# My biggest fear about rescuing



## Rinchan (Jan 4, 2011)

Maybe someone can help easy my anxiety on this.

I really want to adopt a dog from a rescue or shelter. There are many breeds that I am interesting and I would much rather adopt an adult dog rather than a puppy at this point in my life. I won't be able to adopt till about June because I am very busy starting a new job and planning my wedding. I would also be willing to work with a timid or shy dog that I would rescue. (lol I read dogbreedinfo all the time)

However, I do have one fear. I'm worried about getting a dog with a fatal genetic condition that will develp later in its life. I know that most rescue dogs are not going to be initially healthy and I will have to spend vet bills on them. I'm just worried that they will have something uncurable and that will mean that they have to be put down, like heart disease, hip displasia, liver disease. If there are ways to prevent this I wouldn't mind. I wouldn't at all mind giving a dog insulin injections if it develops diabetes or anything for any other disorder. I wouldn't even mind getting my dog one of those cute doggie wheelchairs if it had hip displasia.

And i also know that dogs do not live as long as humans. But as I realize that my dog is getting older, I will be much better able to prepare for its inevitable fate instead of it being a surprise.

Any family dogs that I have had in the past, my parents have gotten from a reputable breeder that gives us the dogs family history and has it checked for certain ailments.

So, to shelters have to give their pets health checks before adopting them out? Can I ask for a test in not? Can fatal conditions be detected?

Any advice on this?


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## Tavi (May 21, 2010)

Honestly health concerns are a problem with even purebred dogs from great breeders, especially in later life. And from a bad breeder...*shudder* Don't even get me started there. Most shelters will do basic health care for the dogs under their care, but again most of the dogs in shelters come in with next to no history. There are breed rescues which may have owner surrenders that get more details, but honestly with rescues you rarely know whats happened in the dogs past. 

And honestly a lot of the rescue dogs I've dealt with over the years have been great big healthy mutts. ^^ And most shelters actually encourage that you get your new pet vet checked within a few weeks of bringing them home so you do have a good health history for them. Some problems can be detected young, some may not be noticeable until they're older, and some may develop depending on how the dog is raised by you! You're not going to be able to do any health checks for most future problems like liver disease or heart problems, now if they currently already have those problems then of course you can test those things. But most rescue dogs that have known health issues are listed as special needs dogs at those shelters. 

If you're interested search Petfinder sometime and look for dogs with little hearts next to their listings. Usually these dogs have special need cares that have to be addressed and they wont' be adopted to just anyone. But only to someone willing to deal with the health problems.

That said I always go into any relations with any animal knowing that they're going to leave me (most likely) before I'm ready to let them go. And knowing that I may need to spend money to keep their lifestyle and happiness going as long as I can! Again though most rescue dogs are perfectly healthy, most shelters won't adopt out an animal until its healthy enough to go into a new home. Otherwise they'll be fostered or held for vet care until that point. That being said they may not notice everything.

Both of my current dogs are rescues from Taiwan, Buddy came over with kennel cough which was easily treated and was later diagnosed with enamel dysplasia, something I'm still working on finding a dog dentist to work with me on. Dia also came from Taiwan and she's never shown any health issues at all, her issues are all temperament wise. LoL


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## sandydj (Sep 27, 2010)

I would not worry too much about it. I have had rescues my whole life ( more than 40 years..yikes!) ..we had GSD rescues with HD..and a JRT rescue that developed diabetes...they came from breed specific rescues. My dad actually ran GSD rescue when I was growing up. 

Of all the 4 "unknown history " shelter dogs I have adopted 3 had no inherited type problems ( a possible Dane/lab mix , a small brown mix , my Bo that I have now who is a boxer/pit/hound mix ) the 4th - Greta , the Mastiff I have in my siggy ,may have elbow issues and such. But , she is a giant breed that was loose for a year ( probably turned out after being overbred) before I rescued her. I knew going in there would be a possibility of issues. In other words , the staff at a good shelter will be able to communicate to you and suspected health problems. The ones that look healthy and hardy usually are 

Good luck!


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

You'ed probably have a better shot with a mixed up street mutt from the shelter rather than a mix bred on purpose for funzies (Telling the difference can be hard). However I have also known plenty of shelter mutts who came down with health issues, actually I know just as many shelter mutts with health issues as shelter purebreds so I guess it doesn't matter bad breeding is bad breeding.

