A Goldendoodle is susceptible to many health issues, thanks to its Golden Retriever ancestry. As such, it’s important for any pet parent to know what most Goldendoodles die from before they decide to adopt.
Some common health issues that afflict a Goldendoodle include sebaceous adenitis, ACL tear injury, epilepsy, progressive retinal atrophy, Von Willebrand, ear infections, hip dysplasia, and patellar luxation, among others.
Read below as we take you through these Goldendoodle health issues in detail.
Before reading this guide, “What Do Most Goldendoodles Die From,” check out: Do Goldendoodles Shed? (2023) and How Much Does a Goldendoodle Cost? (2023).
About Goldendoodles
The Goldendoodle is a hybrid dog that was created by crossing a Golden Retriever with a Poodle, most often a Standard or Miniature Poodle. They are capable of being intellectual, sociable, and affectionate.
Goldendoodles range in weight from 15 to 30 pounds for the miniature size, 30 to 45 pounds for the medium size, and 45 pounds or more for the standard size. As with any hybrid, there is no way to know for sure if the Goldendoodle puppy you buy will wind up being your ideal size.
The activity level of Goldendoodles is about average. It’s possible that bigger Goldendoodles are more energetic than their smaller relatives.
They require daily exercise in the form of a walk or vigorous playtime, and owners can even enroll them in sports like agility, flyball, obedience, and rally. In addition, they make wonderful service animals.
Goldendoodles have the intelligence and trainability of both their parent breeds. Early and consistent socializing and training that makes use of positive reinforcement strategies like praise, play, and food rewards will pay off in the form of a delightful companion.
Common Goldendoodle Health Issues
Below are some common diseases that afflict Goldendoodles.
Sebaceous Adenitis
The immune system plays a role in the condition known as sebaceous adenitis, which causes an inflammatory response to target the skin’s sebaceous glands.
Sebaceous glands are connected to hair follicles and are responsible for the production of the material that helps to maintain the pliability of the skin and the smoothness of the coat. Sebaceous adenitis is most common in dogs between the ages of one and three.
Topical therapies, including shampoos, sprays, and mousses, have varying degrees of success in reducing flaking, soothing skin, and treating any bacterial infection that may be present. It’s possible oral antibiotics won’t be effective, but that doesn’t mean you should wait to prevent antibiotic resistance.
It is possible to use drugs like Cyclosporine to counteract the immune system’s assault on the sebaceous glands. In some cases, doctors may also suggest adding vitamin A and necessary fatty acid supplements.
ACL Injury
One of the most frequent Goldendoodle injuries is a torn ACL. Recovering from an ACL tear calls for rest, restricted movement, and possibly surgery. An ACL injury in a dog may not necessarily require surgical intervention.
Orthopedic braces and supplements can be effective alternatives to surgery for many dogs. To find out if your dog needs surgery or if it might benefit from non-surgical options, you should schedule an appointment with a registered veterinarian.
In dogs, ACL surgery is a major operation that can cost a lot of money. Pet owners frequently choose conservative treatments in search of a less invasive and more affordable option, such as orthopedic dog braces to support the knee joint and joint health supplements.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by recurring seizures for which there is no identifiable trigger, or abnormal brain damage from an injury or disease. In simple terms, the brain seems normal but is functioning incorrectly.
Symptoms of a seizure include involuntary muscle movements like twitching and shaking as well as more extreme responses like convulsions and spasms.
Epilepsy is the diagnosis when a veterinarian rules out all other potential causes of seizures. The diagnostic process begins with a detailed patient history and physical examination. Then, the work continues with laboratory and imaging studies.
The results of the primary tests will determine whether or not further evaluations, such as cerebrospinal fluid analysis, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), are necessary. Idiopathic conditions mean that no known cause can be identified. This occurs in a significant number of instances.
Many cases of epilepsy are lumped into this category because further in-depth testing is rarely performed due to expenses or accessibility. A dog’s age at the onset of seizures is also a major consideration.
The most effective treatment for epilepsy is the use of anticonvulsants. A few anticonvulsants are typically prescribed, and once therapy starts, it is quite likely that it will be maintained for the rest of the dog’s life. The abrupt discontinuation of certain drugs may bring on seizures.
Bloat
Left untreated, gastric dilatation-volvulus, more often known as GDV, is a dangerous disorder that can be fatal. GDV is also “bloat,” and it takes place when a dog’s stomach twists after becoming distended with gas, food, or fluid. Rapid progression and unexpected onset are hallmarks of GDV.
The term “simple bloat” or “dilatation” refers to a singular episode of distension of the stomach. It’s possible for this benign swelling to develop and go away without medical intervention.
Even when there is no twisting involved, bloat can still pose a hazard to life; however, the degree and duration of the condition determine the level of risk. It is possible for it to last for several hours before becoming a life-threatening condition.
Extreme distention of the stomach from gas, liquids, or food reduces the blood supply to the organs around the stomach.
The more serious condition is a twisted stomach, which entirely cuts off blood supply to important organs and may disrupt blood flow throughout the entire body, culminating in shock.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Retina cells, also known as photoreceptors, are responsible for light sensing in the back of the eye. The lens in the eye focuses incoming light onto the retina, from where it is transformed into electrical signals and delivered to your brain, where they can be processed and interpreted.
Atrophy is the progressive wasting away of a physical component. These photoreceptor cells are among those suffering from progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), a group of degenerative diseases. Over time, this condition results in the cells degenerating, which ultimately causes blindness in the affected dog.
