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No breed is without
its health issues, and that includes Standard Poodles. A reputable
breeder with the best interests of the breed at heart will be happy
to provide you with information on the health certifications of
their dogs, and will provide copies of the sire and dam health
certifications PRIOR to the purchase of a puppy. Selecting a puppy
from a reputable breeder doesn't guarantee you will never have a
problem, but it certainly gives you an advantage.
Here's more information to put in your "data bank" of research
towards your ultimate goal - - being owned by a Standard Poodle! I
could type huge amounts of information on the health issues of
Standard Poodles, but it doesn't get much more complete than the
information supplied on the Poodle Club of America website. I
encourage you to browse the PCA site, and thoroughly read the
information there on health issues in poodles. Don't let this
information keep you from owning a poodle – these are just health
problems that can appear in the breed, and things you should
simply be aware of so that you can provide for the future health of
your puppy.
The typical certifications you will receive from Standard Poodle
breeders will be eye certifications, SA testing, OFA testing ratings
for hips/elbows, vWD testing, often thyroid screening. Some breeders
may supply others, but these are most usual. Then it’s up to your
good judgment, good research, and good questions to give you the
best possible feeling you can have that you are dealing with an
honest, reputable breeder before making the decision to purchase a
puppy from that breeder. Ask as many questions as you need to
satisfy yourself. Many breeders will also offer some form of limited
health guarantee. In my personal opinion, a breeder who avoids
answering direct questions about health issues should be crossed off
your list. Having a health issue occur in a dog or its offspring is
nothing to be embarrassed about - - continuing to breed that animal
is. It is also irresponsible and contaminates the future of the
breed.
Poodle Club of America
http://www.poodleclubofamerica.org/health.htm
Health Issues in Poodles - Many issues concern poodle breeders
today, some of which affect only one of the varieties and some which
occur in the breed as a whole. Our site will provide some insight to
the topics that are of concern to Poodle owners.
o Addison's
o Basic Genetics
o Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (Bloat)
o Cushings
o Ear Care
o Epilepsy
o Hip Dysplasia
o Hypothyroidism
o Legg-Calve-Perthes
o Patellar Luxation
o PRA
o Optic Nerve Hypoplasia
o More Eye Health Links
o Sebaceous Adenitis (SA)
o Von Willebrand's disease (vWD)
o Neonatal Encephalopathy/Ataxia
Links to organizations dealing with these problems can be found on
our links page. One way that you can make a difference with these
issues is by giving to the PCA Foundation, which is working hard to
further the understanding of the diseases, genetic anomalies and
injuries which affect these dogs.
TO SPAY OR NOT TO SPAY, NEUTER OR NOT TO NEUTER
Medical Benefits of Spaying and Neutering
by Nancy Craig, V.M.D.
Animal welfare groups urge pet owners to act responsibly in the face
of an ever mounting pet overpopulation problem and have their pets
spayed or neutered. Others point out the headache and cost of trying
to raise and place a litter of puppies and kittens. While both of
these arguments are valid, I think one of the most important reasons
for having a pet sterilized is often overlooked. Spaying and
neutering assures your pet numerous medical benefits.
In fact, from a medical standpoint, neutering is second only to
annual vaccinations as a means of providing your pet a long and
healthy life.
The "natural" behavior patterns of unneutered male dogs—meant to
ensure their dominance and survival in the wild—become a medical
liability when living in an unnaturally crowded environment. Male
dogs tend to roam, increasing their chances for injury by an
automobile; and they also tend to fight, necessitating medical care
for wounds and infections.
Neutering not only diminishes the likelihood of these medical
problems, but also decreases or eliminates many of the illnesses
that intact male dogs are prone to later in life. Among these are
diseases of the prostate, testicles, and other tissues that are
influenced by male hormones. Testicular and perianal gland cancers
are the second and third most frequently diagnosed tumors in the
older intact male dog. And over 90 percent of all perineal hernias
occur in intact male dogs. Treatment for all these conditions
includes neutering. Performing this operation on an older male dog
is always a greater risk than it is on a young dog.
Unspayed female dogs and cats have much the same story as their male
counterparts. Giving birth to a litter of pups or kittens is a
stressful proposition under the best of circumstances, and most
animals take weeks or months to recover their full vigor after
weaning. Left unspayed, many of these females produce yet another
litter before this recovery has elapsed. They can become thin, weak
and debilitated. Consequently, they are more susceptible to
parasites and disease.
If a female dog is spayed, all her energies can go toward protecting
her own health. Further, if she is spayed when she is young before
her second heat—it will virtually eliminate the possibility of her
developing mammary gland cancer later in life. This is a very common
cancer in older intact female dogs, and the most common cancer to
spread to the lungs.
Spaying also entirely eliminates diseases of the ovaries and uterus;
infections of the uterus are the major cause of illness in older
unspayed female dogs and cats. These infections are so serious that
spaying is generally recommended, as well as antibiotics. Just as in
the males, this operation is much less risky on a healthy young
female than on a sick and older one.
To help ensure your pet a longer and healthier life, and to keep
your veterinary costs to a minimum, have your pet spayed or
neutered.
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