This website is not directly affiliated with the Leonberger club but
it is sanctioned by the Health Research and Education Committee, as well
as the Leonberger Health Foundation. The site
was created to offer you information about the Leonberger, health
problems in the breed, and to serve as a memorial to those Leonbergers
who left us too soon. Whenever possible, we will offer assistance if
your Leonberger is ill, and when we cannot answer your questions, we
will do whatever we can to find the information for you or refer you to
someone
with knowledge of the disorder.
Since we are dealing with the health and well being of Leonbergers,
this website will be used to inform and warn you about the sad fact of puppy
mills and how they are beginning to affect the Leonberger.
This is a work in progress dedicated to those Leonbergers whose lives
were cut short by fatal diseases. Please share your stories here
so other Leonbergers may benefit from your experiences. We
encourage every one whose Leonberger may be ill now, and those whose
dogs died either suddenly, or after a
prolonged illness, to read about the
importance of doing a biopsy and/or
a necropsy. The Leonberger Club of America is gathering
information that will help us all to understand the health of
Leonbergers and pursue genetic testing and treatments for diseases that
are fatal. Please fill out the
Cause of Death Registry
form and send it to the
club.
I know how hard it is to think about anything but your pain when
you have lost your Leo but the more information we all contribute to
understanding the types of diseases and causes of death, the better
chance we have of someday guaranteeing these incredible creatures good
health and longevity. Please also take a moment to fill out the
form at on the
Mortality Study page.
A better understanding of the triggers and causes of canine cancers
is the best hope for the future. Please visit the
Canine Cancer Research Underway page
to see if you can participate in one of the projects.
If your Leonberger died at an age when it should be alive and
thriving, we would be honored to include a photo of your Leo.
Contact us for more information.
All of us who have lost these beautiful companions to a disease are
aware of how difficult it is to watch the life of your dear friend
slipping away, yet you are powerless to prevent the end result--death.
For that reason, this website also offers a comprehensive article on
Finding a Reputable Breeder.
Though it is not a guarantee of
a long life span, it will give you some peace of mind to know you have found a breeder who
is aware of genetic health problems and anxious to breed only healthy
Leonbergers. When it comes to breeding dogs, ignorance is no excuse for
producing sick puppies.
Our thanks to the Leonberger Club of America for allowing us to link to
so many pages at their website. We are in the process of adding
pages to this website. As time allows, we plan to include topics
such as cardiomyopathy, orthopedic
problems, additional cancer articles, environmental toxins that trigger
diseases, and many more. Your comments are always welcome.
