As a veterinary medical professional working in the Los Angeles metro area, I applaud West Hollywood City Council for passing legislation to ban the sales of cats and dogs. As a trend, pets purchased from pet shops tend to be less healthy than those acquired from responsible rescue organizations or breeders. Regardless of the source of acquisition, any pet can be sick in juvenile, adult, or geriatric life stages. Examination by a veterinarian immediately post-procurement is a smart practice to improve the likelihood potential illness will be identified and readily treated.
While working in a West Hollywood veterinary practice, I would frequently see expensive, purebred puppies present for evaluation shortly after purchase from local pet stores. Innumerable sick puppies came from a former Beverly Center pet store, Pet Love, presenting in various states of illness secondary to bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections. Pet Love has subsequently closed, therefore the majority of juvenile, ailing cats and dogs I examine now come from not-for-profit animal rescue organizations (“rescues”).
Although I advocate the adoption of pets from rescues, circumstances of disease transmission in these facilities are similar those seen in pet stores. Therefore, many cats and dogs adopted from rescues may manifest clinical illness at the time of adoption or within the immediate post-adoption period.
Any time animals are housed in close quarters, the likelihood exists that infectious organisms will spread secondary to the immediate proximity of other animals. As the immune system of puppies and kittens is still maturing during their temporary housing in a store or shelter, they are often more susceptible to communicable diseases. The stressors of transportation, confinement, crowding, and exposure to animal waste(puppies and kittens are not born house trained) additionally contribute to an immunocompromised state.
Puppies that come from pet stores are more likely to have been raised in an environment lacking wellness protocols to promote optimal health. A potential buyer typically does not have the opportunity to dialogue with the dog’s breeder or research the health status of their potential adoptive pet. Therefore, I do not recommend purchasing pets from stores (besides the fact that there are millions of animals in rescues that need a loving home).
Unfortunately, acquiring a pet from a breeder does not guarantee that your pet will be problem free. Breeders who specialize in propagating a particular variety of dog in the state of California are legally required follow specific sets of standards when raising their brood. Yet, variables in animal husbandry practices inevitably occur and sick or genetically compromised pets are still sold to hopeful parents.
If you are interested in acquiring a purebred pet, do your research before settling on a breeder. Visit the American Kennel Club website for great tips on being a responsible dog owner, puppy buyer information, and AKC breeder referral contacts. Ask the breeder to connect you to others who have purchased their progeny so you can investigate the dog’s past and present health status. Inquire about breed specific illnesses that may be inherent in a breed’s lineage. The Canine Health Foundation provides an extensive list of health concerns related to a particular dog breed. In my clinical practice, I see breed related illness in many canine pure breeds. Typically, mixed breed dogs tend to be less susceptible to breed related illness than purebred pets.
Animal companionship is a luxury only suited for responsible and financially capable people. Heavily consider the lifestyle changes you will face from a time management, space and monetary perspective before you bring a pet into your home. A companion animal is a long term commitment, similar in responsibility to having a child, so be prepared to make unforeseeable sacrifices to ensure your pet’s healthy life.
Related Articles
Bizarre illness nearly killed 2009 Westminster Kennel Club Best In Show winner
Reduce your pet’s exposure to toxins during October’s National Pet Wellness Month
Improve your pet's oral health during October's National Pet Wellness Month
Increase your pet's activity during October's National Pet Wellness Month
Improve your pet's diet during October's National Pet Wellness Month
Southern California wildfires can negatively impact your pet's health
Xylitol poisoning- emerging canine toxicity from sugarless chewing gum
Health problems associated with consumption of recalled Nutro cat food
Bee sting hypersensitivity reactions and Jacaranda tree flowers
Thank you for reading my article. To receive a email with a link to my next article, please press the “subscribe” button to the right of my photo. Dr. PM
Copyright of this article is owned by California Pet Acupuncture & Wellness (CPAW), Inc.
Republishing any portion of this article, pictures, or video in any format must be permitted by CPAW, Inc.
Requests for republishing must be approved by CPAW, Inc. and received in written format.
Comments