Perhaps you have already performed health testing on your b.itch and perhaps you are looking for a dog who has had the same health testing.
This information for education purposes, for you, or anyone else who may not know.
Cocker Spaniels have some of the worst inherited eye issues in the dog world. Entropion, Ectropion, Distichiasis, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, a number of different types of cataracts, the list goes on and on. IMO it would be irresponsible to breed a dog who is half cocker spaniel without having an eye clearance from a Veterinary ophthalmologist. Surely NO ONE would want to accidentally cause puppies to have a life of pain and misery, or blindness, from inherited eye disease. The test is pretty simple, does not take long, only involves drops in the eyes to dilate the eye, and then viewing of the eye with a couple of different devices. Plan to pay about $90 for this.
The other thing that is very common and should be ruled out is an incorrectly formed knee joint. This is called a Luxating Patella in dogs, and it is painful, can cause arthritis, and may need surgical correction if it is severe. Again, strictly inherited, and surely no one would take the risk of producing puppies who may have this painful progressive condition. This exam can be done by your regular vet, and only involves them manipulating the joint.
Personally I could never breed any dog that I did not know for sure has a normal heart. Canine heart disease can be quite hard to detect by a GP vet. I would want any dog at least to have an auscultation (listening with a stethoscope) by a specialist to rule out any obvious problems such as murmurs.
The decision to put a b.itch to a dog and produce a litter carries with it the inherent responsibility to make sure you are breeding healthy animals. In some states, you can be held financially responsible for inherited health issues in puppies that could have been detected before breeding with proper testing.
One should also realize that with ANY BRE EDING, one risks the life of the b.itch. Yes, most births come of without a hitch and happen naturally, but problems do happen. B.itches die. Puppies die. Breeding any animals can be as much about the miracle of death as it is about the miracle of birth.
It pays to be informed beforehand.
This information for education purposes, for you, or anyone else who may not know.
Cocker Spaniels have some of the worst inherited eye issues in the dog world. Entropion, Ectropion, Distichiasis, Progressive Retinal Atrophy, a number of different types of cataracts, the list goes on and on. IMO it would be irresponsible to breed a dog who is half cocker spaniel without having an eye clearance from a Veterinary ophthalmologist. Surely NO ONE would want to accidentally cause puppies to have a life of pain and misery, or blindness, from inherited eye disease. The test is pretty simple, does not take long, only involves drops in the eyes to dilate the eye, and then viewing of the eye with a couple of different devices. Plan to pay about $90 for this.
The other thing that is very common and should be ruled out is an incorrectly formed knee joint. This is called a Luxating Patella in dogs, and it is painful, can cause arthritis, and may need surgical correction if it is severe. Again, strictly inherited, and surely no one would take the risk of producing puppies who may have this painful progressive condition. This exam can be done by your regular vet, and only involves them manipulating the joint.
Personally I could never breed any dog that I did not know for sure has a normal heart. Canine heart disease can be quite hard to detect by a GP vet. I would want any dog at least to have an auscultation (listening with a stethoscope) by a specialist to rule out any obvious problems such as murmurs.
The decision to put a b.itch to a dog and produce a litter carries with it the inherent responsibility to make sure you are breeding healthy animals. In some states, you can be held financially responsible for inherited health issues in puppies that could have been detected before breeding with proper testing.
One should also realize that with ANY BRE EDING, one risks the life of the b.itch. Yes, most births come of without a hitch and happen naturally, but problems do happen. B.itches die. Puppies die. Breeding any animals can be as much about the miracle of death as it is about the miracle of birth.
It pays to be informed beforehand.
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They can get/feel quite personal on, well, personal threads, which usually just shuts discussion and communication down. 'Course, that's just an opinion too, and the OP may very well have wanted replies such as these. Just a point to consider is all. 
