97 Tips for Raising Labs
Following are approximately 97 questions readers of BigYellowDog.com submitted in recent years. They were answered by a licensed veterinarian on the site as a general service to all Lab owners. This information is for general reference only. Always consult your veterinarian for any questions about your Lab's health. We hope this information is somewhat helpful. At this time, we are not accepting any more questions.
Question
We bought a pure bred yellow Lab from a breeder in our area for our daughter's birthday last summer. Saturday, Dec.2, she was found dead in the back yard. She was 19 months old. I found no evidence of foul play or nothing else out of the ordinary. My daughter suggested we not inquire to a vet about the cause. To comply with her wishes, I buried the dog in the backyard and needless to say our holiday spirits are now shattered. I realize without an autopsy it would be hard to answer why she died, but I would like to ask if there is anything the yellow Lab breed is prone to suffering from? Was there something we failed to look for?
Answer
As you stated, it would be hard to determine what happened with your Lab without doing a necropsy. At the same time, necropsys do not always give us a definitive diagnosis either unless there is something that is extremely obvious upon gross examination. Without doing further testing it would be hard to know. Some of the heart problems such as cardiomyopathy in larger breeds can cause sudden death in dogs due to the deterioration of the heart muscle. This condition is hereditary and would only be found if a necropsy was done or the breeder knew of this in the line he/she was breeding. You can never ask too many questions when purchasing a puppy from a reputable breeder. If the breeder does not want to take the time to answer these questions, move on to another breeder until you find one that will. Even though this does not guarantee a healthy puppy it gives you a better chance. Everyone at BigYellowDog.com is sorry for your loss.
