Gypzy's Labs does Full Panel DNA Testing on all breeding stock to ensure quality, healthy labs. Your pup has a LIFETIME GUARANTEE against the following 19 known Labrador Retriever diseases; the Full Panel DNA Tests for:
Urinary System/Urologic- Associated with the kidneys, bladder, ureters and urethra- Hyperuricosuria, Cystinuria
Musculoskeletal -Associated with muscles, bones, and associated structures- Centronuclear Myopathy, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Myotubular Myopathy X-Linked, Skeletal Dysplasia 2 (Mild Disproportionate Dwarfism)
Haemolymphatic- Associated with the blood and lymph- Congenital Macrothrombocytopenia, Elliptocytosis B-Spectrin
Nervous System/Neurologic- Associated with the brain, spinal cord, and nerves- Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, Degenerative Myelopathy, Exercise Induced Collapse, Narcolepsy
Dermatologic- Associated with the skin- Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis (Dry Nose),
Opthalmologic- Associated with the eyes and associated structures- Achromatopsia, Macular Corneal Dystrophy, Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration, Stargardt Disease
Metabolic- Associated with the enzymes and metabolic processes of cells- Malignant Hyperthermia, Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
Your pup has a LIFETIME GENETIC GUARANTEE against the above diseases. Should your pup test 'affected' for any of the above (which it won't, because we test to make sure it cannot get them), Gypzy's Labs will cover the cost of veterinary bills, up to the purchase price of the pup.
BUYER BEWARE!! Many breeders will tell you they have done the Embark testing for 210 diseases. Only 18 of the 210 Embark tests actually apply to the Labrador Retriever breed. Many breeders do not do the Orivet Extensive Full Panel DNA testing which now tests for 19 diseases and 11 traits but rather only do DNA testing for a few select diseases. Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM), Cystinuria, Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC), and Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration (PRCD/PRA) are the most commonly tested, other breeders don’t do any DNA testing at all. Ask which DNA tests have been completed on both parents so you know which diseases your pup might inherit.
Gypzy's Labs does testing for Hip Dysplasia through PennHIP, Elbow Dysplasia, Shoulder Osteochondrosis, Retinal Dysplasia, Heart Disease, and Thyroid Disease through Orthopedic Foundation For Animals, Inc. (OFA). Your pup has a 26-MONTH HIP, ELBOW, SHOULDER, AND EYE GUARANTEE, from date of birth, against Hip, Elbow, and Retinal Dysplasia and Shoulder Osteochondrosis. Should your pup develop Genetically-caused Hip, Elbow, or Retinal Dysplasia or Shoulder Osteochondrosis in this time period, Gypzy's Labs will cover the cost of veterinary bills, up to the purchase price of the pup. The Dysplasia or Osteochondrosis must be confirmed in collaboration with your vet and Gypzy’s Labs’ vet as Genetically-caused to be eligible for remuneration. You may choose to return the pup, however, this is not a requirement. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and Shoulder Osteochondrosis can also be caused by osteoarthritis, environmental/lifestyle factors, age and obesity. Feed a high-quality food, avoid excessive stress on the joints, and keep your pup at a healthy weight to prevent other causes of Hip or Elbow Dysplasia or Shoulder Osteochondrosis.
You want to find a breeder that offers at minimum 24-month guarantee from date going home or 26-month guarantee from date of birth, as pups' hips cannot be certified until they are 1 year old with PennHIP, and 2 years old for Hips, Elbows, and Shoulders with OFA. (Preliminaries can be done sooner, buat are not considered Certified.) 26-months gives you a 2-month window to have the X-rays taken to test for Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and Shoulder Osteochondrosis.
BUYER BEWARE!!! Some breeders offer a 1 year health guarantee. Hips, Elbows, and Shoulders cannot be certified through OFA until the pup is 2 years old, so a 1 year guarantee is useless! Many of these breeders do not have any testing done on their own dogs or their dogs' grandparents. Ask to see their testing results, do not assume they have them, and request a 26-month guarantee. Some breeders' guarantees do not offer any reimbursement of money and require you to return your pup in order to get a "replacement". I don't know about you, but I'd find it very difficult to return my dog when it fails its hip, elbow, or shoulder test after 2 years of loving it. Ask to see the guarantee, you want one that offers a refund to cover medical expenses. You also want to find a breeder that has a history of producing quality, healthy labs. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and Shoulder Osteochondrosis can skip generations, so a clear test for the parents is not the only determining factor for choosing a breeder. There are some breeders that have been in the business for 25 years and have never done testing yet have never once had an affected pup; there are other breeders that have done the testing yet have produced affected pups, but continue breeding their stock because they have tested well, regardless of the end result. You want to find a breeder that keeps in touch with their progeny and knows their ailments.
