with any heartache should things turn out for the worse? The choice is up to you. Heritable Diseases of the Havanese Breed Don't be fooled, be wise and informed. The Havanese is known to have health issues and you should ask questions of the breeder about the health history of this puppy and the health history of the Sire and Dam. In fact, you can even request copies of these records or look them up yourself online with the databases available to you. It is very easy to do and won't require much more of your time in the long run... really, a drop in a bucket. The following are just a few of some of the diagnosed diseases in the breed:
Because I have a Havana Silk Dog, does this mean that I won't have health issues? Not necessarily. But one thing I can tell you for sure. Based on solid research by Dr. Keith Murphy of Texas A & M (released in 2007), the shorter front (dwarfed) bowed legs of the Havanese breed were found to be directly related to eye problems and difficulty in the Havanese being able to synthesize cholesterol: http://jhered.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/98/5/510. Dogs have an amazing ability to take in more cholesterol than humans normally and they are extremely efficient in breaking it down in their system. But a dog with OCD can not break down the cholesterol and like humans, their arteries around the heart get clogged and they most often die of heart attacks at a very young age. Dogs with these and other types of health issues were dying within the first 5 years of their life. There are other health issues linked directly to this OCD, but it would take continued money and time to to explore this in the research. It makes me sad to think that anyone would knowingly breed a Havanese with bowed front legs now that we know the direct link to the diseases of the eyes and the heart because of this great research.
Dogs with the straight, long front legs were not susceptible to this OCD. So while still it is possible for a silk dog to have cataracts, the chances that they would get it from OCD is unlikely because we have eliminated breeding to the short legged (dwarfed) fronts of some of the Havanese known for this disease. We intentionally breed away from all health issues and we breed like to like. How breeding can help and hurt When you breed by outcrossing, there can be a greater chance that you will pick up heritable diseases in the breed that have been hidden as recessive genes until you do the mating. Certainly it is a way to bring variety back to the gene pool, but it carries its risks. Likewise, by inbreeding, you could also lock in a heritable disease in the breed, so you absolutely want to make sure that the dog is free from any carriers as far back as the 4th or even 5th generation to eliminate the probability before locking in the details. I am not an expert in genetics but I do understand enough to be a responsible breeder. Linebreeding is a safer way to ensure consistency with like to like breeding and can help to wean out some of these known heritable diseases although, again, it is still possible to pick up a recessive gene. So again, can the Havana Silk Dogs have health issues? Yes, they can...anything is possible as we are just starting to fully look at this with the breed now that we are really focusing in on breeding towards the original 1963 FCI standard that came over with the original Cuban dog. I would imagine, in a few years or more down the road, we will have enough data collected on the Havana Silk Dog breed to evaluate the health issues more in-depth. In the meantime, because we are still related to the Havanese, and some of these Havanese having been of the original affected types (see AZ type), we still test for the diseases that are important to screen for in the Havanese and we continue to breed away from these health issues by researching the genetic backgrounds of the dogs we breed to in order to ensure the health of a wonderful family dog for the lifetime they were intended to have.
Soaps What are soaps? We at Hurricane Ridge Havana Silks and other Havana Silk and Havanese breeders are dedicated to soaping our dogs to evaluate them as puppies and as they mature into adulthood to honestly assess their structure and whether they would be of good breeding stock to our programs. We also soap our puppies so that you can get a very good look at what is underneath the hair as an informed puppy buyer to know that you have a healthy straight legged front on your dog. DO NOT BUY A PUPPY WITHOUT SEEING THE SOAPS! LIKEWISE DO NOT BUY A PUPPY WITH DWARFED OR BOWED FRONT LEGS! Responsible breeders, both Havana Silk and Havanese alike, will soap their puppies because they take great pride in producing sound structured dogs. And if they don't have one done, they should be more than willing to produce one for you. Then, once you have seen the soaps of your puppy, ask to see the soaps of the Sire and Dam. Are they straight-legged as well in the front? Have you seen what a bowed leg does to a dog? The bone softens and can eventually no longer support the weight of the dog. I have seen some amazing and horrific photographs of these poor dogs that made me want to cry. Responsible breeders would NEVER breed a dog with dwarfed bowed legs. Why take a chance when buying a puppy? Ask for a soaped picture! So what are the tests/certificates I should look for as a puppy buyer?
