Correct age of puppy? - Page 2

Oh gosh don't get me started. Yes my vet said he thought he walked funny and talked me into x-rays at 6 months with anesthesia. Then the x-rays were crooked. You guys on this board set me straight on the vet. I can not thank you guys enough. Yes wait until 1 year old, no anesthesia and tell them if crooked you will not pay for them.

Thanks for all of your help! The vet that I normally go to is the owner of this vet clinic and is out of town. I think this vet is new to the clinic. I have an appt. with the owner next Fri. I can assure you, he will hear about the vet we saw today. I think he will be appauled at his incompetency and lack of sensitivity. On Aug. 14th we put our beloved GSD to sleep due to NUMEROUS orthopedic issues that were not resolved by surgeries. She was only 6 years old and suffered greatly. I researched and did all of my homework to find the breeder of this puppy. I know there are no guarantees, but that was the last thing I expected to hear about our puppy today! Thanks again, now I can sleep tonight! Jen

Dave, I still have some of the PM's that you and I exchanged about your pup about 2 months ago. ************************************************************************************************ Jen, When it comes time to xray you little guy, I will be glad to pass on some to the same advice that I gave Dave.

the pup appears to be healthy and probably born mid-sept.07.find another vet that is german shepherd friendly.good luck with ur pup.steve

Jennit, it seems that you have found an answer here, and I am glad that the breeder seems absolved of any misrepresentation. Your experience with a particular veterinarian reminds me of an issue I had with a staff veterinarian who was fresh from university and of course new to the clinic we used. One (1) of my males was about two (2) years old at the time and had a large swollen area on his muzzle between his eye and lip. I palpated it and found a small wound towards the lower area of the mass that weeped fluid when it was squeezed lightly and distressed the dog. Ah-an infection. Just take him in and get the proper antibiotics. Just a few days before the dog had an altercation with a smaller dog that strayed onto our property and I suspected a bite wound that scraped the bone, as the tissue is thin in this area. So I took him to the clinic, explained "what happened" and she examined him. She said "Oh no; he has an abcessed tooth and it must be pulled. You need to leave him overnight and we'll have a dentist drop by and pull the tooth." She immediately picked up a plastic model of a canine mouth to show me the "faulty" tooth. I opened the dog's mouth and said "Look at these teeth; how brilliant-white and clean they are. There is no evidence of gum discolouration. I respect your opinion but think you are wrong." I showed her the small wound I found at the bottom of the swollen mass and reminded her of his altercation with a roaming dog. She gave me a ten-day supply of antibiotics with the warning that if it reappesred to return to have the "faulty" tooth extracted. The story has a happy ending-he kept his tooth and the swelling was gone in two (2) days or so. On a later visit I spoke with her, but told her that I was glad her initial diagnosis was incorrect. I tried to do so in a nice way. The issue with some veterinarians and their staffs reminds me so much of my interactions over the years with young engineers and technicians. They all want to solve the problem and do the right thing, but their decision-making skills are essentially gleaned solely from their classroom studies rather than a combination of these studies and real-life experiences. Unfortunately, when we often need a veterinarian for something other than a routine examination, we must use who is immediately available. Just like we engineers, while all veterinarians have nearly identical core training, later in their careers some tend to specialize in a certain area of their practice. Finding one who has much knowledge of canine medicine is especially difficult. They are out there, though. Best Regards, Bob-O

wow, what states do you people live in? Guess that we are pretty lucky in the state of NJ s there are a lot of very good vets in the area as well as speciality practices with excellent vets. Granted there are a few bone heads, that we've had to clean up their messes!

Jennit, now that's a beautiful puppy. All you need is a new vet, your dog is great!!

Jennit: I have a different view of this situation. You and your vet are talking about the age of the puppy, but that is not where you should be focused. If your pup is truly not quite 16 weeks (and his pic and weight suggest this is likely) then you need to be asking about the possibility that an underlying medical issue has caused the rapid dental development. He is probably healthy, but don't miss the chance to ask a good vet to brainstorm with you the possible underlying causes. Some of the possibilities (e.g., diet) are under your control. A 16 week pup's jaw should be crowded with all his adult teeth. So you should also watch out for dental issues. Michael

Michael Thank you! As a nurse, I should have thought of that but, I didn't. We have an appt. with our vet on Friday. I certainly will bring that idea up! Jen