advice on new springer pup

[hedge hunter 1984]

Hi all, my girlfriend suprised me last week with a 8week old springer. Think she wanted to shut me up about wanting a gun dog that i could train from a pup!! Anyway yesterday the girlfriend booked her in to the vets yesterday and phone me at 6pm last night to tell me the vet said to her that the pup had a heart murmur which i thought o **** thats the pup not going to be a working dog! But after looking on the internet and spoke to a friend who said there is a good chance she will grown out. i was just wondering if any of you guys have experienced this in you own dogs or know of people who have with a working dog?

 

Any advice would be appreciated

 

Thanks

 

Andy

[ditchman]

With my sprokers when they were young, they had all manner of problems when young and still had up to 18mths-2yrs particuly limping, most things will dissapear and indeed will grow out of them.....you have him listened to in a year and you may well be pleasantly surprised, dont forget the dog is only 8 weeks old everything is still developing.........one word of advice DONT train the dog on short grass it will get board very quickly and start to range out to far and revert to type, dont forget that these dogs were used to spring game for the lord of the manor when hawking, start it on the whistle now at feeding time...........

[pontbeck]

It`s not uncommon for a pup to be diagnosed with a heart murmur.All the organs are still in development at 8 weeks and more often than not the murmur will disappear in time.I had a pup returned to me many years ago after the Vet had told the new owner it had a heart murmur. I gave it away to a friend of a friend who was willing to take it on, knowing the history, it lived until it was 16.

 

Bill

[hedge hunter 1984]

With my sprokers when they were young, they had all manner of problems when young and still had up to 18mths-2yrs particuly limping, most things will dissapear and indeed will grow out of them.....you have him listened to in a year and you may well be pleasantly surprised, dont forget the dog is only 8 weeks old everything is still developing.........one word of advice DONT train the dog on short grass it will get board very quickly and start to range out to far and revert to type, dont forget that these dogs were used to spring game for the lord of the manor when hawking, start it on the whistle now at feeding time...........

 

Thank you very much for your advice and will take it all on board, Like the bit about short grass.

 

Thanks again

 

Andy

[hedge hunter 1984]

It`s not uncommon for a pup to be diagnosed with a heart murmur.All the organs are still in development at 8 weeks and more often than not the murmur will disappear in time.I had a pup returned to me many years ago after the Vet had told the new owner it had a heart murmur. I gave it away to a friend of a friend who was willing to take it on, knowing the history, it lived until it was 16.

 

Bill

 

Thanks bill that is reassuring to know.just out of interest did your friend use it for working?

 

thanks

 

Andy

[Millomite]

Thank you very much for your advice and will take it all on board, Like the bit about short grass.

 

Thanks again

 

Andy

 

I'd say the opposite. It's a pup, it will go into heavy cover in time, why risk putting it off? Get it buzzing around chasing tennis balls etc for now

[Peskyfoxs]

The vet would usually tell you a grade of heart murmur: 1 .. no worries at all, 99.9% go away completely but a 4-5 looking at possible surgery/worse. The higher grades are very rarae and you woukld be very unlucky to get a pup that bad so try not to panic

[B725]

My last springer had a murmer all his life he worked hard loved water,it never caused any problems to him and we had to put him to sleep just short of 17 years old.Just look after it and have it checked now and then,do not rush the training and enjoy what you have

[Dirty Harry]

I had a dog with a murmur. Put to sleep aged 12 because he kept collapsing after exercise at first and eventually just getting a bit excited was enough to knock him over. His problem developed in later life and was not there as a pup.

 

Harry

[kent]

Hi all, my girlfriend suprised me last week with a 8week old springer. Think she wanted to shut me up about wanting a gun dog that i could train from a pup!! Anyway yesterday the girlfriend booked her in to the vets yesterday and phone me at 6pm last night to tell me the vet said to her that the pup had a heart murmur which i thought o **** thats the pup not going to be a working dog! But after looking on the internet and spoke to a friend who said there is a good chance she will grown out. i was just wondering if any of you guys have experienced this in you own dogs or know of people who have with a working dog?

