Help from breeders please

[MrsElle]

Hi, we breed Weimaraners and all our pups have been fit and healthy and we have had no problems with them at all. They have all gone on to fantastic homes and they all keep in touch.

However, one pup from our last litter was bitten by our bitch when she tried to pick him up when he was too big. There was lots of blood and he was screaming like a girl, but the vet said there was no real damage, gave him a painkiller and antibiotics and that was it. The next day he was a bit subdued but then was back to his normal self, playing, barking, biting his brothers and sisters and eating.

He went to his new home at 8 weeks old and a few days later his owners emailed me to tell me he was having problems opening his mouth so they had booked him in at the vets. I asked them to keep me informed.

They said that their vet said that it must have been the bite he incurred from his mum weeks before that had damaged his jaw. He has had to be operated on. They did activate his free insurance prior to his first visit to the vets so should be covered by this. They are now saying that his jaw was broken by his mother and they want us to pay for his treatment, costing in excess of £1000 and counting.

Now this has upset me somewhat as I would never sell a pup if I wasn't convinced it was fit and healthy - we still have a pup with us from this litter as he has had an ulcer on one of his eyes caused by a tooth or claw from a littermate, and despite his new owners begging us to let him go home we won't until we see the scar tissue disappear and know he is 100%. This is despite him costing us a small fortune in vets bills.

Anyway, I digress. This couple are understandably upset about their puppy, but he was seen by our vet at the time of the incedent and he had no concerns about his injury. Pups new owners' emails are getting steadily more bullying. Threatening is perhaps too strong a word, but it is evident they are wanting us to pay for this pups treatment, which we cannot afford to do.

So what to do? I am thinking I should ask for pups diagnosis in writing so I can see exactly what they are saying, then consult with my vet to see what he thinks. As this injury only became apparent several days after he left us, what is to say that the didn't suffer injury at his new home? They do have a couple of other dogs, and rough play could maybe have resulted in this injury.

Sorry for this long post but this has really upset me, any help or advice would be gratefully recieved!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

How many weeks before delivery did the accident happen? In Sweden SKK require all puppies to be sold "vetted", and it must be 7 days or less before delivery, did you do something like that?

Your vet can have missed something, but to me it sounds unlikely that he should have been able to play with his siblings for weeks without showing signs of a broken jaw. Definitely demand to get something in writing from their vet and contact your vet insurance company. Also contact your own vet and ask about what he wrote about the first visit.

I can't help it, I'm less likely to believe somebody that so quickly chooses an unpleasant way of taking contact. Maybe you could also contact your home insurance company.


from Sweden.

 

[Maesfen]

A horrid situation.

I think I would ask for their vet report and then get your vet to look it over then for him to get in touch with their vet if at all possible. That way, he can confirm the 'old' injury and their vet can say if it's related or not; most practises are very obliging like that, they have to be impartial I think.
If the damage was as bad as they say, I find it very hard that you or your vet would not have picked up on it before the pup left home. Breeders spend (and never a moment wasted!) a lot of time just watching pups and 'seeing' how they will turn out compared to each other; I am positive you would have not missed this injury if you're anything like me!
If I was in your shoes and the injury is proved to be the old one, which is quite doubtful if it's been playing rough, then I think I would be for giving them their money back for the pup or a portion of the fees but I think it is virtually unprovable that it wasn't due to an accident at the new home which the owners aren't going to admit by the sound of it. Sadly, you might get mixed up in the 'sold not fit for purpose' through no fault of your own if that's how minded they are.
Let us know how it goes.

 

[MurphysMinder]

I agree this is a difficult situation, but also feel you would have noticed something amiss. Can offer no better advice than MFH and FLH, i.e. ask for a vets report from their vet and then discuss it with your own vet. If their 6 weeks puppy insurance will cover this I am not sure why they are asking you to pay? But anyway depending on the vets reports I think I would be inclined to offer some sort of refund or contribution towards vets fees just to keep your good name as a breeder. Will be interested to hear how you go on.

 

[severnmiles]

If you're with Petplan, when you activated the insurance did you mention this in the box where it asks if there were any illnesses, injuries to the puppy? If you didn't PP would probably class the free insurance as void and perhaps that's why they're asking you to pay the vet bill.

Not a nice situation to be in at all.

 

[JillyB]

You would have spotted a broken jaw, I would bet puppy would have been subdued, not eating well and pretty miserable. When you rear puppies you can spot something amiss and due to the injury caused by Mum you would have been watching this puppy more closely.
Some new owners are not as careful or as honest as you would like to think.
Has the owner got children who could have been playing a pulling game with the puppy that may have caused a problem?
Had the puppy had his check over at the vets with his new owner and did the vet not notice anything??
I too would ask for a vet report and take it to your vet for advice, but bear in mind a lot will err on the side of caution, perhaps go to an independent expert.
How long did they have the puppy, if it was only days why did they not ring you and say they thought something was not right. Then you could have offered to take pup back and refund money.
If they get nasty I would offer purchase price back, but from what I have heard fom other people and from experience the nastier they get the more they are `coming it`