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For the love of Mastiffs

by Jennifer White

When considering breeding, as most people do, I researched Mastiffs and Mastiff breeders in order to learn as much as possible. I asked lots of questions - questions that I had from the start and questions I had been told to ask. For instance, "how large are mom and dad?" and, "has there been any testing done on the parents?" When you ask what tests have been done, you get many different answers from many different breeders. You get reasons on why they do or don't test at all.

You try to make a decision based on your feelings and what the "majority" say, but your research is limited to basically just that, what the majority says. You try to keep in touch with the breeder. More than likely, you believe most of what the breeder you purchased from says; that they are being honest. You come to value their opinions very much.

Throughout the last two years of trying to continue my knowledge of mastiffs, I have found that placing their opinions in high regard can be very difficult. I have learned, that to "most", this is a business no matter how you want to look at it.

I have been told to research pedigrees, and if you don't know the answer to a particular question well, then maybe you shouldn't be breeding! How can a person do research on pedigrees, I asked myself. So I bought a pedigree program ( for mastiffs only) where you can type in a particular dog, and bingo-bango you have the full pedigree. Interesting as that may be, what does this pedigree program tell you? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, unless the owner of the dog has submitted information on health issues, which is rare.

Can you trust the person you are buying from to be as open and honest about certain things such as hip dysplasia. Some answers you get from people about hip dysplasia are, while it may be hereditary, it also has a lot to do with the region in which the dog is located, and than they mention diet as a mitigating factor. While having the parents tested for hip dysplasia is a good thing, it does not necesacarily assure that the parents may not still have pups that will have dysplasia. A more appropriate question to ask a breeder is "Have any of your dogs had hip dysplasia?" and what type of guarantee do they give with their pups.

Last year I had a litter of pups. When my female became pregnant I started doing more research as I only wanted the best for my puppies. I talked for endless hours on the phone to a breeder. She was very helpful and gave me lots of useful info on whelping puppies. I was concerned about my female, as there are not a lot of "Champions" in her lines. Although "No Champions"does not discredit her in any way, it was just something that informed me that probably not a lot of testing had gone on in her lines.

My first and most important test was the PRA test. A DNA test that can be done to see if she carries the gene or not. Well she was clear of the PRA gene. A sigh of relief that my puppies would never carry the gene. My male has been OFA tested for hips and elbows, passing both, and also tested normal for thyroid.

I whelped a litter of 12 puppies on Nov. 30, 2001. All twelve puppies survived birth. Awesome news for me. It was a tough road with endless hours of no sleep, but well worth the puppy breath and kisses. It brought great joy to my life raising those puppies. The hardest part, at that time I thought, was finding good homes for my puppies. I found awesome homes for my puppies and still keep in contact with all of the puppies' owners.

The hardest part of this whole litter is just beginning. The love of the mastiff is just beginning. My puppies are now 6 months of age. Last month was a very devastating month for me. I have been going through a very serious health issue and concern with my daughter, and at the same time with my puppies.

I have learned that my puppies are having seizures. I was sitting on the couch with my daughter who was in extreme pain one night. It was sleeting outside, nasty weather. My phone rang at 10 pm. On the other end was a frantic puppy owner screaming for my help. Her 5 month old puppy was seizuring for the second time after they spent all morning at the vets office having blood work done. They did not want the puppy anymore and were going through alot at that moment. I asked and begged for them to sign the puppy over to me. They were hollering back begging me to come get the pup. There was no possible way I could drive in those weather conditions and get to the pup in less than 2 hours, not to mention find a vet to take her to. My husband was screaming because I was so upset, my daughter was very ill, and we had no idea what was going on.

The owners took the pup to the vet, I talked to them on the phone and asked for them not to put the puppy to sleep and that I would be responsible for Queen from then on. The following morning my daughter was rushed into ER. I found time to call the vet and ask how Queen was. She had several deep cuts in her tongue, that required stitches, and was not responding to meds. I told them I would call later that evening to see how she was. We were waiting to get a neurologist in to do a spinal tap on her.

