My puppy's parents are siblings. Will it have future health issues?

Yes, genetics can go awry when related animals (including humans) mate. It is not recommended that they breed, as you know, but what's done is done at this point. There is not going to be any way for you to know what their genetics are so all you can do is treat them as normally as possible and hope for the best. Sometimes they are just fine. If you see no outward abnormalities that doesn't mean there aren't some internal ones. Again, there is nothing you can do about it at this stage except be aware that some problems may arise and those problems don't always show up early. It may be years down the road before anything is noticed. Try not worry too much and just treat them like normal. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Normally this should not be a problem unless the parents have hereditary diseases. If they do, then these could be expressed in the puppies. But if both parents are healthy, then it is ok to get a puppy.

In-breeding over time can cause certain characteristic traits and genetic qualities (including defects) to be selected for that are undesirable. However it is unsure what exact characteristic traits will predominate in each individual puppy and to what degree. I think it is fair to ask if this line of pedigree has any genetic defects that you should be concerned about that could possibly pass on to Mabei, to make this breeder a bit more transparent in information and also hold them accountable for informing you as a concerned potential adoptee. Also another great tool is the DNA genetic testing (the blood test that is done through a vet, not the cheek swab one which is highly inaccurate) which will give you a list of genetic predispositions and abnormalities that Mabei currently has so that you are aware from the very beginning of any disease processes she will be vulnerable to developing later in life. In-breeding is not what we want to see done in any situation, because it creates all kinds of genetic nightmares in most situations and does not speak highly of this breeder in my professional opinion. I hope this helps and best wishes on your decision making when it comes to adopting this pet. Best wishes and take care.

Hi Lou! Yes, you are correct that there is a concern about getting a puppy from parents who are siblings, even half siblings. This increasing the risk of the dog having recessive genes expressed which can adversely affect their health. Siblings should never be bred to each other, and a responsible breeder would never allow that to happen. In my opinion, I would not get a puppy from this litter, and instead find a breeder who does not allow siblings to be bred to each other. Also make sure the breeder does health tests on the sire and dam to make sure that genetic diseases which are common in this breed of dog are not present, thus making the puppies as healthy as possible. Good luck, I hope this helps!

Thanks for the question. Interbreeding of a mother to an offspring does carry a high risk of genetic problems. It is possible that the pups will have problems, or that they will be born normal. Since she appears to be far along in her pregnancy, I wouldn't advise terminating the pregnancy at this point. I hope all goes well, and I recommend spaying/neutering, or keeping offspring separated once they are over 5 months of age to prevent future pregnancies.

Max will likely have a normal life unless he inherited any diseases. There are companies which can test for heritable diseases such as one called Wisdom Panel. I recommend to run this test on Max. It's hard to say if his father and mother's close relation will make him less intelligent or less trainable. Max may end up being normal. Time will tell. Continue to treat him like any other puppy. Make sure he gets all his vaccines, that he is neutered between 6-9 months of age and that he eats a high quality, large breed puppy food. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Yes, unfortunately a lot of people do not get their pets fixed and pets go into their heat cycles before you know it and accidents happen. Dogs do not know the concept so they mate regardless. It can lead to developmental problems and medical problems along with undesirable characteristics in a breed