Open Range Puppy Health
At Open Range Pups we take puppy rearing very seriously. We take many steps to ensure your pets happiness and life longevity long before they start training.
- We DNA test each parent and pay close attention to the genetic background in the pups gene pool. We test for common serious illnesses for each breed type. This is our first step in our diligent process to ensure puppy health.
- We test puppy parents for Hip and Elbow problems that would lead to early disabilities. This is known as OFA testing (Orthopedic Foundation For Animals).
- Each puppy is given age appropriate vaccinations and veterinary checkups while in our care.
- Our puppies are family raised in a nurturing, friendly, and service-oriented environment.
Parent Test Results
As you navigate different puppy breeds available from Open Range you will see the puppy parent pages. On each page the test results of each parent is posted.
If a parent is does not pass a specific DNA test OR fails to pass OFA testing with a minimum of "Good" results they are disqualified from our program.
OFA results can be: poor, fair, good, excellent. OFA tests help breeders and show dog parents know the quality of hip and elbows that the tested subject has. These tests help us know if the puppies will be at a greater or lesser risk of developing hip dysplasia during their life. The worst cases of hip dysplasia can result in puppy euthanization in the pups first year of age. Less severe casses of hip/elbow dysplasia can cause discomfort and potential mobility impairments during their younger years. The OFA tests do not guarantee that a dog won't get hip displaysia, as many dogs suffer from hip and joint pain in their older age, but rather the testing helps to assure puppy parents that their pup has less risk of developing severe joint issues.
Puppy Guarantee
Open Range offers a 4 year genetic health guarantee with every puppy that is born in our care. Unfortunately any health guarantee (if you must use it) does not make up for the fact that a puppy got sick. You will be attached to that puppy, care for that puppy and be heartbroken if something bad happens to that puppy.
The Open Range Health Guarantee is an average of 3 years longer than most health guarantees and approximately 95% of breeders offer NO health guarantee.
The purpose of our guarantee is to:
- Offer you piece of mind to know your financial and emotional investment is protected.
- Know that Open Range goes above and beyond and that our Health Guarantee is our commitment to excellence in writing.
Puppy Veterinary Care
Our Puppies are seen by our Reproductive Vet at 3 days old for their first visit. We remove the dewclaws and have our vet's check for cleft pallets and listen to the puppies hearts and lungs. Then at 6 weeks we head back to the vet so the hearts can be checked again, bites checked, and we can administer our IDEXX testing.
The IDEXX is an invaluable test that we use at Open Range. We take a fecal sample and send it off to the lab. They test it and tell us what is going on in the puppies digestive tract. It not only tells us if worms are present but if the puppy has any asymptomatic parasites we need to deal with. Often a breeder will send a puppy home with no testing because they are not showing any signs of sickness. Then when the stress of travel hits the pup, the symptoms start popping up! We make sure we take care of any issues that may arise BEFORE the pup leaves us. It sets us apart from other breeders on one more level.
Lastly, if the puppy is flying home they go back to our vet again and get one more check before they fly! It is of the highest importance to us that your puppy arrive to you in great health and ready to begin a new chapter with it's new owners.