GreatWhite
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- Joined
- Aug 25, 2016
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This is my little guy, Truman.
When my husband and I decided to add a third dog to our pack we both agreed that we really wanted a french bulldog. That being said we were a little nervous and didn't feel all that great about going through a breeder (Just a personal hang up of mine, no judgement on anyone who uses breeders). Our other two (Dutch Shepherd Mix, 6years & Pit Mix, 7years) were both rescues and all of our childhood pets had been from the humane society, so quite frankly we just didn't have any breeder experience. So, we started our search scouring every local breeder & rescue for the perfect fit, not leaving any stone unturned.
and....FINALLY.....after an entire year of searching....
I stumbled upon a breeder that happened to have a 5 month old puppy that suffered from neonatal conjunctivitis & as a result now has corneal scarring rendering him partially blind. The puppy had been left behind when all of his litter mates got chosen because he was considered "defective" and because frenchies already have so many health issues (as you all know) I'm sure taking on a young pup with pre-existing issues wasn't on anybody's "must have" list. It wasn't on mine either to be honest, but all I saw was a puppy headed down a path that was going to land him in a rescue, probably with magnified issues because of his visual challenges. I knew this little guy needed someone, and I guess I just squared up with the fact that it was probably going to be me.
A few days later I drove down to meet him.......and it was all over the second I held him. There was no way I was leaving without him.
Considering the circumstances the breeder and I were able to work out a reasonable adoption fee & I was on my way home with Truman.
The very next day we had a wellness check with my veterinarian & The following day we had an appointment with an ophthalmologist to address his eyes.
I had realistic expectations going into the ophthalmologist I assumed at some point Truman may go completely blind, and I would need to be ready for it.
The ophthalmologist actually had a pretty positive outlook on Truman's visual health. He said that although the scarring is definitely not going to go away entirely BUT he believes that with the right medication & consistent treatment coupled with the fact that he is still growing, we might expect some improvement over time. This was such a breath of fresh air, I was prepared for the worst.
Thankfully this situation ended up being a best case scenario for all parties involved. I know what a huge risk it was to take a "defective" puppy from a breeder. I'm sure many wouldn't have taken the risk. I feel that I did everything in my power to take every possible precaution to minimize the risks. I consulted with several veterinarians even before I picked him up, I received multiple photos of his eyes beforehand so the extent of the issue was fully disclosed, I spoke with the veterinarian that treated the initial infection, I received copies of all of his medical records, I was able to see the health of the parents and their living conditions, and lastly I researched my little butt off. I knew what I was getting myself into, and I was fully prepared for it to go south.
Happy to be on the network & start getting to know some folks!
When my husband and I decided to add a third dog to our pack we both agreed that we really wanted a french bulldog. That being said we were a little nervous and didn't feel all that great about going through a breeder (Just a personal hang up of mine, no judgement on anyone who uses breeders). Our other two (Dutch Shepherd Mix, 6years & Pit Mix, 7years) were both rescues and all of our childhood pets had been from the humane society, so quite frankly we just didn't have any breeder experience. So, we started our search scouring every local breeder & rescue for the perfect fit, not leaving any stone unturned.
and....FINALLY.....after an entire year of searching....
I stumbled upon a breeder that happened to have a 5 month old puppy that suffered from neonatal conjunctivitis & as a result now has corneal scarring rendering him partially blind. The puppy had been left behind when all of his litter mates got chosen because he was considered "defective" and because frenchies already have so many health issues (as you all know) I'm sure taking on a young pup with pre-existing issues wasn't on anybody's "must have" list. It wasn't on mine either to be honest, but all I saw was a puppy headed down a path that was going to land him in a rescue, probably with magnified issues because of his visual challenges. I knew this little guy needed someone, and I guess I just squared up with the fact that it was probably going to be me.
A few days later I drove down to meet him.......and it was all over the second I held him. There was no way I was leaving without him.
Considering the circumstances the breeder and I were able to work out a reasonable adoption fee & I was on my way home with Truman.
The very next day we had a wellness check with my veterinarian & The following day we had an appointment with an ophthalmologist to address his eyes.
I had realistic expectations going into the ophthalmologist I assumed at some point Truman may go completely blind, and I would need to be ready for it.
The ophthalmologist actually had a pretty positive outlook on Truman's visual health. He said that although the scarring is definitely not going to go away entirely BUT he believes that with the right medication & consistent treatment coupled with the fact that he is still growing, we might expect some improvement over time. This was such a breath of fresh air, I was prepared for the worst.
Thankfully this situation ended up being a best case scenario for all parties involved. I know what a huge risk it was to take a "defective" puppy from a breeder. I'm sure many wouldn't have taken the risk. I feel that I did everything in my power to take every possible precaution to minimize the risks. I consulted with several veterinarians even before I picked him up, I received multiple photos of his eyes beforehand so the extent of the issue was fully disclosed, I spoke with the veterinarian that treated the initial infection, I received copies of all of his medical records, I was able to see the health of the parents and their living conditions, and lastly I researched my little butt off. I knew what I was getting myself into, and I was fully prepared for it to go south.
Happy to be on the network & start getting to know some folks!
