The BVA speak out

http://www.bva.co.uk/news/3049.aspx

I wish the vets would push the part of responsible breeding practise their own organisation are part of in their surgeries. 

Have never ever seen any posters about the BVA/KC ISDS health schemes, and so many Back Yard breeders state their vets gave them the all clear to breed from their bitch!!!

When I asked a new Vet practice about this they said they weren't keen to do this as it alienates clients, yet the same practice runs nurse run well bitch clinics for pregnant bitches!

When I have asked various surgeries staff about eye testing local panelist's running clinics I I get blank stares, and few local vets do many hip x-rays for hip scoring.

I wish the vets would push the part of responsible breeding practise their own organisation are part of in their surgeries. 

Fully agree. How often do we see notices on vets' notice boards for pups for sale, no health checks mentioned at all, and usually it's breeds that most certainly should have them, like Labradors. Or indeed adverts for dogs for stud. They could so easily spread the word by posting a bit of info on their walls for people to read -after all, people sit and wait and therefore tend to read what's posted in front of them when there's nothing else to do. They have posters about fleas and worms and feeding, why not about responsible breeding?

Ive just given advice to a lady (this very afternoon)  who has been told by her vet that her Cavalier King Charles spaniel is fit and well enough to have a litter....... this he gleaned by wafting his steth over this young bitch..... nothing else..nadda!!
Give me strength!!!

yes was it last year when a vet advertised a litter of mongrels as 'hybrid vigour' and 'ideal for agility' at some extortionate price... when asked if parents were eye tested she went on at length about how there was no risk, that she'd spoken to an eye specialist and everything would be perfect... the litter was then seen at the eye specialists and at least one pup was suffering from juvenile PRA.... I think the breeds involved were toller, spaniel and collie.... so they (ie vets) should get their own houses in order!

this he gleaned by wafting his steth over this young bitch..... nothing else..nadda!!

Superhero vet with x-ray/MRI powers obviously! Wish I had one like that, it would save loads of money!!

> this he gleaned by wafting his steth over this young bitch..... nothing else..nadda!!
>
> Superhero vet with x-ray/MRI powers obviously! Wish I had one like that, it would save loads of money!!

Same here it would save me heaps of money! lol

I do agree with other posters here, I remember the toller/spaniel/collie litter, how stupid can anyone get? I have worked in a vets and have seen adverts for puppies and dogs at stud. At my own vets I know they have a policy of advertising health testing and if a client takes a bitch and asks about mating her they are told that need to take the bitch for health tests and to only use a health tested stud dog. They don't advertise litters either, although if a person asks them if they know of anyone with pups they will direct them to a client they know has done everything in their power to have a healthy litter, or to the KC assured breeder scheme. If the person wants a muttley then they give them contact details for Blackberry Farm or the Blue Cross.

One thing which confuses me though is why do vets not know about the booklets on the BVA schemes which are free from the British Veterinary Association? Most don't know about them and I have in the past often got some from the BVA and distributed them around the local surgeries.

The link to the Puppy Contract on the BVA website is 16 A4 pages long and is designed to have a blue background so it uses up a huge amount of ink to print. If anyone wants a copy I would recommend you contact the RSPCA and ask them to send you a copy.

I was sent the press release for this and if anyone is interested you can watch the whole debate here:

2. The evidence session can be watched on Parliament TV

http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=11605&player=windowsmedia

(scroll to 1:21 for breeding, before that they cover DDA and antisocial behaviour with dogs, but very interesting to watch none the less).