# Rescue health/hips



## pjvie (Oct 16, 2013)

Hello!

My wife and I have been interested in getting a GSD and at this point we aren't able to spend as much as we would like in order to get one from a reputable breeder. Now that we are considering rescuing, I am curious about health checks with rescues.

Does the average shelter provide health/hip checks? Or is a toss up? 

Thanks for any information!
Phil

P.S. We are located in NJ on the off chance anyone knows of any shelters to check!


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## mebully21 (Nov 18, 2011)

Shelters dont have the resources to do hip or other health checks, they normally do the basics. A rescue usually does a bit more though. Where in nj are you? Check the rescue section here in non urgent there is a 3 yr old female for adoption in west virginia


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## Zookeep (May 17, 2012)

Check Garden State German Shepherd Rescue

Garden State German Shepherd Rescue


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## pjvie (Oct 16, 2013)

Thanks for the info!
We are in Princeton.

We live in an apartment complex with a lot of families; LOTS of young children. A couple across from us has a new born. How high of a "risk" is it to rescue? Many of the dogs on the Garden state rescue are iffy with kids (good with kids over 7, 10, or 12 in different cases)


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## mebully21 (Nov 18, 2011)

Good rescues test their dogs to see what they are good with. Any dog can be good with kds and any dog could not be. All my dogs are rescues and like kids but i also watch interactions and i dont let kids manhandle my dogs either. The goal is to find the dog thst is good with kids and to never let a dog get overwhelmed. 

i used to live in an apt complex that had a ton of kids, when they would run up to me i would stop them before they got to my dogs and teach them proper dog manners, if they couldnt follow the rules thy couldnt pet my dogs. You just have to teach them they cant run up to any dog they see


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

As mentioned earlier in this thread, shelters just don't have the time or the financial resources to do extensive health testing. Most do vaccinate and spay/neuter prior to adoption, but that will be the extent of it.

Many (most?) rescues won't do extensive health testing if there are no problems evident. Many rescues will at least get x-rays taken for diagnostic purposes when they have a dog presenting with symptoms that need identification. 

Many rescues are happy to allow you to have diagnostic work done on a dog prior to adopting it if you pay for the work. I have had a couple of adopters ask to have hips and elbows looked at and I was happy to get the dogs in question to and from the vet of their choice. But they paid the bill. 
Sheilah


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

How many GSDs or other dogs have you had in the past? How much training did you do with those dogs? How were there behaviors? How confident are you in your skills with dogs? Those are the things I would be looking at to help you find a dog. 

Available Gianna
8 years old - great age!

Available Chloe
Nice!

As far as the health screening, here is the problem in rescue - our dogs get squeezed like they are produce in the grocery store. People want this perfect tomato, and if after squeezing, they find that there is a soft spot, then no one wants that tomato anymore. 

So, if there is a dog who is thought to have ortho issues, they are going to be treated in some way - if it's possible (like I had a foster whose front ligaments were shot - nothing to do there). But we aren't going to screen every dog. 

And here is what happens if someone wants to do the x-rays and will pay for them - if they find out the dog has HD (which to me, no big deal, show me the SPINE and elbows and then we're talking!) and decide not to adopt (which I say great, we dodged a bullet on those adopters because you have to assume a dog is going to need something someday that will cost more than the yearly vet appt and will they walk away when that happens), now we have a dog that we have to vet and pay for if it is needed. So great for the dog that it was found. However, if there is nothing that can be done, there is now a special needs dog, and adopters for that dog, while when found eventually will be incredible people, take some time to find typically. 

So it's just another layer - like when people expect guarantees from breeders (expect them to be smart enough to work with genetics and the rest should take care of itself) that rescues are expected to do. 

Just wanted to explain the ins and the outs of it - and why a rescue may respectfully decline to do it. 

GOOD LUCK!


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

I know of no rescue that guarantees or even routinely screens hips. 

That said, I have Pets Plan insurance on one of my younger rescued dogs--and we did a full ortho exam _after_ adoption, as part of putting the policy in place. If he develops HD now, it's covered. You'll find lots of threads about PetsPlan in threads here about insurance.

I also have an 11 year old who has moderate HD -- I rescued him at 11 months -- and he has led an active, full life without any complications from the HD until arthritis set in during his senior years. The arthritis is manageable, and not unlike what a lot of older humans experience--and he still is playful and happy. This backyard-bred dog has been the best friend I could have ever hoped for. My life would have been less rich had this wonderful dog not been in it, imperfect hips and all. Making him comfortable in his later years is my privilege, my way of thanking this amazing dog for the lifelong gift of his friendship. 

If you are looking for a guarantee on hips and elbows, you need to pony up the big bucks to go to a good breeder. Part of what you are paying for is a guarantee. Save up until you can afford it. Being well bred is not a guarantee that the dog will live problem-free forever though. (Take a look at the number of well bred dogs that die at relatively young ages of hemangiosarcoma here...).

If you are looking for a fabulous family companion, and willing to take that blessing along with some vet bills over time without thinking someone else ought to pay for them, rescue a dog.

Either way, if large vet bills are not in your family's budget, you should consider a good pet insurance policy so that future problems won't be a financial concern. That won't cover any pre-existing conditions, but it at least protects against things that may develop in the future.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

You can most likely pay for it yourself (health screening if hasn't been done/hip/elbow xrays)

Rescue is a great way to go, but be aware of the requirements for that specific rescue, some require a fenced in yard for example.