Also beware of breeders that require you to remain on a certain brand of food or vitamin in order to validate your health guarantee. Pups will remain genetically healthy regardless which food or vitamins it consumes; food does not affect genetics! There is nothing wrong with suggesting certain food or vitamins, but receiving a guaranteed commission from suppliers should not be part of any health guarantee. (We personally use and recommend TLC Pet Food, https://tlcpetfood.com/nutrition/gypzyslabradorretrievers/ but you are not required to use it in order to validate your guarantee. You may choose to feed your pup whatever you decide is best.)
Gypzy's Labs will vaccinate your pup for Distemper, Parainfluenza, Parovirus, and two types of Adenovirus at 7-8 weeks of age. Your pup will need a booster vaccination at 12 weeks of age and a second booster at 16 weeks of age. Rabies vaccination will be given at 16 weeks. There are other vaccinations available, such as Kennel Cough, Leptospirosis, and Lyme, but may not be necessary depending on your lifestyle; your vet will discuss these with you. Thereafter, vaccinations are administered yearly.
Gypzy's Labs will deworm your pup at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Your pup should continue to be dewormed every two weeks until 12 weeks old, then every month until 6 months old, then every 6 months (2 doses two weeks apart) for the rest of its life. Alternatively, after 12 weeks, you may have the pup's stool tested once a month until 6 months and every 6 months thereafter to see if a dewormer is required prior to administration. However, this is not an option for young pups as there is a high rate of false negative fecal examinations, and as such, intentional preventative bi-weekly deworming is recommended for pups under 12 weeks of age. Heartworm preventative medication is given yearly beginning at 6 months of age. Gypzy's Labs offers a LIMITED PARASITIC HEALTH GUARANTEE. This guarantee is against common parasites, provided a stool sample is tested by your vet within 3 days of going home. Gypzy's Labs recommends the Idexx-Ova & Parasite + Giardia lab test. (The cheaper, more common fecal flotation test cannot detect all parasites.) Should the stool sample results be positive for common parasites, Gypzy's Labs will cover the cost of prescription medication to treat the parasite, up to the purchase price of the pup.
Gypzy's Labs recommends that you research the pros and cons of vaccinations. If you choose a Holistic approach or a delayed approach to preventing Distemper, Parainfluenza, Parovirus, and Adenovirus, Gypzy's Labs will honour this decision and will not vaccinate your pup at 6-8 weeks. However, Gypzy's Labs will not be held responsible should any of these diseases occur.
Gypzy's Labs provides a 30-day puppy insurance trial from Trupanion. This will cover any illness or injuries not covered by the health guarantee. The best time to get insurance is while your dog is a puppy because you’ll get the best value out of your coverage. The younger the pet, the less likely they are to have pre-existing conditions. That means more coverable conditions in case something happens. There are no pet insurance providers that cover pre-existing conditions, so the sooner you enroll, the better. With a Trupanion policy, they base the monthly cost for life on your puppy’s age when they enrolled. That means if you enroll your pet when they’re a puppy, they’ll always be priced as a puppy — even when they’re a senior dog. Trupanion puppy insurance provides 90% coverage for all new injuries and illness. They also have a flexible deductible so you can adjust how much you pay and they have no yearly limits. Every pet health insurer offers a free trial, so if you would like to use a different company, please do your research and sign up for a trial. Some companies are: Pet Plan (they have 13 different insurers listed on their website, including Pets+Us), Pet Secure, and Trupanion.
546 pups have been produced directly from our bloodlines at our kennel and at the kennels of breeders whom we mentor. We have never had any Genetic Health Claims. We keep in touch with our pups' owners and get regular Pupdates. Only ten of these pups have reported an issue: Three dogs tore an ACL at 10 months, 2, and 3 years of age, (not hereditary). One had histiocytic sarcoma at 3 years of age (again not hereditary). One had a lipoma (benign fat cell overgrowth found in older dogs. It is caused by a mix of risk factors, some environmental, some may be genetic. Surgery is optional for cosmetics.) One had Osteochondritis Dissecans (torn cartilage) which was attributed to diet (too much carbs and calcium) and strenuous activity (again not genetic). One pup had a luxating patella. Labs are not known to be genetically predisposed to luxating patella. Three pups may have food sensitivities. (These sensitivities were not diagnosed or confirmed via bloodwork. It is most likely not genetic, as all our dogs and most pups still eat TLC pet food, and no others are sensitive to it). We take pride in producing high-quality family pets, therapy dogs, and working dogs.
