About the breed

Common Disorders

The Australian Labradoodle is a healthy breed, and ALAEU breeders exclusively breed well-tested dogs. However, it is impossible to always prevent all diseases/conditions. No matter how much testing is done and how much selection is made, a dog can become ill at a young or later age. We list the conditions that can occur in the Australian Labradoodle and indicate what the ALAEU does to prevent the condition or minimize the chances.

Elbow dysplasia (ED)

In dogs with ED, the elbow joint does not develop normally. It is a condition that often begins at a young age. The first symptoms appear between four and eight months. You can recognize it by lameness of the leg and/or stiffness after rest. A diagnosis can be made with an X-ray. Treatment may include medication, exercise instructions, a diet, or surgery. Causes of ED may include:

Unbalanced exercise at a young age.
Rapid growth (more common in heavy and large dogs).
Overfeeding (an excess of minerals, calories and vitamins).
Heredity.

What does the ALAEU do?
At ALAEU breeders, all parent dogs are tested for ED. Additionally, breeding is only allowed with Labradoodles with normal elbow joints. It is also the responsibility of the owner to pay attention to the nutrition and exercise of the Labradoodle. Good education is important because jumping out of a car, walking down stairs, and running off dunes and hills are things that a puppy better should not do.

Hip dysplasia (HD)

The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint consisting of a femoral head and a hip socket. When these parts fit closely together, they, along with the muscle groups, provide good stability. In hip dysplasia, the head and socket do not fit well together. This results in instability and pain, and later, arthritis. Causes of this may include:

Excessive and incorrect exercise.
Rapid growth at a young age and weight gain.
Overfeeding.
Heredity.

The symptoms of HD depend on the age of the dog. In young dogs, you often see instability of the hips and swaying of the hindquarters. In older dogs, you may see more lameness and stiffness. Eventually, arthritis always develops. HD can be treated with proper weight, proper nutrition (with special supplements), and proper exercise supplemented with medication. Surgery can also provide good results.

What does the ALAEU do?
All breeding dogs are tested for HD. Additionally, good education is important because incorrect movement, overweight, and/or rapid growth can cause HD. Avoid stair climbing, jumping, running on slippery floors, and uncontrolled running after balls when the dog is still a puppy. Also, ensure an adequate and balanced amount of exercise.

Eye diseases

There are many hereditary eye diseases that cannot be demonstrated with DNA but can be observed during an eye test. If you suspect that your Labradoodle does not see well, regularly has red and/or dirty eyes, or has eyelids that noticeably curl inward or outward, consult a veterinarian.

What does the ALAEU do?
Prevention is unfortunately not possible, but limitation is. All ALAEU breeding dogs undergo an annual eye test; an EVCO eye examination that tests for more than ten eye diseases. If a particular eye disease is detected, in certain cases, breeding with this dog will no longer be allowed.

Patellar luxation

Patellar luxation or loose kneecaps is a common condition in small dog breeds. In this condition, the kneecap regularly moves out of place, causing a limping gait. Most forms of patellar luxations can be corrected with surgery. Causes may include:

Excessive and/or incorrect exercise.
An accident and/or injury.
Heredity.
Overweight.
Abnormal leg stance.
Other diseases, such as Cushing's disease, can cause the kneecap to be looser in the cartilage groove.

What does the ALAEU do?
All parent animals born after January 1, 2012, are tested for patellar luxation at ALAEU. Breeding is not allowed with dogs from grade 1 onwards.

PRA/PRCD PRCD/PRA

Or Progressive Rod-cone Degeneration/Progressive Retina Atrophy, are hereditary eye diseases that cause a dog to go blind in later life.

What does the ALAEU do?
All dogs (or their parents) are tested for PRA/PRCD. Because two carrying dogs are needed for PRA/PRCD to occur and it is prohibited at ALAEU to cross two carrying dogs, PRA/PRCD cannot occur in Australian Labradoodles from an ALAEU breeder.

Addison’s disease

Addison's disease is a disease of the adrenal cortex and is not specific to Australian Labradoodles but occurs in more breeds. The difficulty with Addison's disease is that it is difficult to recognize, and therefore, the diagnosis is sometimes missed. The dog often feels unwell, is somewhat sluggish, has diarrhea or vomits, etc. The disease can be detected by a blood test, the ACTH test. If the disease is not treated, the dog can eventually go into shock and die from the disease. When the diagnosis is made in time, the dog can live well with the right dosage of medication.

What does the ALAEU do?
At ALAEU, we register sufferers and parents of sufferers so that breeding can be done as carefully as possible, looking at combinations of parents that have the least risk of producing offspring with Addison's disease. Of course, dogs suffering from Addison's disease are not bred.

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

Degenerative Myelopathy is a serious, neurological condition of the dog's spinal cord and is comparable to MS in humans. It has recently become possible to detect the marker of this invasive disease through a DNA test. This test can determine whether the dog is free, carrier, or sufferer of the disease.

What does the ALAEU do?
Since the introduction of the test, it has been prohibited within the ALAEU to cross two dogs that are both carriers. This prevents the birth of sufferers in a litter of puppies.

Exercise-induced collapse (EIC)

EIC is an effort-induced collapse in which the dog collapses due to heavy exertion and/or extreme excitement, then unable to stand up again. Dogs suffering from EIC often remain conscious during a collapse but may be dazed or disoriented. During the collapse, the dog's body temperature rises above 41 degrees, which has proven fatal for some sufferers of this condition. In most cases, the dog does not experience pain, weakness, stiffness, or other residual symptoms after the collapse. In addition to heavy exertion, a high ambient temperature can also be a reason for an attack. Dogs with EIC may also have an irritable personality. They can lead a reasonably normal life as long as their owners are able to prevent heavy exertion and high excitement.

Ear infection

Australian Labradoodles are prone to ear infections due to their droopy ears and the hair that grows in their ears. An ear infection can be recognized when the dog rubs its head against, for example, a wall, shakes its head, scratches its ears with its paws, and/or emits a foul, sour smell from the ears. When examining the ears, you often see that they are red and there is a lot of black/dark brown earwax.

Once an ear infection occurs, treatment by a veterinarian is necessary.

What does the ALAEU do?
We ensure that affiliated breeders provide the best possible education on ear cleaning. It is up to the owner of the dog to follow the advice.

Epilepsy

A dog with epilepsy has repeated seizures (more than just once). These seizures occur due to a disrupted function of the brain cells. The cause of this can be a disease or an abnormality of the brain, but it can also be the result of a disease somewhere else in the body. Often, there is no cause found in the body, which is then called primary epilepsy. This form occurs in many different dog breeds. After the first seizure, always consult a veterinarian.

What does the ALAEU do?
To prevent epilepsy, it is important not to breed with dogs with primary epilepsy and to take into account cases of epilepsy that have occurred.