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The Poodle Dog Breed Tips And Advice On Health And Care

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Author: John Williams

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. Poodle health problems include bloat, which can occur in standard Poodles. This is a condition that can happen in any breed that is large and deep chested. While the exact cause is not known the results of this condition are always and quickly fatal. With this condition the stomach fills with an excessive amount of gas and stomach fluids and cause the stomach to blow up like a balloon. The buildup is the result of the stomach flipping itself over causing both ends to twist close. The only cure for a dog with this condition is to receive surgical care from a veterinarian within a few hours. Without the care of a veterinarian the dog will die and it will be painful for the dog. However, the bad news is that even with surgery the dog's chances of survival are not that high, but successful surgeries often correct the problem for the life of the dog.

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