Despite the existence of hybrid vigor in first generation Labradoodle hybrids which makes them relatively healthy dogs, there are still a few health issues to be on the lookout for. Your dog should be on the safe side, but on the off chance that the issues have managed to cross from the parent breed over to your pup, it’s worth being careful. There are a few standard issues which every pet parent should be concerned about as well too, and here are some of the more common ones: Hip And Elbow Dysplasia While not as big a risk for the toy and miniature Labradoodles as it is for the standard ones or some large dogs, hip and elbow dysplasia can happen to any dog. It’s a condition where the elbow or hip joint no longer fits properly into the socket and can pop out. This is usually caused by friction wear over time and isn’t something that can be fully fixed with current day technology. It can, however, be prevented as long as you maintain your dog’s body weight within the ideal parameters as being obese contributes to an increased risk of dysplasia. Bloat The second on the list is bloat, a particularly heinous issue that’s often brought upon by either overeating or eating too quickly in dogs. A problem that occurs when the stomach distends to fit in a larger amount of food only to twist around itself when retracting back, trapping the contents of the stomach inside it as well as cutting off blood flow to neighboring organs. As you can tell, this can get real bad, real fast, which is why your dog is going to need immediate veterinary help in reversing the problem. A good preventative measure is to teach your dog how to pace himself while eating to minimize the chances of this issue happening in the first place. Parasites One of the most annoying problems to deal with which is thankfully curable, are parasites. While not really a disease or any particular condition caused by the body, it is caused by nasty parasitic worms of which the most popular ones tend to be hookworms, ringworms and tapeworms. They like attaching themselves on the inside of your dog’s digestive tract, entering through contaminated or raw and uncooked food and then end up siphoning the healthy nutrients from your canine companion. If you see him acting lethargic, having a lack of energy or having a sudden and drastic loss in weight, take a stool sample to the vet to see if he’s infested, then take him in for a deworming procedure. This is something you need to be particularly wary of during his puppy period as nutrient deficiency caused by these parasites can end up having a real negative effect on his overall growth and can drastically reduce his lifespan. Other Problems Aside from digestion related problems, Labradoodles can contract minor issues like various skin and ear infections, as well as some serious ones like epilepsy which can be particularly nasty to deal with in dogs. One issue in particular is Addison’s disease, one where the body can’t regulate stress properly due to the irregularity in controlling cortisol levels in the body which can lead to a whole load of issues like loose stools, excessive urination, increased levels of thirst and high heart rates. Essentially, any symptom you’d be able to attribute to excess levels of stress. Thankfully, the disease is rather rare and mostly affects Australian Labradoodles, but frequent intermingling can see it transfer to other members of the breed.