to ask about puppy strangles/cellulitis

[TrueToYou]

Hi, does anyone have any experience of this?

We are buying an English Springer Spaniel pup at 8 weeks, and have just been told he has this. (he is 8 weeks old this weekend so still with his mum)
I've quickly googled at work, but I just wondered if anyone could share their experiences here, eg does it mean he has a reduced immune system? Are we going to be at the vets every month with him picking up viruses?
What's the prognosis? Once he's had his dose of antiB's and steroids, will it never return?

I'm so worried in case it means he will be weak and vulnerable and cause me and the DCs unutterable heartache.

Please someone reassure me!

TIA!

You should not be completing purchase without vet cert. of health at breeder's cost, obviously. Vet should be doing biopsy. Scarring could be an issue.

OK thanks. Do vets give out certs as a matter of course, or will the breeder have to request and pay for one?

It is up to the breeder to organise this. If they are reputable it shouldn't be an issue. Your deposit is to contract to purchase a healthy animal, and most breeders will also include a further six weeks of insurance cover - this cover could be compromised without a vet cert. If breeder cannot keep their side of contract then they should be offering your deposit back.

Oh, thank you, I haven't asked about anything, truth is, ExP went and put a deposit on the dog with the kids, so I don't know what was discussed.
The puppy is seeing th evet tomorrow, and the guy is emailing me with what is said. I will ask about the purchase contract then, thank you so much for your input.

Puppy strangles does not require a biopsy it is often a self limiting inflammation of the lymphoid tissue of the head and neck. It is a clinical diagnosis and fairly obvious if seen previously. It has no relation to equine strangles. It may require corticosteroids, the puppy will probably be fine but should be checked by a vet

Disagree, it is a nasty condition. However, please do not accept ownership of an unfit pup, that way lies heartache. At least ask for proof of health tests. Be prepared to walk away.

I will have to, I think, unless the vet gives the all clear.

I can't afford to allow us to invest financially or emotionally with a sick puppy. It will devastate the kids, but not as much as if we get him and he's poorly.
Oh god, this is awful. Just have to hope the vet gives the all clear. The pup seemed pretty well in himself when we visited today. Not seen the breeder, he'd asked his dad to let us in to visit. See what tomorrow brings, eh?

What was the outcome TTY?

The breeder text me on Friday to say that he was fine and had been given two more weeks of steroids and was responding well.
I was out of the country from early hours Fri am, so hadn't been abe to do any research, but my DD did (focussing on good news stories of course!)
On Monday I rang the vet who was dealing with him. She'd seen him in the first instance but hadn't been at the follow up appt. She told me about the condition and its symptoms, treatment and prognosis and knock on effect on jabs etc and said that his case did seem quite mild, was diagnosed quickly and he'd responded well to the correct treatment [it often seems to be misdiagnosed for a while, then picked up on when it gets worse].
She agreed that the reasonable course would be for the breeder to keep ownership until his treatment had finished and he'd had the all clear from the vet.
I decided I would walk away if the breeder did not agree to this, so I went to see him to tell him I couldn't take the puppy (and had been in floods of tears all day at work over it but had definitely decided I would be letting the head rule the heart for once)

.....and I ended up coming home with the pup!

He is beautiful, and lovely and happy and lively, and you wouldn't know there was anything wrong except for some scabs behind his ears.
He is back at the vets on Tuesday, when this lot of steroids runs out. The breeder has agreed to cover all vets costs relating to this illness.
I will update after Tuesday if you are interested long term :)

I know, I know, I'm a fool, but if you saw him you'd know why.....I could even upload a pic :)

Plus the breeder may have played me a LITTLE in saying that his "missus" had fallen for the pup, he was the last of the litter, they weren't doing anymore breeding with spaniels, so they would most likely keep him themselves as they had already spent more in vets bills than he was being sold for [£300]

So we are now a very happy dog loving household :) :) :)

Hope it all turns out well and the breeder honours his undertaking of vets costs. Forgive me for saying so, but from what you have described I think the breeder is less than reputable.

THERE IS A BOARD SPECIFICALLY FOR DOG RELATED ISSUES.iT IS CALLED THE DOG HOUSE.

Can you SHOUT a bit louder coco. We didn't quite hear you.

P.S. Perhaps you'd like to tell everyone with a Facebook issue that there is a separate board for FB?

Thanks, coco, I did post In the doghouse as well, but as many do, I came here also for the traffic. Hope that's OK with you.

Thanks, coco, I did post In the doghouse as well, but as many do, I came here also for the traffic. Hope that's OK with you.