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## mebully21 (Nov 18, 2011)

Ofa has clinics available to have more extensivehealth checks done like heart, eyes etc that are done at various vet offices for reduced fees, like others said rescues too cant do more extensive health checks. I only know of one rescue that does and she is in WA . you can also check other rescues in the surrounding states as well for a dog byt they will all not do extensive health testing


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## katro (Feb 26, 2013)

I would think not... Rescues are run with limited funds and most just do basic health checks (and treat what they can if there's anything to treat) and test temperament but there's no guarantee with any of that. They don't know the animal's true history in most cases and both animals and people can act differently in different settings/situations. I wouldn't let that deter you from adopting, though; I've gotten a great cat AND a great GSD from rescues!


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## Merciel (Apr 25, 2013)

+1 to what Magwart, Jean, and Sheilah said.

My rescue does not routinely do hip checks; it costs too much and it would be a waste of money for the great majority of our animals (who are mostly small/medium-sized mixed breeds and also under 2 years old). If we had reason to believe a particular animal was suffering from hip problems, we'd get that vetted, but if there's no obvious cause for concern then we don't do it.

re: kid-friendliness -- I've felt pretty confident about my evaluations of my own foster dogs, but they were in foster care with me for a while, not being transferred straight out of a shelter (where it is much MUCH harder to get an accurate read on a dog's personality beyond the very most obvious things). If that is a major concern then I'd definitely recommend going with a good foster-based rescue over a shelter.


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## pjvie (Oct 16, 2013)

Merciel said:


> +1 to what Magwart, Jean, and Sheilah said.
> 
> My rescue does not routinely do hip checks; it costs too much and it would be a waste of money for the great majority of our animals (who are mostly small/medium-sized mixed breeds and also under 2 years old). If we had reason to believe a particular animal was suffering from hip problems, we'd get that vetted, but if there's no obvious cause for concern then we don't do it.
> 
> re: kid-friendliness -- I've felt pretty confident about my evaluations of my own foster dogs, but they were in foster care with me for a while, not being transferred straight out of a shelter (where it is much MUCH harder to get an accurate read on a dog's personality beyond the very most obvious things). If that is a major concern then I'd definitely recommend going with a good foster-based rescue over a shelter.


This was very helpful (as were many of the other posts)!

I would like to say that I am interested in rescue purely for altruistic reasons, but as a student, a big factor in this is cost. My fear is that I will end up with a dog that ends up being sick or in pain and will end up costing much more money in the long run. I suppose at this point it comes down to the individual rescue/shelter/even dog to understand health; it is difficult to generalize and say that all rescues do this or that. 

Thanks for all the help!


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

pjvie said:


> My fear is that I will end up with a dog that ends up being sick or in pain and will end up costing much more money in the long run.


There is just no way to really know for sure. I paid a substantial sum for my now adult dog. He came from a well known kennel. And he has cost me a freaking boatload in vet bills over the years because of various health issues. 

The best advice is to find a rescue you feel comfortable working with, get your application approved prior to being interested in any particular dog and get more extensive vetting okayed before you are interested in any particular dog.

Then, when that rescue has a dog you are a match for in every other regard, pay for x-rays, etc. as the last step in the process and finalize the adoption once that dog has been "cleared" by a vet of your choice. 

You will probably have better luck dealing with an adult dog that has already become what it's genetics predetermined than with a puppy which could grow up to show any number of health issues, despite best efforts of breeder and buyer.

Plus, be aware that stuff happens. The most healthy animal can have a funky accident and require extensive treatment that can cost a lot of money.
Sheilah


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I totally agree with Sheilah, even a puppy from the best of breeders can become ill/have emergency illnesses and cost a boatload of money, if you don't have it, what does one do??

Finding an adult is the way to go, if no hip/elbow testing has been done, offer to pay for that and a vet check up prior to adopting..You'll pretty much know what your getting with an adult who's been checked out thoroughly, but it would be on your dime.

And as sheilah& others said, you just never know when an emergency will pop up..

I have a very healthy 5 year old, that came down with a serious illness , two weeks cost me 2 grand..She would have died without treatment..Luckily my vets take payments. But it was totally unexpected, unplanned and boom 2 grand.


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## mebully21 (Nov 18, 2011)

My 2 healthy dogs cost me $700 in exactly 7 days. You never know when an emergency will hit even with healthy dogs. Just last week one of my dogs decided to take on a skunk at530 am in our yard..... Vet trip that morning cost me $153


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## RebelGSD (Mar 20, 2008)

I doubt that any adopter will go to a rescue looking for a dog that will cost them a great deal of money. So what is going to happen to the dogs that the adopters unwilling to pay for hip care discard as damaged goods. 
The rescues I volunteered for do not allow every adopter to run arbitrary tests on their dogs with the adopter's vet. Let's see, five adopters want a perfectly healthy dog and demand tests with their own vet. So the poor animal gets evaluated five times by different vets to be discarded for the smallest issue? 
The other aspect is that same as adopters want the perfectly healthy and perfectly behaved dog, good with everybody and everything - well, so can rescues ask for perfect adopters for the perfect dog. A perfect adopter from the side of the rescue (and in the best interest of the animal) is someone willing, able and prepared to provide costly veterinary care if the need were to arise.
BTW only a small fraction of dogs with less than perfect hips will require very costly care.
I feel that those who want a dog with all bells and whistles of health certificates should cough up what it costs a breeder to produce such an animal, which is much more than the cost of the exams.


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## Katerlena (May 30, 2008)

Its wonderful that you are considering rescue but as previous posters noted even if you adopt a healthy dog from a rescue (or a reputable breeder) this is no guarantee that there will not be a problem in the future that will incur expensive vet bills. German Shepherds can be prone to other diseases too other than hip dysplasia. Since you are a student and money is a factor have you considered fostering for a GSD rescue? This would give you the companionship of a GSD w/o financial strings attached while saving a dog in need. Then someday in the future when your money situation improves you can adopt permanently and be confident that you can provide for your beloved pet should they need medical care.


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