Urinary System/Urologic- Associated with the kidneys, bladder, ureters and urethra- Hyperuricosuria, Cystinuria
Musculoskeletal -Associated with muscles, bones, and associated structures- Centronuclear Myopathy, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Myotubular Myopathy X-Linked, Skeletal Dysplasia 2 (Mild Disproportionate Dwarfism)
Haemolymphatic- Associated with the blood and lymph- Congenital Macrothrombocytopenia, Elliptocytosis B-Spectrin
Nervous System/Neurologic- Associated with the brain, spinal cord, and nerves- Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome, Degenerative Myelopathy, Exercise Induced Collapse, Narcolepsy
Dermatologic- Associated with the skin- Hereditary Nasal Parakeratosis (Dry Nose),
Opthalmologic- Associated with the eyes and associated structures- Achromatopsia, Macular Corneal Dystrophy, Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration, Stargardt Disease
Metabolic- Associated with the enzymes and metabolic processes of cells- Malignant Hyperthermia, Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
Your pup has a LIFETIME GENETIC GUARANTEE against the above diseases. Should your pup test 'affected' for any of the above (which it won't, because we test to make sure it cannot get them), Gypzy's Labs will cover the cost of veterinary bills, up to the purchase price of the pup.
BUYER BEWARE!! Many breeders will tell you they have done the Embark testing for 210 diseases. Only 18 of the 210 Embark tests actually apply to the Labrador Retriever breed. Many breeders do not do the Orivet Extensive Full Panel DNA testing which now tests for 19 diseases and 11 traits but rather only do DNA testing for a few select diseases. Centronuclear Myopathy (CNM), Cystinuria, Degenerative Myelopathy (DM), Exercise Induced Collapse (EIC), and Progressive Rod Cone Degeneration (PRCD/PRA) are the most commonly tested, other breeders don’t do any DNA testing at all. Ask which DNA tests have been completed on both parents so you know which diseases your pup might inherit.
Gypzy's Labs does testing for Hip Dysplasia through PennHIP, Elbow Dysplasia, Shoulder Osteochondrosis, Retinal Dysplasia, Heart Disease, and Thyroid Disease through Orthopedic Foundation For Animals, Inc. (OFA). Your pup has a 26-MONTH HIP, ELBOW, SHOULDER, AND EYE GUARANTEE, from date of birth, against Hip, Elbow, and Retinal Dysplasia and Shoulder Osteochondrosis. Should your pup develop Genetically-caused Hip, Elbow, or Retinal Dysplasia or Shoulder Osteochondrosis in this time period, Gypzy's Labs will cover the cost of veterinary bills, up to the purchase price of the pup. The Dysplasia or Osteochondrosis must be confirmed in collaboration with your vet and Gypzy’s Labs’ vet as Genetically-caused to be eligible for remuneration. You may choose to return the pup, however, this is not a requirement. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and Shoulder Osteochondrosis can also be caused by osteoarthritis, environmental/lifestyle factors, age and obesity. Feed a high-quality food, avoid excessive stress on the joints, and keep your pup at a healthy weight to prevent other causes of Hip or Elbow Dysplasia or Shoulder Osteochondrosis.
You want to find a breeder that offers at minimum 24-month guarantee from date going home or 26-month guarantee from date of birth, as pups' hips cannot be certified until they are 1 year old with PennHIP, and 2 years old for Hips, Elbows, and Shoulders with OFA. (Preliminaries can be done sooner, buat are not considered Certified.) 26-months gives you a 2-month window to have the X-rays taken to test for Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and Shoulder Osteochondrosis.
BUYER BEWARE!!! Some breeders offer a 1 year health guarantee. Hips, Elbows, and Shoulders cannot be certified through OFA until the pup is 2 years old, so a 1 year guarantee is useless! Many of these breeders do not have any testing done on their own dogs or their dogs' grandparents. Ask to see their testing results, do not assume they have them, and request a 26-month guarantee. Some breeders' guarantees do not offer any reimbursement of money and require you to return your pup in order to get a "replacement". I don't know about you, but I'd find it very difficult to return my dog when it fails its hip, elbow, or shoulder test after 2 years of loving it. Ask to see the guarantee, you want one that offers a refund to cover medical expenses. You also want to find a breeder that has a history of producing quality, healthy labs. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia and Shoulder Osteochondrosis can skip generations, so a clear test for the parents is not the only determining factor for choosing a breeder. There are some breeders that have been in the business for 25 years and have never done testing yet have never once had an affected pup; there are other breeders that have done the testing yet have produced affected pups, but continue breeding their stock because they have tested well, regardless of the end result. You want to find a breeder that keeps in touch with their progeny and knows their ailments.
