Our  Guarantee

At Bralex Labradors we guarantee all of our puppies
against hip dysplasia, a common disorder found in labradors.
Please review the information below.  It is intended to
help people understand the complex issue of hip dysplasia.



 

Can Environment or Food Cause or Prevent HD?

No, hip dysplasia is a multiple gene, inherited disease. Environmental factors,
like high caloric diet during the rapid growth phase, may exacerbate changes in dysplastic
hips but will not create hip dysplasia. There also is no evidence in the scientific literature
that supplements (i.e Vitamin C) will prevent hip dysplasia. Reduced caloric intake and glucosamine
products in immature animals genetically predisposed for hip dysplasia may lessen the pathologic
changes associated with hip dysplasia.
Normal, healthy hip joint with a deep acetabular cup and healthy cartilage  in the cup and on the ball of the femur. Note how the head of the femur sits tightly within the acetabulum. Early/Mild dysplastic hip with no degenerative changes. Note how joint laxity allows the head of the femur to subluxate. The acetabular cup may be abnormally shallow and the joint may exhibit laxity. This stage of hip dysplasia can often be treated with corrective 
surgery before the disease progresses—requiring more invasive and costly surgery.		 Moderate/ Severe hipdysplasia is recognized by the cartilage fibrillation and erosion on the ball of the fem and the acetabular cup. There is also a buildup of osteophytes (bone spurs and calcium deposits) around the rim of the acetabular cup. This is a very painful joint that requires corrective surgery to alleviate the pain and return the joint to normal function. If corrective action is not taken the the dysplasia will inevitably progress to severe. Severe dysplasia is common in older dogs  whose hip dysplasia has gone untreated for an extended period of time. This hip joint has severe arthritis. Note the flattening of the head of the femur and added bone fillings around the neck of the femur and within the acetabulum. This dog’s joint requires a total hip replacement to restore his quality of life and provide him with a pain-free, normal functional hip joint.
Environmental Factors and Hip Dysplasia 

 Environmental factors do not cause hip dysplasia but can significantly affect whether or not the condition will eventually 
 manifest itself and to what degree. Environmental influences help explain the fact that only animals with a hip dysplasia 
 genotype can develop the condition while not all animals with the genotype will exhibit the disease. 

 Nutrition in the young dog is one of the most studied exogenous elements affecting the development of hip dysplasia and may 
 have a profound influence on the development of the disease. One study noted that only 33% of dogs that were fed ad libitum 
 developed normal hips, whereas 70% of the dogs that were fed one quarter of the same diet developed normal hips. Another 
 study in German Shepherds showed that 63% of the dogs weighing more than the mean, developed dysplastic hips. In contrast, 
 37% of the dogs that weighed less than the mean developed dysplastic hips [2]. Puppies that are genotypically susceptible to 
 canine hip dysplasia will exhibit an increased incidence and severity if placed on a high caloric diet. These studies strongly 
 suggest that limiting caloric intake in young, growing dogs (especially the larger at risk breeds) is beneficial in preventing the 
 development of canine hip dysplasia. 

 
          All of our brood bitches are certified clear of hip dysplasia through the Ontario Veterinary College {OVC} and the Orthopedic Foundation of America {OFA}
        This can only happen once they have reached 18 months and 2 years of age. We also ask that any male we use in our breeding program also be cleared prior to being used with 
one of our girls.  We feel it is very important to the breed to try our best to keep any known problems out of our breeding program. We also certify eyes once a year on all of 
our dogs, whether they be breeding stock or family pets. {for eye problems click here}
This is also required in any stud male we use. If at any time we were to be made 
aware of any existing hereditary problem in one of  our dogs the animal would be 
spayed or neutered immediately. We routinely screen our puppies with an eye exam 
at the age of six weeks, prior to them leaving our home to yours.
This allows us a great information base for our records in order to know we 
are keeping our lines clear. Producing a clear line of labradors comes with time 
and planning. It is not something that anyone can lay claim to until their line
has been established and has been proven to to be clear.
Be aware of any breeder who claims to have "cleared" their dogs but can not produce 
the paper work.  The age of the sire and dam are also important,
as well as the number of litters she has produced.
She is not a machine and should not be expected to produce more than 3 to 4 
litters in her life time. Nor should she be expected to produce a litter any more than 
once a year. The health and safety of all of our dogs are most important to
us, not how many puppies we can get from them.
Co-ownership of our puppies is not something we feel we will ever practice. 
We believe that our puppies are sold as pets, unless to registered breeders, and they should
stay a pet regardless of the look of the dog. We do not co-own with any other breeder nor do
we trade puppies in order to increase our breeding quota for the year. 
We produce and raise or own dogs with the intent on only breeding those we have 
full ownership of.   Never borrowing or leasing a dog from another breeder.
Puppy mills rapidly produce poor quality animals, reputable
breeders should not!  Puppy mills produce puppies for profit only!
Think about all of this when you consider where to buy your puppy from.


 We also feel that we should and will  always
 be responsible for any puppy we sell and for this reason we assist you
 in finding the right home for your dog should be unable  to keep
 it. We insist that if your circumstances change, as we all  know they can
 from time to time, that you call us first so that we can help place or sell
 the dog to a good home.
Fore more info on choosing a puppy
check out our Why Adopt page

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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