POODLE HEALTH
The health of your poodle' as with any pet' should be paramount to you. A healthy poodle is a happy poodle.
You should regularly be on the look out for any signs that your poodle isn't feeling in top condition. Take note if they've got no appetite' dull eyes' a runny nose or diarrhoea or vomiting. Don't leave things and hope they'll recover. Like a child' a dog can't tell you what's wrong and a symptom ignored could be the sign of something more serious. At the first sign of any problems book an appointment with the vet.
Whether you get your poodle from a puppy or as an older dog your vet should be a close contact. Always have their number to hand in case of emergencies and don't ever miss any immunisations. Don't ever try remedies for your poodle yourself - seek the advice of a professional - as you may cause more damage and distress to your pet.
It's useful to have a 'doggy' first aid kit in the home in case of emergencies. This should consist of bandages' antiseptic cream or wipes and tweezers at a minimum. Then you can deal with any cuts and grazes temporarily before you get to the vet. Tweezers are useful to remove foreign bodies' however' don't attempt to remove something that's embedded quite deeply' such as a stone or thorne' as you're likely to make the situation worse.
Inherent Poodle Diseases
As with all breeds of dog there are some inherited diseases. When buying from a breeder always ask if the family has been tested for the common poodle diseases. A good breeder will have done this and be able to show you certificates. A breeder that states it's not necessary is a doubtful breeder and should be avoided as they are putting the health of the poodle and the future of the breed at risk.
Some common poodle diseases are listed below. Note that some are more relevant to the different sizes of the breed than others. We advise you to ask your vet which diseases are common to your particular poodle.
- Hip Dysplasia - degeneration of the pelvic joint
- Epilepsy - convulsions and possible loss of consciousness
- Gastric Torsion-Bloat - twisting of the stomach' sometimes caused by overeating
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) - deterioration of the retina leading to blindness
- Legg-Calve-Perthe's Disease - deterioration of the hip joint cartilage
- Sebaceous Adenitis - skin disease leading to eventual loss of hair
- Patellar Luxation - dislocation of the kneecap
- Von Willebrand's Disease - a blood disorder common in many breeds
- Addison's Disease - insufficient production of adrenal hormones for the adrenal gland
To end on a happy note' it's generally thought that larger dogs don't live as long as smaller ones' but in the case of the poodle this doesn't seem to apply. There are cases of poodles living up to 20 years' we don't really know why' but this is a good reason to have a poodle as a 'lifelong' companion.