Unfortunately, due to circumstances, I was never able to go see my baby for the last time. When I called the following morning, Queen had seizured all night long. I called the original owner and told her "I think I have done all I can", and we both agreed to have Queen put to sleep. We cried on the phone together. Queen would have never recovered from those seizures. I chose to have a necropsy done. Knowing that the vets said it was epilepsy, I wanted to know for my own peace of mind. When all is said and done, I spent thousands in a matter of 24 hours, and the results were NOTHING FOUND; diagnosis EPILEPSY. I was past the point of the "why me" questions and trying to figure out just exactly what the heck was going on. Then another phone call, although the story on this one is different, the bottom line is another puppy seizuring and yet another.

Although, most of my puppies are doing awesome, to be honest when the phone rings I cringe, especially between the hours of 9-11 pm. I don't know if or when the calls will stop, I don't know when other puppy owners will call. Than there's always the waiting for call backs telling me the diagnosed pups are getting worse. I can only go day by day, doing the best that I can.

Over the past few weeks I have spent several hours on the internet reading about seizures, spent endless hours on the phone, and in the hospital with my daughter. I am participating in a research study with the puppies from the litter, including the parents of these pups. My initial response to this was to call my breeder to see if any problems have occurred that they knew of. Everything I have read says that most dogs don't show signs of epilepsy until about the age of 2. My breeder says nothing like this has ever happened. By all means I am NOT saying they are not telling me the truth, this is obliviously something that has happened between my two dogs. I just have a few things I would like to share about finding information out "after" the fact. Information that is very difficult to find out for a breeder or anyone. The people who want to buy "just a pet" are the ones that suffer the most.

Breeders have there own specific beliefs on just about everything, just join a mastiff group on line (internet), and watch the discussions. When you ask a breeder about their specific line, it is obvious that they love their line. When you ask about another breeder's line you get no answers until all of a sudden you have a very serious health problem, like I have. But, you also have alot of backstabbing, bashing of other lines, etc, because after all this is a business. If I were to stand up and say "There may be a serious health concern in my line, epilepsy", I can almost guarantee you that quite a few people would be deeply disgusted that I would say such a thing. Why you ask, because my line is their line and so on. Their business is now in jeopardy, even though my all famous saying "the truth hurts" if I have it in my lines it came from somewhere. I did not create this problem, it was a problem I was not aware of, but it will obviously not continue on with these two dogs with future breedings.

I will do all I can to help my puppy buyers, and keep them informed, and I don't think they will ever know how deeply upset, and confused I really am. I will never be able to put myself in their shoes of watching a 5 month old puppy have a seizure, and to never know if it will ever happen again, unless of course my puppy starts having them as well.

I have been told by some that if I want to continue breeding I'd better stop with the phone calls and telling people I have produced epilepsy. I asked "why", in return, and the responses were overwhelming. While some breeders say they don't breed for money, I was told if I keep going as I am I will loose puppy sales. Again I asked why, "because people don't want sick puppies". Well, yes this is true. And the only response I have to that is this. People~ when they get a puppy from me they get me as a life long puppy partner as well. They get the whole truth about what problems I have had, have not had etc. I am aware that some people would rather buy a puppy that has had no problems (that the puppy owner is aware of) than buy from someone who is telling them flat out what could happen. Well if that is what a puppy buyer chooses, so be it, and I move on. Till the day when they go buy the puppy and, guess what, they are where I am today.

I guess all I can say is that I don't understand why this is so hidden in the Mastiff world. Or for that matter any disease that is hidden. We are only human and can only work with the genes that we have. We can't hide it because it will keep appearing. My dogs will be spayed and neutered, but what good will that do to keep this a secret when my pups also carry the gene? If they meet up with some other pup carrying the gene it starts another cycle. What are breeders afraid of? I can say this I have gained more respect from each puppy owner when I called each one and informed them I think I have a problem. They were so shocked that I would even think of calling them, instead of waiting for the day my phone rings with news of a seizing puppy.

Money? Like I said earlier if a potential puppy owner can't handle the truth about what diseases run in our breed, maybe our puppies are too good for them, and it shows that if something does happen they won't take responsibility for the pup's medical problems in the first place for whatever might happen. Bad talk, I really don't care what other people have to say about me. My love is for the Mastiff, first and foremost, not getting all caught up in whose dog is better than mine; he said she said stuff. I am an honest person, just seeking the truth from others. It's about time breeders stepped up and took responsibility for this because all of our dogs come from somewhere.