Our Health Guarantee

We go to great lengths to produce healthy, genetically sound puppies to be a member of your family. Puppies whelped at Red Tide Retrievers carry a 3 year hip, elbow, and eye guarantee, along with a lifetime genetic diseases guarantee. We, the breeders, guarantee to you, the buyer, that your Red Tide pup’s hips and elbows will be certifiable through the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and receive a score no less than “fair” for hips and “normal” for elbows until the age of 3 years. The pup’s eyes will be certifiable by the OFA Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER) to be free of observable hereditary eye diseases until the age of 3 years, receiving a score of “normal”. The pup will be clear on a genetic panel for all hereditary genetic diseases in its lifetime. We do not have any “carriers” of genetic diseases in our breeding program, but if one of our females is bred to a “carrier” of a genetic disease we will be transparent about that to all puppy buyers of puppies from that litter.

Guidelines:

The x-rays must be taken by a board certified veterinarian and evaluated by OFA before the puppy turns 3 years of age.
OFA will be the sole judge regarding hip dysplasia. The hips must be rejected by OFA with a score less than “fair”.
The ophthalmic examinations must be performed by an American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologist (ACVO) Diplomat.
CAER will be the sole judge regarding hereditary eye diseases. The eyes must receive a score other than “normal” and be rejected by CAER.
This dog must not be used for breeding until approved by OFA, CAER, and Red Tide Retrievers. If said dog has whelped/sired a litter beforehand, then the guarantee is null and void.
For females, radiographs must not be taken within 30 days before or after her heat cycle. All dogs must have proper positioning and meet OFA standards.
In the case of hip and/or elbow dysplasia, you must submit a copy of the radiographs and the OFA report to Red Tide Retrievers. The dog must be proven to be genetically dysplastic.
This guarantee is null and void if the dog was not fed an appropriate large breed puppy or other growth-appropriate commercial dog food diet for the first 12 months of age. Appropriate commercial diets contain a label stating “animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that ____ provides complete and balance nutrition for a) growth, or b) all life stages of dogs.” Appropriate diets for growing large breed puppies contain calcium and phosphorous levels in the range of 0.8% to 1.2% by dry weight.
This guarantee is null and void if the dog has been subjected to excessive physical stress, if altered (spayed/neutered) before 18-24 months of age, and/or is overweight (more than 5/9 on a 1-9 body condition scale, underweight (less than 3/9 on a 1-9 body condition), poorly conditioned, injured, treated with medication known to cause arthropathy (cartilage damage) such as enrofloxacin (Baytril), tetracyclines, TMS/SMZs, sold, or bred prior to attaining the final OFA/CAER certifications.
Upon receipt of hip/elbow films and consultation with their own veterinarian, RTR reserves the right to a second opinion of their choosing of the dog’s hips and/or elbows, including another set of films, at the buyer’s expense.
In the case of progressive retinal atrophy, central progressive retinal atrophy, or any other hereditable eye disease on or before 3 years of age, you must submit a copy of the CAER report to Red Tide Retrievers. The ophthalmologist must state in writing that the defect is due finitely of a hereditary nature and is not caused by injury or illness.
If this dog receives “failing” scores for any of their OFA and/or CAER testing, the dog must be spayed or neutered. In the event that the dog receives a failing score and is spayed or neutered, a copy of the said procedure must be sent to us. You have the choice of keeping your dog/puppy or returning the dog to RTR, along with all registration/vet records/microchip information. A copy of this guarantee must accompany the dog. This guarantee must be in the original owner’s name, and is non-transferrable to new owners if the dog is transferred or sold.
Any puppy/dog purchased from Red Tide Retrievers that is found to have retinal or hip dysplasia and is not OFA and/or CAER certifiable, and has followed the above guidelines will be given the option of a replacement puppy of comparable breeding and price. If you choose to receive a puppy of higher breeding and/or price, the price of the dog covered by this guarantee will apply towards the higher price of the new puppy.
If the dog does not receive a passing rating with minor or moderate dysplasia the buyer may opt to exchange the pup for a replacement puppy; same sex and color and of equal value and return the dysplastic pup to RTR. Any differences in costs of the replacement pup must be covered by the buyer. Alternatively, if the buyer chooses the keep the pup, a replacement pup of equal value, sex and color will be available for purchase at half the original price. If the replacement pup is of greater value, half the value of the original purchase price will be subtracted from the value of the replacement pup. The buyer also has the option of being refunded half the original purchase price in lieu of a replacement pup. In case of severe dysplasia as certified by the OFA, a replacement pup of equal value, sex and color will be given to the buyer with the option of either keeping the pup or returning the dog to RTR.
There is a 3 month time limit for refunds and/or receiving a new puppy from the time that the disorder was discovered.
All shipping, travel, testing, and other expenses shall be the responsibility of the buyer. If returning a dog to RTR, all shipping charges are to be paid by the owner of the dog that is being returned.
Red Tide Retrievers guarantees the health of the puppy for seven days after receipt of your puppy. All puppies will be examined by our veterinarian before pick up/shipment and will come with a health certificate from the vet. We recommend you have your puppy examined by your veterinarian as soon as possible.