Emma repawing in! This is a tip to everyone who wants to buy a basset hound puppy from a AKC – BHCA breeder who does opthalmologic examinations. This exam is called a gonioscopy. The breeder has several reasons for doing this examination. First and foremost they do not want to keep a puppy with abnormal angles in their breeding program. The goal of a reputable breeder of any kind wants to better the breed. Secondly, they can present the potential educated buyer (other show people) with the documentation that the puppy has normal angles and therefore is not at a greater risk for developing glaucoma.

Make sure you buy a puppy with normal angles! You do not have visions of the show ring but you do have the right to a hound that grows old with vision.

Most reputable AKC breeders of basset hound puppies do angle checks at their opthalmologic office because the breed is pre-disposed for glaucoma. Again, they want to make sure they do not keep and breed a pup with the potential for this disease.

The pups are taken to an eye doctor for what they call an angle check or gonioscopy. The doctor puts a lense on the eyes and determines if the pup has normal drainage angles or not.

The eye doctor will then fill out a form from the Canine Eye Registration Foundation to certify what the health of the pup’s eyes are.

Do not buy a puppy from the breeder unless the word normal on the right and left sides are checked. It is NOT worth the risk. Cover all of this up front before you even look at pictures of available pups.

The reputable breeder will provide you with a copy of the eye examination report. Make sure you get a copy of it. It is wise to keep this in your medical records file.

Both of Emma’s eyes had abnormal angles. I did not know an angle from a circle so I had no idea what this meant when I drove from KY to TX to buy a basset hound puppy. The breeder selected Emma for me. I was told that Emma had a normal eye examination.

Buyer beware! Once again, Basset Hounds are pre-disposed for Glaucoma.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER,
buy a pup that has abnormal angles, unless you are fully aware of the disadvantage this pup has in life. Glaucoma is painful for the hound and your other family members. It is also extremely expensive. Emma began going blind from glaucoma from birth.

Why would you go to the trouble to research/select a top notch, reputable breeder and then buy a hound that is more compromised to health problems? Get the results of the eye report prior to the visiting the breeder. I speak from experience. I only wish I would have had this information.

I will eventually have my own list of questions on this blog for you to ask the breeder you are considering. If you need it before I post it, just e-mail me via the contact page and I will send them to you.

More Later from Emma, the hound that sees with her heart and her nose!

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