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We are looking to buy a beagle but have been told that it has to be an expensive one to gaurentee no cancer. True?

We want to buy a beagle but have been told that the only way that we can gaurentee avoiding sure cancer in a beagle is by purchasing it through a breeder that charges big bucks = lots of research put into the breeding of the dog. Please, can anyone help us to find out if this is true or not? We would love to have a beagle as part of the family but don't want to break our kids' hearts by finding out one should have cancer later on.


Asked by Guest 446628 on Mar 31st 2009 Tagged cancer, breeders, cost in Other Health & Wellness
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Guest

I paid almost a thousand dollars for my dog over 12 years ago (poodle) and she still got cancer. I'm not convinced a breeder can provide a dog who won't develop cancer. Your best bet is to regulary screen your dog, read up on signs and symptoms of canine cancer and have EVERY lump and bump quickly checked out by your vet. I was rubbing my dog's belly one day and felt a small lump about the size of half a raisin. It bothered me because I hadn't felt it before. I took her to the vet who told me he didn't think it was cancer but I just had a bad feeling about it. He suggested removing it and biopsy. It was Fibrosarcoma. She had a second surgery to remove tissue around the site with clean margins. It's been a year and four months with no return of the cancer. Yahoo! We caught it really early and before it spread. Also, may I suggest a shelter dog? There are lots of purebreeds out there. Look at Petfinder.com or call your local shelter. Good Luck!!


answered on Apr 1st.

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Jet

Sorry, but ALL dogs can get cancer. That doesn't mean they will, but they CAN.

Some breeds and/or individuals are more or less prone to cancer than others, but that is true.


Jet answered on 3/31/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Tucker

Beagle's are more prone to heart disease, epilepsy, ear and back problems. But like any dog, cancer is possible.

Even an expensive breeder may supply you with a dog that may some day get cancer. Focus more on finding a "reputable" breeder. Proper testing lowers the chances of diseases, but it does not guarantee that it won't occur. Find a good/reputable breeder in your area through www.akc.org.


Tucker answered on 3/31/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


CH ChekrdFlags Vegas GoGo Girl

There is no guarantee that any given dog won't get cancer HOWEVER there is MUCH less of a chance when you buy from a reputable breeder as they know the health concern in their own lines & in the breed & test the parents for whatever they can & would never knowingly breed unhealthy dogs or dogs where there is a known high rate of any given disease in that line...The extra money is WELL worth the peace of mind at least imo.


CH ChekrdFlags Vegas GoGo Girl answered on 3/31/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer


Dieta

If the breeder is telling you he has to charge more to put that in contract?? He can not guarantee that.
My mom had one beagle out of say 2 dozen that died of cancer. Any dog breed can have cancer.
but, don't let someone charge you more for something he can't prevent.
You can ask for pedigreed and see the dog's history on both sides.
But, I seen a very nice bunch of beagles at the shelter one had such a neat buggle to her. She was really nice and they seem to end up there alot because their nose gets them lost. So you might want to visit your local shelter.:)


Dieta answered on 3/31/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Aster

It is quite possible to breed to reduce cancer. The more expensive the puppy, the more likely appearance was the most important thing in breeding. If you are going to buy a Beagle puppy and want a healthy one, I would look to the hunting breeders.

I never buy a puppy, just borrow them or maybe sitting them is more accurate. If I was going to get a dog, i would look at a rescue. One of the best sources for dogs with a predictable personality is the rescue dogs. These are dogs that lost their home, but were taken into a foster home to be retrained as necessary and placed in the right home for them. You may find a rescue near you starting at www.akc.org The rescues charge a fee to help cover their expenses, but is much less than the price of a puppy plus all its medical expenses the first year. www.petfinders.org has even more dogs. No sense paying a big price for a puppy that may be no better than any other. Many advising on buying are selling.


Aster answered on 3/31/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


Bear, Princess, Coco, & Sheba

Not necessarily, but buying from a reputable breeder does mean that the dog will be less likely to have any genetic health problems.
Make sure that the breeder is reputable, eg has done all of the genetic health testing necessary, and is really in this for the health of the breed.
My website is about what to look for in a breeder:
cookiemiller.tripod.com


Bear, Princess, Coco, & Sheba answered on 4/1/09. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer


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