A really nice database is the OFA Database (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals). OFA keeps a wonderful registry of all dogs who have had tests like the above and others. All you need is a name/breed or registration number of the dog you are researching to get your answers. Go to: www.offa.org and start plunking away!
Litter Evaluation as a Health Evaluation An evaluation of the litter is done by a group of experienced breeders when the puppies are 8 week-old for quality and health. Another special thing about your puppy is that from the 3rd day of birth your puppy receives “Early Neurological Stimulation” a program originally developed by the military called the “Super Dog” Program. Carmelo Battaglia, Ph.D. has written some very good information about stimulating and socializing your puppy at an early age. Your puppy is a “High Achiever” because your puppy will have participated in these exercises from Day 3 to Day 16 of his or her life which benefits your puppy in:
These puppies are more active and exploratory than puppies that were not stimulated in the research. See www.breedingbetterdogs.com for more information. Puppies will also be socialized in our home with adults, children, and other pets. This is the other critical part about developing a healthy puppy and is done between weeks 4 and 16. Well socialized dogs make the best pets. We love our Isabella and she is a bit spoiled. Havana Silks are the most rascally, playful, intelligent, affectionate and gorgeous dogs I have ever had the pleasure to own and experience. Don’t let the sweetness fool you… they are mischievous and WONDERFUL! Life is great with a Havana Silk Dog! (Okay, I am a bit biased!) Health Guarantee Your puppy is health guaranteed against the main defects (eyes, ears, hips and patellas) of the Havanese breed and Havana Silks for the lifetime of your puppy. Your puppy’s parents were both thoroughly health-screened for the diseases that the Havanese Breed is most susceptible to; they have been screened for their eyes (CERF), ears (BAER), hips (HD), patellas and received a full blood panel check. Some breeders will do even further health testing on the breed’s liver and heart. You should purchase a puppy that has been bred from parents that meet at least the first 4 criterion. All that to say, you are getting a sound, quality, pup from healthy parents! You are responsible for seeing that your puppy gets the best healthcare throughout his or her life by having him or her thoroughly examined within the first 3 days of returning home as a baseline and on a continual basis to compare back to. Should your puppy show up with a major genetic defect that the sire and dame have been screened against it is your responsibility to contact the breeder as soon as possible to discuss your options. You have the choice of returning your puppy for another one or returning your puppy for a refund (minus your deposit). I will not assume any veterinary costs that you incur with your puppy nor will I be held responsible for any illnesses that occur to your puppy based on environment and any neglect on your part. As a dedicated Havana Silk breeder I want nothing but the best for you and your new puppy. Once your puppy goes home with you it is your turn to be a responsible owner. Please note that should you decide at a later date that you are unable to continue ownership responsibility for your Havana Silk Dog, I would appreciate you giving me the first option to purchase back the dog, no questions asked. I will have the option to purchase back your dog at the original purchase price. It is important that no Havana Silk goes unloved or to any home that will not meet his or her needs. You may have figured out by now, AKC Havanese breeders and HSDAA Havana Silk Dog breeders are very particular about their dogs and only a responsible breeder follows their puppies throughout their lifetime! Havana Silk Dogs require a lot of attention, daily grooming with their beautiful coat, and physical activity. If this seems like too much for you then a Havana Silk Puppy is not for you.
All puppies will go home with copies of their health record, a veterinary health check, and current on all vaccinations and de-worming, as well as having their micro-chipping, BAER & CERF results. Now why is health testing important?
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To contact us: HURRICANE RIDGE HAVANA SILKS
"A proud supporter of the original Cuban breed!"
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