If you are considering adopting mini Labradoodle puppies, you should know how long they typically live. Health problems are the only real risk that your Labradoodle won’t live as long as it should. Inherited from both the Labrador and the poodle, Labradoodles are predisposed to a wide range of health problems.
When we say Labradoodles are “inclined,” we mean they have a little higher than average chance of having these health problems.
What Is A Labradoodle?
When a Labrador retriever and a poodle are bred together, the resulting hybrid is called a Labradoodle. They come in hybrid forms, combining characteristics of the Labrador retriever with the standard, miniature, and toy poodle.
Since Labrador retrievers are great service dogs due to their friendly nature, high intelligence, and trainability, breeders set out to create a dog that wouldn’t shed as much. This poses a significant challenge when bringing them to medical facilities, eating out, or simply cleaning up after them at home.
The low-shedding coat of poodles made them a good choice for breeding. Because of the tight, curly nature of their coats, the hair they shed does not just fall to the ground but rather becomes entangled in the fabric.
Mini Labradoodle Puppies Health Problems
Main Labradoodle health issues include:
1. Allergies
Mini Labradoodle puppies are prone to developing food allergies, typically before age two.
Inappropriate dietary intake during these formative months is a common cause of this. To avoid the lifelong inconvenience of treating an allergy to chicken, you should limit your dog’s exposure to the protein during its formative years.
However, Labradoodles can sometimes acquire allergies later in life; for example, around age eight, your dog may suddenly have an adverse reaction to food it has always tolerated.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction in Labradoodles include scratching and vomiting. Consult your veterinarian if you observe any of these symptoms.
2. Chronic ear infections
Labradoodles’ signature floppy ears hide ear canals. That implies they are likely to be damp and dark, making them ideal conditions for disease growth.
Mini Labradoodle puppies frequently experience this issue, but Labradoodles may be more susceptible since their curly ear hair can hold even more moisture and foreign materials.
Something is wrong if they seem to have itchy ears or if you detect odors coming from their ears. You’ll need to take Fido to the vet so he can diagnose the exact cause of the ear pain and prescribe the appropriate medicine.
One of the greatest ways to prevent ear infections in Labradoodles is to clean their ears regularly, especially after they’ve been napping or swimming.
3. Epilepsy
Seizures are a hallmark of the neurological disorder epilepsy. This is a common problem in Labradoodles. There is currently no known cure, and treatment options vary depending on the frequency and severity of seizures
There is no need to take any chances with medicines if your dog only has seizures seldom. Taking precautions to prevent your dog from injuring itself during a seizure could be necessary, so keep that in mind.
4. Joint Issues
Joint problems, especially in the hips, are common in Labradoodles because this is another trait they got from their Labrador parent breed. If left untreated, what started as a little ache can worsen into chronic discomfort, arthritis, or even lameness.
How severe a condition is will determine how it is treated. While joint supplements may be all that’s needed to keep your dog comfortable at times, more powerful pain relief may be required at others.
5. Atrophy of the retina over time
Part of the eye deteriorates, causing ultimate blindness. The condition is fairly frequent in Labradoodles and typically causes total blindness if both eyes are affected. However, it can also happen seldom in puppies.
Although there is currently no cure, it is believed that an antioxidant-rich diet may help delay the disease’s progression.
Mini Labradoodle puppies rarely have serious health problems if they are developed from healthy parents. Labs and poodles share a predisposition toward hip dysplasia, eye problems, and other genetic illnesses, so it’s important to take your pet to the vet on a regular basis to check for these and other issues. Your labradoodle, if well cared for, will live for many years and become an important family member.
References:
1: Acute allergic reaction after composite pollen ingestion
Publishing date: 17 March 2005
https://doi.org/10.1016/0091-6749(79)90143-X
2: Dogs can detect the individual odors in a mixture of explosives
Publishing date: 28 December 2020
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2020.105212
3: Crossability of American tree peony ‘High Noon’ as seed parent with Japanese cultivars to breed superior cultivars
Publishing date: 20 December 2012
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10681-012-0853-3