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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Runt of the litter

35 replies

Brightonbabe5 · 02/11/2020 21:21

Hi there, we've been on our breeders list for a long time & we're collecting our pup in a couple of days. We had requested a girl & ours is the only girl of the litter of 3.
When she arrived she couldn't latch on properly for her feed, the breeder said herself & the vet had to do so much in the first 48 hours to keep her hydrated & the vet gave her a clear bill of health. She's a bit smaller than her brothers but very lively & playful. The breeder said she's always had extra cuddles & tlc due to her rough start. Has anyone else got the litter runt? We're so excited & she'll be extra spoilt in this house!

OP posts:
Orkneys · 02/11/2020 23:30

Yes I have and he was fear aggressive

Original poster
Brightonbabe5 · 02/11/2020 23:38

Can you tell me more Orkneys, tia

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Orkneys · 02/11/2020 23:50

Where did you find your breeder? Are the parents health tested? I ask this because people who just have dogs for the money do not and I suppose this makes a huge difference as to weather your pup is going to be of sound temperament. The breeder can say pup gets plenty of love and tlc but you'll never truly know.
My dog came off a back yard breeder runt of the litter, left in a dark room with no socialisation and my brain said walk away my heart won and I paid the price for being so naive however yours I hope is a completely different situation but I would be weary.

Jeremyironseverything · 02/11/2020 23:55

My sister's dog was the runt of the litter. He's wonderful. Couldn't ask for a better dog. They won the prize with him.

housemdwaswrong · 02/11/2020 23:56

We had a golden retriever who was the runt of the litter. He had mumps and lost all the fur on his nose (which he never grew back :) ). The farmer was going to 'euthanase' him because he couldn't sell him.

We had him until he was 14 and pts because of a tumour. No problems at all, perfect family dog and not a penny in vet bills (apart from routine) until the day we lost him. He was gorgeous. :) Enjoy your new puppy, hopefully you'll be as lucky as we were.

Orkneys · 02/11/2020 23:56

I thought with love and care he'd be OK but he wasn't i strongly believe his problem was genetic but also down to his bad start which he never recovered from and it's heartbreaking and still is it's really messed me up. Sorry OP what I'm trying to say is just be careful and if something feels off walk away.

Original poster
Brightonbabe5 · 02/11/2020 23:59

Yes both the parents are, the vets checks were one of the first things I asked to see. We've been on the waiting list over a year & when our pup was born she immediately said there had been some feeding issues with her latch on. She said both herself & the vet had worked extremely hard to keep her hydrated during the first 48 hours.

OP posts:
Original poster
Brightonbabe5 · 03/11/2020 00:01

Jeremy & housemdwaswrong thanks for the positive stories, I'll report back.
Orkneys I'm so sorry to hear that, do you know if his siblings turned out OK?

OP posts:
Ginogineli · 03/11/2020 00:04

I got the ring but chose her specifically given there were 3 left

She’s amazing

Easy as very chilled

Was initially more unsettled and needy but find month or so

Orkneys · 03/11/2020 00:07

@Brightonbabe5

Jeremy & housemdwaswrong thanks for the positive stories, I'll report back. Orkneys I'm so sorry to hear that, do you know if his siblings turned out OK?
That's good to hear breeder sounds responsible. What pup are you getting?

No idea, i tried to find the other pups owners but no luck.

HeidiPeidi · 03/11/2020 00:52

We have had 3 (I know that sounds a lot! We don’t set out to get the runts, but this is over many years and we’ve had many, many dogs in that time!), each of them completely wonderful. The first was the most laid back, easy to train dog you could ask for, never had a health or behavioural problem in all her 15 years. She lost a leg aged 6 months due to an unprovoked attack from a GSD, but was still a perfectly happy, chilled little lady who loved other dogs. Second was super wired, hard working and absolutely batshit crazy, no real behavioural issues though (except his love of chewing anything and everything and his selective hearing as he got older) and was fine health wise until he developed a tumour aged 10, which meant he had to be pts aged 11.5. Third we have now and is such a lovely little thing, very clever, loads of energy, loves cuddles and is completely wonderful with humans and dogs alike. She’s only 15 months, but so far the only health problem we’ve had is that her tummy can be sensitive.

