Niobrara Great Danes Cherry eye and entropian, severe allergies and IBS Internet, Nebraska

I have one of the litter mates to your pup ! I think you would be interested in knowing what I have been through. If you would like to leave me your phone nuber I would be happy to call you regarding these issues. Thank you

I know nothing about this complaint besides what I've seen in reviews on this site and on the breeder's webpage. I had to write a reply after repeatedly seeing some of the intentionally misleading nonsense that someone has posted in reply to multiple negative reviews of this breeder.

#1. Health problems are not common in the dogs of responsible breeders.
#2. Most dane puppies do not get acne. The dogs that do usually inherited the trait. My danes, and the danes of most people I know, never developed puppy acne.
#3. Any science report will tell you that allergies are definitely purely hereditary. Your reason for why they can't be because of your "family" shows that you have no understanding of genetics including recessive genes and polygeny.
#4. You also say, "I also have extensive medical/veterinary  experience." then you ask for a veterinary statement and claim you could provide one. You could just as easily forge one...
#5. You seem to know a lot about this breeder to be presumed to be anything other than the breeder or a close personal friend. Three dogs compared to how many she's likely sold does not make you privy to 100% of the ins and outs of this breeder's life, practices, and business. I would think she'd be defending herself.
#6. The only thing the dane breed is truly predisposed to as a breed is bloat. Even poodles and GSDs get that. Everything else is just bad and unethical breeding practice to have and keep in your lines and can be avoided. The vast majority of danes don't have the problems you listed for a good reason.
#7. Sharpei's and Neopolitan Mastiffs do not generally get their eyes tacked. It is not mandatory in either breed. It is common in the Sharpei breed in puppies around 4 wks of age so that the dog can see around skin folds as it grows. This has nothing to do with cherry eye and eyelid problems and does not prevent cherry eye or eye lid problems. Tacking is recommended against in Neopolitans because it does not work and the problem will recur constantly in dogs that have already developed the issue.
#8. "She is very clear that they can invert a cartilage during heavy faced
growth periods and they may have to have the cartilage injected and
surgery is a possibility. THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR WANTING THAT LOOK!" <- That is scary right there. You admit the breeder is breeding known defective dogs fully expecting them to need surgery later?! I'm seeing massive red flags.
#9. The dog owner writing this review gave no negative indication of their level of education. They clearly showed that they understand the issues they've been having with their dog due to inferior breeding practices.
#10. Most people reading reviews don't care to see proof. When you read car reviews, neighborhood reviews, or reviews of any kind, when does anyone ask for proof? Just about never, the proof is in the fact that someone went through that much trouble to warn others because they had such a bad experience over a purchase. Would i call the car dealership that sold the car that exploded to ask them if their cars are good quality and safe? No! They would lie their butts off to cover themselves. Same with most people involved in any kind of business. Because the truth is a liability.
#11. She may have numerous references saying she's a good breeder, but she clearly has numerous people saying the exact opposite. If there are this many complaining publicly, there are many more who are having problems and haven't yet said anything. I seriously doubt this is some kind of conspiracy.
#12. People respect and have more faith in a breeder who owns up to their mistakes and fixes them, then never repeats those mistakes instead of trying to repeatedly deny they exist.

The people filing complaints against this breeder have not shown any signs of being on a witch hunt. It seems to me that they would just like to warn others. I believe that someone who owns a sick puppy bought from a certain breeder who is paying for the ill effects of irresponsible and inexcusable breeding practices knows quite a bit more about the situation than an abstract DVM or someone who repeatedly claims to not be the breeder but instead just another buyer. I am very glad for these reviewers who have gone out of their way to warn others away from the worst of the worst. Who knows how many puppy buyers they've saved!

I am not going to get into the name-calling, slander and speculation, personal attacks or generalizations. Our integrity as pet owners is not in question and we defer to veterinary expertise in all matters. I have called my vet and she will be providing me a statement. I will also be happy to provide a statement from the ophtamologist specialist after she sees Titan for his cherry-eye removal and entropion surgery next week. 

I will stick to the facts:
Fact: Titan has cherry eye and entropion, allergies and IBS
Fact: At least one littermate suffers the same or similar problems, especially eye problems (Blindness, etc)
Fact: The eye problems are known by experts to have a serious genetic component. Occurrence in the same litter increases the likelihood of it being genetic. But again, a vet statement will be provided.
Fact: Breeder was informed of Titan's cherry eye and Oscar's issues separately.
Fact: Breeder has bred Dam and Sire separately after being informed. 
Fact: Breeder refuses to acknowledge any genetic defects in this bloodline.

There's room for debate beyond this but not that the above are facts. Nor does this reflect on the other Niobrara bloodlines and their quality. But until Trish acknowledges these defects, she certainly cannot correct them and that increases the likelihood that they will be passed to future litters.

