The Poodle is a very intelligent, good natured, very elegant in appearance, and sturdy dog with a long life span. Depending on the lines in the poodles pedigree, life expectancies average between 10 to 18 years. I have heard of some poodles (all three sizes) living up to 21 years. The three sizes mature at different rates; the Toy at 7 months, the Miniature at 12 months and the Standard at 18 to 24 Months.
Like all purebred dogs, the Poodle has its share of inheritable health problems. The Toy and Miniature seem to share the same disorders, while there is some variation in the Standard's disorders.
We recommend that when purchasing a puppy you ensure that the breeder has certificates for testing: HIPS, SA* and VWD in Standards, PRA and Hips should be tested in Miniatures and PRA in Toys. Ensure that you have the information for both Sire and Dam. *note SA needs to be tested every two years
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Genetically based disorders in the Toy and Miniature include:
Progressive Retinal Atrophy a disorder of the eye in which the light cells in the retina wither and die due to insufficient blood supply. the disease progresses Gradually, results in blindness and has no known cure. Its onset in the Poodle is between 5 to 6 years old. The presence of PRA can be detected by ophthalmascopic examination by a veterinary ophthalmologist.
Corneal Dystrophy - Corneal dystrophies" are diseases of the cornea that are bilateral, non-inflammatory and inherited.
Legg-Calve'-Perthes - a disorder in which non-inflammatory a vascular necrosis of the femoral neck and head result in one of both of a young dog's rear legs becoming lame. Irritability and pain are other primary symptoms. Some dogs recover and function without treatment, but in severe case surgical removal of the femur head is indicated.
Patella Sub-luxation - or slipped kneecap, a condition in which the patella slides in and out of the groove where it is normally held in place by ligaments. This causes hopping or favoring of the leg until the kneecap slips back into place. In some cases, it can be surgically corrected.
Epilepsy - a neurological disorder marked by recurring seizures that follow episodic, abnormal discharges of electrical impulses by nerve cells in the brain. As in humans, it is controlled with drugs such as Phenobarbital or Dilantin.
Hypothyroidism - a condition resulting from an inadequate production of thyroid hormone. Also treated with drug therapy, its symptoms include a coarse, brittle coat that falls out, thickening and discoloration of the skin, lethargy, obesity, mental slowness and irregular heart cycles.
Cryptorchidism - or undescended testicle, a condition in which one or both testicles are retained in the abdominal cavity. Hormone injections, given to stimulate testicular descent, sometimes are successful. When the treatment is unsuccessful, removal of the testicles is recommended because cryptorchid testicles may become cancerous.
Mitral Valve Disease - The heart consists of 4 chambers - 2 atria and 2 ventricles. The atrioventricular (AV) valves ensure that the blood flows from the atria to the ventricles when the heart beats. A defect in the mitral valve (the left atrioventricular valve) causes backflow of blood into the left atrium, or mitral regurgitation. Less commonly, a narrowing or stenosis of the valve can be identified. Because of the leaky valve, the heart is less efficient at pumping blood to the body.
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA) - A decrease in the number of red blood cells (RBC's) or the amount of hemoglobin, resulting in a decrease in the oxygen- carrying capacity of the blood.
Cushings Disease - This is a disease that occurs from the overproduction of cortisone by the adrenal glands.
The Standard is also subject to:
Hip Dysplasia - a condition in which the head of the femur fits improperly into the hip joint socket, causing Pain and lameness. Pain killers and/or surgery are the usual treatments.
Genetically based disorders in The Standard Poodle include:
PRA, Epilepsy, and Hypothyroidism (same as with the Toy and Miniature above.)
Corneal Dystrophy - Corneal dystrophies" are diseases of the cornea that are bilateral, non-inflammatory and inherited (same as Toy and Miniatures
Hip Dyplasia (see above, same as Miniature. The Toy does not seem to suffer from this one.)
Addisons Disease - A disorder caused by a deficiency in adreno cortical hormonesmost commonly occurring in young to middle aged dogs.
Cushings Disease - This is a disease that occurs from the overproduction of cortisone by the adrenal glands.
Von Willebrand's Disease - a disorder that involves a tendency to bleed easily, is caused by a deficiency in the von Willebrand factor, a protein found in the blood plasma. As with PRA and hip dysplasia, VWD testing is recommended.
Sebaceous Adenitis - A chronic skin disorder resulting from abnormal and/or inflamed, or in some cases a total absence of, sebaceous glands. Symptoms include hair loss, formation of silver-gray scales and secondary skin infections with an offensive odor. Therapeutic baths and antibiotics for secondary infections are the recommended treatments.
Bloat/Gastric Torsion - A life threatening condition that occurs when the stomach swells with gas and then twists cutting off its blood supply.
Liver Shunts - Liver Shunts are abnormal vascular connections between the hepatic portal vein and systemic circulation. Such anomalies cause blood in the gastrointestinal tract to be diverted past the liver, there by limiting the liver's vital functions in metabolism and detoxification of compounds.
JRD - Juvenile renal disease (JRD) and other congenital or familial forms of renal dysplasia are seen in about twenty breeds of dogs including The Standard Poodle. According to Kenneth Bovee, DVM, (Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania), the clinical entity has considerable variation from breed to breed and has completely different prevalence rates. A table which lists all of the congenital and familial renal diseases of dogs by breed can be found in Veterinary Pediatrics Dogs & Cats from Birth to Six Months.
Mitral Valve Disease - The heart consists of 4 chambers - 2 atria and 2 ventricles. The atrioventricular (AV) valves ensure that the blood flows from the atria to the ventricles when the heart beats. A defect in the mitral valve (the left atrioventricular valve) causes backflow of blood into the left atrium, or mitral regurgitation. Less commonly, a narrowing or stenosis of the valve can be identified. Because of the leaky valve, the heart is less efficient at pumping blood to the body.
Entropian - An eye condition in which the eyelids are grown inward, causing the eye lashes to come into contact with the eye itself.
Autoimmune Disease - If a dog has an autoimmune disease, the immune system mistakenly attacks self, targeting the cells, tissues, and organs of a dogs own body. A collection of immune system cells and molecules at a target site is broadly referred to as inflammation.
Hereditary Eye Disease - Genetic Eye Problems
Elbow Dysplasia or O.C.D. - Elbow Dysplasia has been coined to describe three developmental conditions, osteochondrosis/ osteochondritis dissecans (OC/OCD) of the humeral condyle, ununited anconeal process (UAP), and fragmented coronoid process (FCP), that commonly affect the elbow of many large and giant breeds of dogs.
Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA) - A decrease in the number of red blood cells (RBC's) or the amount of hemoglobin, resulting in a decrease in the oxygen- carrying capacity of the blood.
Infectious Diseases
Kennel Cough - Canine infectious tracheobronchitis (kennel cough) is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in dogs. Fortunately, the majority of cases are not serious resolving on their own in 1 to 2 weeks . But because some dogs develop life threatening complications, you should take precautions to prevent your Poodle from becoming infected with this highly contagious disease. There is a vaccine for kennel cough.
Parvo - Prior to 1977-78, Parvovirus did not exist in the dog. The virus is a close relative of feline Panleukopenia (feline distemper) and in fact, may have mutated from the cat and infected the dog in the late 1970`s.
Distemper - Canine distemper occurs wherever there are dogs. It is the greatest single disease threat to the world's dog population.
Leptospirosis - Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira.