 

Any advice would be appreciated

 

Thanks

 

Andy

 

The heart is not always fully developed in a pup of this age, neither are vets able to diagnose a heart murmour in such a young pup with a stethosocope. correct diagnosis needs to be done by a specialist when the animal is more mature. Not all heart murmours prevent the dog working, depends on the scale. Old school vets knew when to keep thier gob shut, dont fret

I have been there myself

[hedge hunter 1984]

Thank you all for your replys. I just hope she does grow out of it or if not it is only going to be a low grade. she is my 1st gun dog that i can actually call mine as the others have been my older brothers but i did use to work them, but my brother had already trained them so having

a pup is all new to me so i will take all advice on bord.

 

Just one thing, the pup is in the cage/crate in the house,My girlfriend has a part time job so this means the pup is on her own 3days aweek from 9am to 4pm i have been leaving her in the cage why no one is in the house.would you say this is wrong? any advice would be appreciated

 

Thanks again

 

Andy

[kent]

Thank you all for your replys. I just hope she does grow out of it or if not it is only going to be a low grade. she is my 1st gun dog that i can actually call mine as the others have been my older brothers but i did use to work them, but my brother had already trained them so having

a pup is all new to me so i will take all advice on bord.

 

Just one thing, the pup is in the cage/crate in the house,My girlfriend has a part time job so this means the pup is on her own 3days aweek from 9am to 4pm i have been leaving her in the cage why no one is in the house.would you say this is wrong? any advice would be appreciated

 

Thanks again

 

Andy

 

Could you manage 9-4pm in a small box without freedom to relieve yourself? what about water? get a kennel and run if possible or make better arrangements IMO. As a puupy your gonna come home to a wet or poo filled create a bit i recon

[hedge hunter 1984]

Could you manage 9-4pm in a small box without freedom to relieve yourself? what about water? get a kennel and run if possible or make better arrangements IMO. As a puupy your gonna come home to a wet or poo filled create a bit i recon

 

I know what your saying pal its just what i was thinking. she has water and i do nip home at dinner to let her out. i am going to get a kennel its just with her only being 8weeks didnt really want to leave her outside.

 

Thanks kent

 

 

Andy

[kent]

I know what your saying pal its just what i was thinking. she has water and i do nip home at dinner to let her out. i am going to get a kennel its just with her only being 8weeks didnt really want to leave her outside.

 

Thanks kent

 

 

Andy

I realise you perhaps already knew the answer to your question I will put an 8 wk old pup outside no question, its much better than creating them up long times IMO

[al4x]

Personally attachment aside I'd try and return the pup to the breeder due to the murmur. Ok it may grow out of it in which case you are lucky but otherwise you have a dog you can't insure could need long term treatment, and runs the risk of never being able to work with you.

[hedge hunter 1984]

Personally attachment aside I'd try and return the pup to the breeder due to the murmur. Ok it may grow out of it in which case you are lucky but otherwise you have a dog you can't insure could need long term treatment, and runs the risk of never being able to work with you.

 

 

Hi yes this is what my dad said to me when i told him so i contacted the breeder but he would not take her back So i am going to have to run that risk and fingers crossed she will be ok.

[hedge hunter 1984]

I realise you perhaps already knew the answer to your question I will put an 8 wk old pup outside no question, its much better than creating them up long times IMO

 

I agree with you mate so i have desided to take all of next week off work so i can get the potty training sorted and make a start on the kennel and run

 

Thanks

 

Andy

[al4x]

Hi yes this is what my dad said to me when i told him so i contacted the breeder but he would not take her back So i am going to have to run that risk and fingers crossed she will be ok.

 

he probably knew the issue then, ok was it a registered litter? you've effectively been sold something not fit for purpose and one that stands a proper chance of costing you thousands over the dogs lifetime and be left with one you can't work.

I'd take it back and give it back and look to recover the money later can be done through the small claims court easily enough you have a vets diagnosis and would just need a written confirmation of that. You have to put sentiment aside as its potentially a money pit, as its been diagnosed you can't insure it and have heart issues covered which means you will be paying for treatment all the way.