Puppies & parents (brother/sister)

Question
QUESTION: GSD puppies they are 4 weeks old and so far doing well.  I'm thinking about adopting and not sure if it's a good idea.  (they are free, go figure!)  What if any health problems will they have, will they require medications or have a short life span?  I don't know if these are the right questions.  Should I  stay clear?  And if adoption is something I do the pup would be spayed or neutered at about 4 - 5 months.  Thanks for any help with this matter.

ANSWER: I'm sorry, but I'm drawing a blank -- what does GSD mean? I'd be happy to try & help if you could clarify the question for me. Thanks!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I'm trying to decide if it's wise to adopt a pup, they are German Shepherds and the parents are brother/sister?  I don't know what if any health probelms to expect.  
Thank you for your time and help, Cat

Answer
OHHH! OK, got'cha! So many acronyms these days & it's difficult to keep up!

As for your interest in adopting the German Shepherd puppy - If I understand you correctly, you're saying that the parents of this litter are brother & sister? If so, that can be an "iffy" situation. If they're actual littermates I would advise against adopting the puppy as it will likely, although not definitely, have some genetic health issues. If the parents are brother & sister but from separate litters the chances of serious health problems are less.

And all in all, if the parents are siblings yet from separate litters, a lot would depend on the breeder & any & all info they're willing to provide on the puppies' parents health. If the adults are in good health & the puppies have received all the necessary veterinary health exams, wormings, vaccinations, etc. and no problems have been found it's possible nothing major will ever occur. I'm assuming you won't actually be taking possession of the puppy until it's a minimum of 8 weeks of age -- if the breeder is suggesting you take it earlier than that I'd be very wary. In many states, a puppy must be a minimum of 8 weeks of age & also have a veterinary issued health certificate, which lists all vaccinations, wormings, etc provided to date as well as a comprehensive exam. At 8 weeks of age, the puppies should have received a minimum of 2 wormings, at least one & preferably 2 sets of vaccinations including parvovirus. They should also be parasite free for such things as fleas, ticks or mites. Also keep in mind that even if the puppy should check out fine during an exam it's entirely possible certain health issues may not manifest until a later age.
As for health problems common in German Shepherds, the following are most common to the breed:

Canine hip dysplasia
Elbow Dysplasia
Panosteitis

Obviously it's impossible to say with 100% degree of certainty whether or not the puppy may have inherited health problems -- the main drawback in in-breeding is you can have two healthy dogs that may have recessive genes for health problems so obviously if offspring are produced they will likely inherit the problem only in them it won't remain recessive. There's nothing more heart-breaking not to mention financially taxing than getting a puppy that requires a lifetime of extensive health care.

Personally, my opinion would be to steer clear. You might look into some local shelters or contact a German Shepherd rescue group if you're interested in the breed. I think you'd stand a better chance of getting a higher quality puppy that way than one from this situation. Another avenue to explore is if you don't want to get a puppy from a professional breeder due to cost many show breeders will often sell a puppy that simply has a minor flaw that precludes it from being successful in the show ring but would still make an excellent pet. Often they will sell such a puppy at a very reasonable price.

I'm including a few links on common health problems in the breed as well as some info on inbreeding for your review. I hope this helps!


http://www.dogbiz.com/dogs-grp7/germ-shep/german-shepherd-health-issues.html

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/health/germanshepherds.html

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/germanshepherds.html
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/inbreeding.htm

http://www.geocities.com/farmcollie1/inbreeding.html