Do Doodle Have Sensitive Tummies?

[Carol and Banjo]

This may be a repeat of a past discussion, but it's been on my mind a lot lately.   It seems that Banjo has "issues" with his digestive system every few months.  Namely, very loose stool which requires several trips outside in the middle of the night and a diet of rice, ground beef and pumpkin for a couple of days.  Thankfully nothing really serious.  I can never pinpoint what may have caused it, I watch him carefully when we're outside and don't think it's something he gets into....but anything is possible I guess.  

It seems that one or another of our DK members has a doodle going through tummy troubles almost daily......so my question is....is it the Doodles....the breed.....or do all breeds suffer the same problem?     I've had several different breeds in my life time and I don't ever remember having to deal with this on such a regular basis.   I also wasn't as careful about feeding a good diet (mainly my own ignorance) and wasn't as vigilant about what the dogs got into when outside.  

I'd like to hear what others think about this.  

[Ginny Nightingale]

I don't think you can generalize something like that for any breed, especially one with such a HUGE variety of genetics as doodles have. My three are all pretty good unless they get a bug of some type and one of them can eat just about anything without ever having a problem. (The rabbit she ate didn't go down so well, but that is the only thing I can think of that bothered her!)

I think that a dog of any breed can have issues from time to time. The idea though that doodles are going to be healthier due to being a "hybrid" doesn't seem that true when you look at how many of the doodles owned by DK-ers have had health issues. It seems similar to other breeds. 

[Cindy M, Zachary & the Frenchies]

I

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

I think it might depend on the dog's genes too.  Cubbie had major stomach troubles as a pup and I recently found out that his "sister" (different litter but same parents) had even more stomach problems and was very very ill as a puppy.  Ollie on the other hand seems to have a much strong stomach.  Recently I have noticed that Cubbie seems to be getting better as he gets older.  It was common for him to throw-up at least once a week, but we are going on several months now since he last threw-up (I hope I didn't just jinx myself here!)  So I would that overall it would just depend what was passed down from their parents.  I have heard though that poodles are more prone to digestive sensitivities so that could have something to do with it too.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I've wondered the same thing, since both of my guys have digestive issues.  They were diagnosed as having IBS/IBD.  When they had "episodes" it also came out of nowhere.  I was very conscious of them not ingesting anything other than their food, so we watched them closely and they have always been leash walked.  We seem to have solved the problem with the dehydrated raw diet that they're on.  I am hoping that breeders are not breeding any Doodle who has these stomach problems, because it would seem to me that that would just pass it on to future "generations".  I don't know anything about Murph's breeder, but I do know that Guinness's breeder raw feed her dogs and they supposedly had no stomach issues.  I do think this is a valid question since so many of us have struggled with GI problems...

[Ginny Nightingale]

I guess there are a lot of stomach issues out there---that is really too bad! I agree that it is something to consider when breeding, especially if it is a genetic issue, not an environmental one.

[Ricki and Tara (doodle)]

I know of at least one breeder who is knowingly breeding doodles with stomach issues. When Tara was under a year old she had horrible problems, mainly with acid vomiting, but it was emotionally connected.  If she was upset about something one day, the next day she would be sick. It is one of the reasons we had to drop out of puppy class-she was so stressed and so sick that all she could keep down was chicken and rice which is not a good diet for a growing baby. (Which also raises the question about WHY puppy class stressed her out so much!) When I talked to her breeder about this issue she told me Tara's grandmother is the same way! That even as an adult she still vomited when the breeder was gone from home "too long" WTD!!??  Tara is improving as she ages but if  one of us (DH or I) is gone for the most part of a day she will still be sick the next morning with an acid stomach.

[Sharon & Monty]

To date Monty has not had any stomach issues.  He seems to be able to eat anything (including the junk DH *sneaks to him!)  He eats TOTW Prairie formula, with a bit of yogurt topping.  

[Donna K & Quincy]

Quincy would throw up at odd random tiimes when he was a puppy and it took us awhile, some food changes and a few trips to the vet to get his loose poop under control. He still throws up occassionally but much less than before.

[Carol and Banjo]

Same thing with Banjo.   It's always in the morning and generally shortly after eating.....and totally random.    He has the same eating times everyday.....eats pretty much the same thing each day....so we're never sure what causes the vomiting.

[Donna K & Quincy]

Carol, we need to do a survey, do the prancers have the most tummy issues. Maybe they have dominant poodle genes.

[Carol and Banjo]

LOL.....maybe the prancing just jiggles up the tummy contents...

[Carol and Banjo]

Unfortunately our breeder has not been very communicative.....and shows no interest in "keeping tabs" on her puppies.  But, that's another story.    I can't help wondering if it may have a genetic factor.       I wasn't aware that poodles tended towards stomach problems as Amy has stated.    If that is true then it seems likely that our doodles would be prone to having issues.