Hi

Is it true that Staffies have problems delivering a litter because of the larger head? If you were to mate a bitch is there any health checks that stafs must have before hand?

I dont  have staffies and no intentions of breeding them I am asking out of curiosity and after a conversation I had at the weekend.

Wendy

Staffies don't have a larger head, do they? The pups I've seen resembled perfectly streamlined little piglets.

As for health tests, yes, there are plenty. The Staff experts will surely be along shortly to tell you. :)

Staffys can whelp perfectly normally and any decent stafford SHOULDNT have too large a head anyway

as for health tests PRIOR to mating they should be eye tested for HC and PHPV and they should also be DNA tested for L2 Hga and HC- anyone not testing clearly doesnt care for the breed - if you need more info let me know

Hi

I didnt think they had perticulally large heads just repeating what I was told. The health checks what do all the initials mean. I doubt very much if the bitch has had any done at all but when I ask I want to know what I am talking about. I was asked advice on this ages ago and I said not to breed but they have gone and done it anyway. Why ask if you ignore what you dont want to hear

Wendy

HC = heriditary cataracts and L2 Hga = Hydroxy aciduria glutaric
take a look on www.staffords.co.uk and all the health info is listed there as well as info on where all such tests can be done
you will find many new prospective owners now asking about the tests before they buy- and thank the lord the message is getting through

AS lel said HC AND L2Hga should be tested for prior to breeding.Also PHPV (persisitent hyperplastic primary vitreous)
I have never heard of staffords having whelping problems due to large heads although if a smallish bitch is bred with a larger stud who's head is considerably bigger then you may encounter problems but this goes for all breeds,not just staffords.

my girl was bred to a male roughfully the same size as her and we had problems 3 out of the 5 pups got stuck and needed help to be delivered, but my other girl has never had any problem delivering pups so maybe its just my girl.