If you’ve done your research and your breeder is a good one, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Good luck with her, and enjoy ❤️

GrumpyMiddleAgedWoman · 03/11/2020 07:59

A couple round the corner from me have a runt of the litter Labrador. I don't know of any issues (have never asked) bit she has a lovely temperament, lovely sweet-natured dog.

Original poster
Brightonbabe5 · 03/11/2020 09:09

Thanks for the replies, yes we're very happy with the breeder, she does not have many litters hence her long waiting lists. She was also recommended to us by a couple of very knowledgable dog owners (one of which is very active on doghouse & a mine of information) Our new puppy is a thorough bred Cavalier. We know the all issues arising surrounding the cavalier breed so we were very reassured that both parents are in perfect health with 2020 vet checks supplied

OP posts:
Wolfiefan · 03/11/2020 09:14

It’s not a vet check though. It’s heart testing etc.
I would be very worried about taking a puppy with health issues of that breed.

Original poster
Brightonbabe5 · 03/11/2020 09:19

Neither of the parents have congenial heart problems or eyes, they have been checked for this also... This was a huge concern of ours & without outing the breeder she's one of the most renowned CKC breeders in the country... She takes amazing care of her dogs & has been recommended to us by numerous sources...

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Wolfiefan · 03/11/2020 09:22

My understanding is that syringomyelia (sp?) can’t be screened for. I would worry.

PollyRoulson · 03/11/2020 09:34

I think you can MRI the dogs at 12 months but it has to be done again as it is a late onset disease. BUT this is not really my area so things may be different.

I was under the impression that 70% of ckc have syringonmelia. That is a scarily high statistic if accurate.

Original poster
Brightonbabe5 · 03/11/2020 09:37

Breeder has a written diagnosis for both parents cardiac examination & both a fine... I gather it's not uncommon to have a runt in a litter & the breeder was very honest for the beginning about the feeding & also had the vet out to check her at 48 hours...

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TeddyIsaHe · 03/11/2020 09:41

Was the cardiac exam a scan? Or just listened to with a stethoscope?

Tbh a CKC runt I wouldn’t even consider, unless I had a few dozen grand in savings I didn’t need.

Original poster
Brightonbabe5 · 03/11/2020 09:55

To be honest I'm not sure, I asked about eye & heart checks & the breeder had papers from this years check. I assume it was a scan.
We'll love her regardless & she's coming to a home with 3 small dc who are so excited also I'm a sahm so can give her all the tlc she deserves.
She has a such lovely temperment & isn't that much smaller than her 2 brothers. There is only 3 in the litter. As a child I had a CKC & always planned on getting one once dc3 turned 5.

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Saranvenya · 03/11/2020 09:57

My DD is the runt, she's 18 months old and she is so loving, she does have a few issues with attention and is super hyper but with a huge personality!
My vet said she is like this because she would. have had to fight for food etc with the rest of the litter, but she is a good girl and is so clever.
Bouncy, a little daft but lovely.

EcoCustard · 03/11/2020 10:05

One of our working Cocker spaniels was the runt. He was tiny and needed extra help in the first weeks, but came to us with a clean bill of health. He has had an auto immune problem ( didn’t develop until around 5 years old) requiring several surgeries but he is11 now, still very active and well. We had one of his litter mates who is very well, healthy and has had no issues at all.

Our little runt has definitely always been the baby of the two and loves his cuddles, wonderful boy who I am very happy to have not overlooked him as the ‘runt’.

Original poster
Brightonbabe5 · 03/11/2020 10:19

Saran Enya, I chat to the breeder regularly & am sent regular "pupdates" & pics. She always comments on how our girl is "full of beans, energetic & a little bit mischievous". We've been to visit twice & we were so surprised at her confidence & friendliness. Must be something about the runts!

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Original poster
Brightonbabe5 · 03/11/2020 10:21

Ecocustard that's so lovely to hear. Cocker spaniels are gorgeous. That's so hard on the poor guy having those surgeries but he's so lucky to have such a loving home & is a great age already.

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Todaytomorrow09 · 03/11/2020 10:28

We have the runt - she is now 3. she is smaller than her brothers. But she the best behaved and very chilled out - except for when she on her walk but well behaved just bouncy :)
We get together for each birthday and other than her being smaller you’d never no she was the runt!