PRA is a genetic disorder that affects not only purebred dogs but also mixed breeds like Goldendoodles. Most dogs seem to follow an ‘autosomal recessive‘ pattern of inheritance, where the diseased dog got the faulty gene from both parents.
Unfortunately, PRA sufferers have nowhere to turn for a successful treatment.
Although antioxidant supplements or vitamins have not been demonstrated to have any meaningful impact on this condition as of yet, these supplements are safe for your furry friend to consume and have the potential to relieve stress on the lens cells and postpone the formation of cataracts.
If it has been confirmed that your dog is blind as a result of an underlying condition, such as cataracts or retinal detachment, then treating this condition may be able to prevent any additional vision loss.
Patellar Luxation
The femur (also known as the thigh bone) and the tibia (sometimes known as the shinbone) are connected to the knee joint. The patella, also known as the kneecap, is often positioned in a groove known as the trochlear groove, which can be found at the very tip of the femur.
When something is luxating, it is dislocated from its normal position. As a result, a kneecap that “pops out” or displaces itself from its usual position is said to be luxating. Dog owners may observe their pet skipping around the house or running on three legs, but then going back to normal in an instant.
There are four stages of patellar luxation, with higher stages indicating more severe symptoms. If your dog has recurring or prolonged lameness or if other knee ailments develop as a result of the luxating patella, surgery may be necessary. In most cases, only Grades require surgical intervention to correct.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a congenital (present from birth) defect of the hip joint.
The ball and socket structure are in the hip joint. The ball (also known as the head of the femur or thighbone) and the socket (also known as the acetabulum) in the pelvis need to develop at the same rate.
Hip dysplasia prevents normal, steady development during a puppy’s formative years. The hip becomes lax, and then the body attempts to fix the loosening of the joint by developing degenerative joint disease (DJD) or osteoarthritis (OA).
The severity of the dog’s lameness is not always related to how the hip joint appears on X-rays but rather to the extent of arthritis-related changes. Even though X-rays may show that a Goldendoodle has hip dysplasia or osteoarthritis, not all dogs with these conditions will show any clinical signs.
In addition to genetics, environmental variables, lifestyle, physical activity, body composition, and hormones all play a role in the development and progression of hip dysplasia.
Owners of large-breed dogs should avoid feeding their dogs more than they need to maintain a healthy weight, as this disease is more prevalent in larger dogs.
Ear Infections
There are a number of causes of ear infections, but yeast, germs, and allergic reactions are the most common. The Golden Retriever ancestry of Goldendoodles is mostly to blame for their precarious health. But the fact that both their mom and dad have floppy ears raises the stakes.
Ear infections may appear to be relatively minor when compared with certain other problems, but they can wind up costing a lot of money, and Goldendoodles who already have ear infections have a propensity for new infections on a regular basis.
Von Willebrand
The most prevalent inherited bleeding ailment that affects both humans and dogs is called Von Willebrand disease, or vWD for short.
It is brought on by an insufficient amount of a key protein, which must be present to help platelets (the blood cells that are responsible for clotting) stick together and form clots in order to prevent blood from leaking out of ruptured blood vessels. The insufficient protein is known as von Willebrand factor (vWF).
There may be no external signs of vWD in dogs. Certain breeds may experience hemorrhaging from the gums, lips, nose, or vagina. Bleeding that doesn’t stop after a certain amount of time is a typical clinical sign following trauma or surgery. For instance, bleeding or bruises following a surgical sterilization operation (like spaying or neutering) could be the first sign.
After giving birth, an abnormal amount of bleeding is common in mothers. Unstoppable bleeding can be fatal. The buccal mucosal screening test can be done in a clinic as a preliminary step. Prolonged bleeding during this test may indicate the presence of the disease, particularly in high-risk dog breeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
As a Goldendoodle owner, you should be on guard for hip dysplasia, aortic stenosis, cataracts, ear infections, and patellar luxation. Treatment isn’t always possible, so prevention is paramount.
For a healthy and happy Goldendoodle, we recommend the dog food brands Blue Buffalo, Orijen, or The Honest Kitchen.
The life expectancy for a Goldendoodle is 10 to 15 years depending on pedigree, size, nutrition, exercise, and environment.
Conclusion for “What Do Most Goldendoodles Die From”
Because a Goldendoodle is at risk of many different health conditions, it’s important that you take the necessary precautions to make sure he does not get afflicted with any of them.
There are several factors that most Goldendoodles die from, so we hope this guide helped catch you up to speed. Make sure to take your Goldendoodle to the vet at the first sign of trouble.
If you find this guide, “What Do Most Goldendoodles Die From,” helpful, check out:
- Can a Goldendoodle Be a Service Dog? (2023)
- Are Goldendoodles Hyper? (2023)
- Are Goldendoodles Easy to Train? (2023)
Learn more by watching “Goldendoodle – Top 10 Facts” down below:
Garrett loves animals and is a huge advocate for all Doodle dog breeds. He owns his own Goldendoodle named Kona. In addition, he volunteers at the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, where he fosters dogs and helps animals. Garrett enjoys writing about Doodles and believes that dogs can teach humans more about how to live than humans can teach a dog.
Why Trust We Love Doodles?
At We Love Doodles, we’re a team of writers, veterinarians, and puppy trainers that love dogs. Our team of qualified experts researches and provides reliable information on a wide range of dog topics. Our reviews are based on customer feedback, hands-on testing, and in-depth analysis. We are fully transparent and honest to our community of dog owners and future owners.