Also beware of breeders that require you to remain on a certain brand of food or vitamin in order to validate your health guarantee. Pups will remain genetically healthy regardless which food or vitamins it consumes; food does not affect genetics! There is nothing wrong with suggesting certain food or vitamins, but receiving a guaranteed commission from suppliers should not be part of any health guarantee. (We personally use and recommend TLC Pet Food, https://tlcpetfood.com/nutrition/gypzyslabradorretrievers/ but you are not required to use it in order to validate your guarantee. You may choose to feed your pup whatever you decide is best.)
Gypzy's Labs will vaccinate your pup for Distemper, Parainfluenza, Parovirus, and two types of Adenovirus at 7-8 weeks of age. Your pup will need a booster vaccination at 12 weeks of age and a second booster at 16 weeks of age. Rabies vaccination will be given at 16 weeks. There are other vaccinations available, such as Kennel Cough, Leptospirosis, and Lyme, but may not be necessary depending on your lifestyle; your vet will discuss these with you. Thereafter, vaccinations are administered yearly.
Gypzy's Labs will deworm your pup at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks of age. Your pup should continue to be dewormed every two weeks until 12 weeks old, then every month until 6 months old, then every 6 months (2 doses two weeks apart) for the rest of its life. Alternatively, after 12 weeks, you may have the pup's stool tested once a month until 6 months and every 6 months thereafter to see if a dewormer is required prior to administration. However, this is not an option for young pups as there is a high rate of false negative fecal examinations, and as such, intentional preventative bi-weekly deworming is recommended for pups under 12 weeks of age. Heartworm preventative medication is given yearly beginning at 6 months of age. Gypzy's Labs offers a LIMITED PARASITIC HEALTH GUARANTEE. This guarantee is against common parasites, provided a stool sample is tested by your vet within 3 days of going home. Gypzy's Labs recommends the Idexx-Ova & Parasite + Giardia lab test. (The cheaper, more common fecal flotation test cannot detect all parasites.) Should the stool sample results be positive for common parasites, Gypzy's Labs will cover the cost of prescription medication to treat the parasite, up to the purchase price of the pup.
Gypzy's Labs recommends that you research the pros and cons of vaccinations. If you choose a Holistic approach or a delayed approach to preventing Distemper, Parainfluenza, Parovirus, and Adenovirus, Gypzy's Labs will honour this decision and will not vaccinate your pup at 6-8 weeks. However, Gypzy's Labs will not be held responsible should any of these diseases occur.
Gypzy's Labs provides a 30-day puppy insurance trial from Trupanion. This will cover any illness or injuries not covered by the health guarantee. The best time to get insurance is while your dog is a puppy because you’ll get the best value out of your coverage. The younger the pet, the less likely they are to have pre-existing conditions. That means more coverable conditions in case something happens. There are no pet insurance providers that cover pre-existing conditions, so the sooner you enroll, the better. With a Trupanion policy, they base the monthly cost for life on your puppy’s age when they enrolled. That means if you enroll your pet when they’re a puppy, they’ll always be priced as a puppy — even when they’re a senior dog. Trupanion puppy insurance provides 90% coverage for all new injuries and illness. They also have a flexible deductible so you can adjust how much you pay and they have no yearly limits. Every pet health insurer offers a free trial, so if you would like to use a different company, please do your research and sign up for a trial. Some companies are: Pet Plan (they have 13 different insurers listed on their website, including Pets+Us), Pet Secure, and Trupanion.
546 pups have been produced directly from our bloodlines at our kennel and at the kennels of breeders whom we mentor. We have never had any Genetic Health Claims. We keep in touch with our pups' owners and get regular Pupdates. Only ten of these pups have reported an issue: Three dogs tore an ACL at 10 months, 2, and 3 years of age, (not hereditary). One had histiocytic sarcoma at 3 years of age (again not hereditary). One had a lipoma (benign fat cell overgrowth found in older dogs. It is caused by a mix of risk factors, some environmental, some may be genetic. Surgery is optional for cosmetics.) One had Osteochondritis Dissecans (torn cartilage) which was attributed to diet (too much carbs and calcium) and strenuous activity (again not genetic). One pup had a luxating patella. Labs are not known to be genetically predisposed to luxating patella. Three pups may have food sensitivities. (These sensitivities were not diagnosed or confirmed via bloodwork. It is most likely not genetic, as all our dogs and most pups still eat TLC pet food, and no others are sensitive to it). We take pride in producing high-quality family pets, therapy dogs, and working dogs.