The right way to handle these issues would have been to accept that there is no way you could have known with London and Mojito breeding for the first time this would happen but that you took steps to correct the problem. That's it. That's all we would want or anyone would want, and I'm sure with that being addressed, people would still want your Danes! 

As a side note, the tone and attitude of you (or your supporters) does you no favors. To say we have not done our research, to say we are uneducated, or to imply that we have brought on IBS for our dog through stress is, quite frankly, insulting. Titan is healthy and thriving because of our hard work and due diligence. Our vet, Bonnie Brown from Gotham Veterinary Center will be happy to attest to our character as owners, and Titan's genetic issues. Statements to follow shortly. 

Has anyone else that has read all of this wondered why there is not one vet statement provided by anyone that owns these dogs? They cannot get their vets to write them a statement? My vet would write me a statement on the spot for anything I asked for. I could provide medical records on my dogs and yet no one here has provided a medical history or any type of proof of any accusations.

I own 3 Niobrara Great Danes and I also have extensive medical/veterinary  experience. I have worked with them for over 12 years on my dogs . My dogs are all 3 wonderful , healthy , beautiful dogs. I cannot speak highly enough of this breeder and the lengths she will go to for her puppy families.

Allergies are not hereditary. My daughter has allergies that neither me or my wife have. Use some common sense people! IBD can have NUMEROUS causes. Stress and ulcers caused by some owners can cause this also.  Dane puppies get puppy acne, period. If it isn't handled, it will get staph in it. Neos, Sharpei's , Mastiff puppies, they will get it also. Handle it. Like you do when your 3 year old gets a wart on their hand or head lice , don't blame genetics. My God.
 
This breed is predisposed AS A BREED to many different things. Research of the breed and what is predisposed to is free on the internet. Every breed has issues. DON'T GET A PUREBRED buy a mutt unless you are willing to buy into the risks of the breed.  People contact Niobrara for the extreme look of her dogs and the European lineage that she has. They have big , dripping faces which is what YOU ALL WANTED and is what I wanted or you wouldn't have contacted her.

She is very clear that they can invert a cartilage during heavy faced growth periods and they may have to have the cartilage injected and surgery is a possibility. THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR WANTING THAT LOOK! I know that all of the honest puppy families would tell you she had this talk with all of them.  Sharpei's have eyes tacked, mandatory most of the time. Neo's have eyes tacked, most of the time. Bulldogs have respiratory issues.... DO YOUR RESEARCH! Here is a simple online list of issues that Great Danes are predisposed to:

Subaortic stenosis
Cataracts
Deafness
Demodicosis/ Demodectic mange
Ectropion
Entropion
Glaucoma
Hypothyroidism
Megaesophagus
Microphthalmia; ocular dysgenesis
Mitral valve dysplasia
Persistent right aortic arch ( vascular ring anomaly )
Progressive retinal atrophy
Tricuspid valve dysplasia
zinc-responsive dermatosis 

I am personal friends with 4 different Veterinarians that own multiple , BEAUTIFUL Danes from Niobrara and she is recommended to every client that inquires about owning a Great Dane.
 
I think if they have DVM behind their name, they hold a bit more weight than uneducated speculation from pet owners on a witch hunt.  

I would personally like to see , as I'm sure would most consumers, veterinary statements saying that the issues the dog has had are strictly genetic ,  and that they hold the breeder responsible.

 I would really like to see some type of proof that the original poster's dog is deceased. A vet statement? Necropsy showing cause of death?  Until then its nothing more than good internet garbage and nothing more. Did they sell the dog and break the contract with Niobrara? Did they medically neglect a problem with the dog  and not seek medical attention? Did they let the dog run off and not protect her?  Where is the DOG??? Are they broke and needed the money so they claim she died and want a refund? Where is the DOG?? Is this a huge scam to extort money from  Niobrara??

  This shouldn't be hard to provide.  I would also like to see a refusal ,in print, from Niobrara Great Danes, that anyone of these people should have ,saying Niobrara  will not replace their dog if it is diagnosed with a genetic condition.  In 12 years I have never seen a complaint one on these dogs or Trish Hanson.  SHOW US ALL THE PROOF. 

My best advice to anyone reading here is to contact Niobrara yourself with any and all questions you have. You won't find someone more black and white and honest than Trish Hanson and she would gladly provide NUMEROUS references for anyone to contact along with veterinarians names and numbers for you to visit with.She will also willingly share proof of all correspondence in these matters as she shared them all with me so I KNOW both sides of the story. Everyone can see too if you inquire.    Go look through the beautiful pictures and happy families on FB that rave daily about their dogs!! Search Niobrara Great Danes.  The number of loyal  familes FAR out weighs the 3 with uneducated speculation on here.

Its my understanding that the original poster has agreed to the demand  from  Niobrara's  attorney to cease and desist. Being sued for Slander/Libel is not something I would want hanging over my head.  As I stated before, check the facts.  Birds of a feather  flock together........