[smsmith50]

My young Standard from Safari Poodles was just diagnosed with enamel hypocalcification, a genetic condition resulting in (simplified version) him not having enough calcium to protect his teeth as they formed and thus they are flaky and prone to plaque development among other issues. He may or may not have serious dental problems for the rest of his life but will for certain need full mouth X-rays, cleaning and sealants annually. The breeder was adamant that his tooth discoloration was a minor condition and that I didn’t need to take him to the University of Minnesota for diagnosis. (I did anyway.) Now I’ve learned—from someone other than the breeder—that my dog’s mother, a grand champion, also had discolored teeth. This is disappointing because my boy earned his championship at 10 months but, obviously, his show career is over as I won’t campaign a dog that isn’t breeding stock, and I won’t breed a dog with a genetic health condition. I’m not going to share my thoughts about this particular breeder here. Instead, I’m wondering if anyone else has a poodle with enamel defects and would be willing to share your experiences. Thank you!

 

[Raindrops]

Curious, could you share photos of the affected teeth? Some enamel discoloration can be normal in a young dog, but I understand that hypocalcification would look different.

 

[Eclipse]

My young Standard from Safari Poodles was just diagnosed with enamel hypocalcification, a genetic condition resulting in (simplified version) him not having enough calcium to protect his teeth as they formed and thus they are flaky and prone to plaque development among other issues. He may or may not have serious dental problems for the rest of his life but will for certain need full mouth X-rays, cleaning and sealants annually. The breeder was adamant that his tooth discoloration was a minor condition and that I didn’t need to take him to the University of Minnesota for diagnosis. (I did anyway.) Now I’ve learned—from someone other than the breeder—that my dog’s mother, a grand champion, also had discolored teeth. This is disappointing because my boy earned his championship at 10 months but, obviously, his show career is over as I won’t campaign a dog that isn’t breeding stock, and I won’t breed a dog with a genetic health condition. I’m not going to share my thoughts about this particular breeder here. Instead, I’m wondering if anyone else has a poodle with enamel defects and would be willing to share your experiences. Thank you!

I'm very grateful for my breeder when I read things like this....I'm so sorry this happened to you....I would be upset in general if this happened to any dog I owned, but especially so if the dog was purchased for show/breeding purposes and I spent the not inconsiderable $$ and time to finish a Championship. I understand things can happen with dogs, I have had unforeseen health issues with some of mine, though not genetic, and have dealt with subsequent problems. But if I had a health issue I found out was genetic and my breeder had knowingly bred the bitch who had the issue that could be passed on, I would be beyond just upset. And then to have the breeder try to seemingly minimize the issue when they were aware it had a genetic component and that, in fact, the bitch had it as well, and to try to dissuade you from going further with a specialist diagnosis is even more troubling. I would assume you had a contract with the breeder with terms regarding a show quality dog, and that at least you will get some $$ relief since your boy can/should no longer be shown and certainly should not be bred. I would be interested to find out if any of your dog's littermates have the issue, or any dogs from any previous litters the bitch has produced..... And kudos for you for being responsible enough and ethical enough to do the right thing in not breeding him. Perhaps he can have a lovely performance career, that is what I do with my girls and we enjoy every minute of it....