If you want to minimize health issues your going to have to look at the dogs pedigree health and go to a breeder who health tests and/or works their dogs plain and simple. Any shelter dog is going to be a luck of the draw.


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## katielou (Apr 29, 2010)

I have had almost 20 foster dogs now.
And 12 of my own shelter dogs (i currently have 3)

Out of my own dogs only 2 have had major issues. One with HD and one with a heart issue.
Out of the dogs i fostered and keep up on 1 has had HD.

It is the luck of the draw but every other pro of adopting far far far outweighs the con for me.


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## Rinchan (Jan 4, 2011)

Thanks for the responses! I am feeling much better about this issue!

Even if the dog I get has a genetic condition I will still live him/her to death.


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## Bones (Sep 11, 2009)

Rinchan said:


> Maybe someone can help easy my anxiety on this.
> 
> I really want to adopt a dog from a rescue or shelter. There are many breeds that I am interesting and I would much rather adopt an adult dog rather than a puppy at this point in my life. I won't be able to adopt till about June because I am very busy starting a new job and planning my wedding. I would also be willing to work with a timid or shy dog that I would rescue. (lol I read dogbreedinfo all the time)
> 
> ...


It's a mixed bag with any shelter dog. You could adopt an exceptionally healthy dog that could go on to live years or you could adopt a dog thats ends up with a congentical condition. More often then not though you'll probably end up with a decently healthy dog. One of the rescuers I know down here has a GSD mix that is currently 17 years old! 

Anyways- personally I find the experience exceptionally rewarding. Don't think about the "could be" all that speculation will just make you worry to death everytime your dog sneezes


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## spotted nikes (Feb 7, 2008)

I'd get a mutt. If you get a purebred shelter dog, it is very possible that is is a puppy mill dog that was dumped at the shelter, as opposed to a well bred dog from a good breeder. (Most good breeders will take back a dog if the owner can't keep it, so it wouldn't usually end up at a shelter). Puppy mill dogs are usually poorly bred and may have lots of health problems. At least with a mutt, you won't usually have problems associated with inbreeding or breeding 2 puppy mill dogs.

My Mutts have lived on average to about 16 yrs old (50-60 lb dogs). My purebreds (from shelters have averaged about 12 yrs) (3 Cocker Spaniels, one Lhasa Apso, and one Shih Tsu).


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## InkedMarie (Mar 11, 2009)

Rinchan said:


> However, I do have one fear. I'm worried about getting a dog with a fatal genetic condition that will develp later in its life. I know that most rescue dogs are not going to be initially healthy and I will have to spend vet bills on them.
> 
> And i also know that dogs do not live as long as humans. But as I realize that my dog is getting older, I will be much better able to prepare for its inevitable fate instead of it being a surprise.
> 
> ...


I don;t know how anyone can say a rescue is healthier....my now 14yr old sheltie, who we have had for 3yrs, came to us with a ton of medical issues so she certainly was not healthier and she was an owner surrender at a humane society. There are no guarantees when buying from a reputable breeder. Reputable breeders do the necessary testing for that breed and it's still a crap shoot for some things, you just pray. In my area, shelters do a check up but that's it. Dogs get vaccinated, heart worm tested, probably wormed but thats it. There's no genetic testing, if thats what you mean. You can ask but I bet you'll be laughed at.


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## sassafras (Jun 22, 2010)

Rinchan said:


> However, I do have one fear. I'm worried about getting a dog with a fatal genetic condition that will develp later in its life.


Well honestly, there are no guarantees against this no matter where you get a dog.


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## Rinchan (Jan 4, 2011)

Yeah I'm pretty much over it now. I figure I will take the dog and what ever it develops later in life. And if it happends, then I let that one live it's natural life and then rescue another dog. I'm going to go into an adoption expecting the dog to have some initial health issues and doing whatever I can to get rid of them. Thank God my job is going to pay well. *knock on wood*


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## Silvicen (Dec 30, 2010)

The one shelter dog that we got is very healthy and hasn't developed any medical problems. However she is noisy, small dog aggressive and certain female dog aggressive but great with cats, kids and most male dogs. My fear would be bringing home a cat aggressive dog. That being said I would try to get one from a foster who has a chance to get to know thier personality if they are going to be living with current pets.


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