Speaking of its coat, there isn’t a vast amount of work to be done when it comes to keeping this fur in check, but little and often is your best best: brush your furry friend’s coat every day if you can and you will prevent problems of matting and knotting later in the month, when the situation might feel overwhelming. Dogs don’t need regular baths so consider giving them one once every few months, and look into the various wellness plans available so that you can be sure your dog is being looked after by the very best.
Irish Doodle health risks
Even the most fortunate dog will have the odd health scare from time to time. While your Irish Doodle will hopefully lead a life free of injury and illness, this breed is vulnerable to some conditions, including the following:
- Hip dysplasia
- Bloat
- Eye diseases and disorders
- Epilepsy
Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a term that means the ball and socket of both the joints in the dog’s hip are malformed in some way, causing the head of the femur to grind in the socket of the joint instead of gliding smoothly. Often diagnosed in bigger dogs, hip dysplasia can be caused by malnutrition, injury or weight gain, and will be noticeable as a result of your dog not moving smoothly, not jumping, or having lameness in the hind legs.
Bloat
More technically known in vet circles as stomach dilatation, bloat refers to the accumulation of gas in a dog’s stomach which causes it to dilate. If you think your Irish Doodle’s abdomen appears to be bloated, they’re breathing in a more labored manner than usual, or are retching or panting excessively, you may be looking at a case of bloat.
Bloat requires speedy treatment. It can be a serious problem because it may be causing your dog to struggle for breath; may result in a loss of blood reaching the stomach lining; can cause bacteria to enter the blood; and may lead to a rupture of the stomach wall.
Eye diseases and disorders
The list of possible eye problems a dog can encounter in its life is long. Irish Doodles are just as, if not more, vulnerable to these conditions than the average dog. A few examples of eye disorders are:
Progressive retinal atrophy, a mostly inherited condition that means the photoreceptor cells in the retina degrade until a dog goes blind.
Droopy eye, in which, as a result of inflammation or damage to the nerves in the animal’s eye, a dog’s upper eyelid may droop and membrane in the lower eyelid may look inflamed.
Glaucoma, another unpleasant condition, in which the pressure in the eye increases so dangerously that it will lead to blindness unless treated in the first few hours of it occurring.
Epilepsy
A condition that can be quite scary to witness, especially if you have no warning of it beforehand,
epilepsy in a dog manifests itself in seizures in which the animal kicks its limbs, grinds its teeth, drools, urinates, and collapses.
Generally, the longer these seizures, the more dangerous for your dog. They can be caused by a wide range of factors — including a brain tumor, hyperthermia, anemia and liver disease — but sometimes the cause is simply unknown and impossible for your vet to determine. Daily oral phenobarbital, potassium bromide, or Gabapentin for the rest of the dog’s life will generally be the vet’s course of action.
Feeding an Irish Doodle: what’s the best diet?
Perhaps the most important thing to look out for when shopping for food for your Irish Doodle is grain-free food, because of the breed’s susceptibility to bloat. Other than that, the dog will need around three cups a day of dry food, split into two meals. Always look for food that’s high in protein because of the huge amount of energy dogs need and need to burn off.
Feel like you’d like to know more about the best kind of food to give your dog? Check out our friends at
Dog Food Advisor, who have a wealth of advice, reviews and products for you to peruse.
