Pet Topics

While ranked as one of the ten most popular breeds, Poodles also have their share of Poodle health problems just like any other dog breed. Problems that affect the eyes are the most common for Poodles. Progressive retinal atrophy or PRA is the most common eye problem for Poodles. This condition destroys the photoreceptors found on the retina in the eye. Basically it causes the retina to shrivel up as the disease progresses until the dog goes completely blind. As the dog ages the condition will get progressively worse, but it can appear in dogs anywhere between two years of age to eight years of age. A sudden appearance of being afraid of the dark is the most common symptom for a dog with this condition. PRA is also caused by a recessive gene that can remain dormant in a line of dogs for several generations before showing up in a dog. It is very difficult to predict which dogs will get PRA and currently there is no cure.
There are many more Poodle health problems that you should be aware and not just the eyes. Your dog can be affected by other Poodle health problems such as a bleeding disorder known as Von Willebrand’s Disease, which affects the proteins in the platelets. As a result the dog’s platelets don’t have their normal adhesive properties and then they can’t stick together in order to stop a dog from bleeding. The blood will not clot normally with any injury. Typically this condition is unnoticed in the dog until they have surgery or experience a traumatic injury, usually causing the dog to bleed out before treatment can be done.

If you have a miniature Poodle then there is achondroplasia, which is a condition where the long bone cartilage in the leg hardens because of their abnormally short legs. For the larger standard Poodle the common bone problem is hip dysphasia, which is a malformation of the hip socket and femoral head. Then there are allergies that can cause skin conditions on the face and feet. Some can result in itching, others in moist and smelly skin and still others that cause pustules to appear.
Other Poodle health problems include bloat, which can occur in the standard Poodle. Any large breed that is deep chested can get this condition. It is unknown what the exact cause of this condition is but the results are always quick and fatal. An excessive amount of gas and stomach fluids fill up the stomach with this condition, which causes the stomach to blow up like a balloon. This buildup occurs when the stomach flips over on itself and causes both ends to twist close. This condition can only be cured by surgical care from a veterinarian within a few hours. The dog will die without care from a veterinarian and it will be a very painful death. While the bad news is that even with surgery the dog doesn’t have a high chance of survival, the good news is that the successful surgeries will often correct the problem for the life of the dog.

To maintain proper Poodle care you need to be aware of conditions that can affect your pets health. It is also important that you know when to seeking emergency care for your Poodle.