What Goes Wrong With Poodles (Spoiler: Everything Expensive)
Poodles look fancy and act smart, but their genetics are a mess. Standard poodles especially seem designed to break in expensive ways.
Hip Problems Hit Hard
Bella started limping at age four. Hip dysplasia. The orthopedic surgeon showed me the X-rays and talked about hip replacement surgery. $6,000 per hip. We did conservative management first, but she'll probably need surgery eventually. Big dogs, big problems.
Bloat Is a Medical Emergency
Bella's bloat happened at 2 AM on a Tuesday. Her stomach twisted, cutting off blood flow. The emergency surgery was $7,000, and we barely made it in time. Deep-chested dogs like standard poodles get this. It's not if, it's when.
Their Eyes Go Bad
Progressive retinal atrophy runs in poodle lines. It's genetic blindness, basically. My friend's poodle went blind at age six. No cure, but lots of monitoring and eventually learning to live with a blind dog. Not cheap, not easy.
What Poodle Insurance Actually Needs
Not all poodles are the same size, and their problems scale accordingly. But they all have expensive genetics.
Size Matters for Problems
Bella is a standard poodle, so she gets big dog problems like bloat and hip dysplasia. My friend's toy poodle has completely different issues like luxating kneecaps and dental disease. Same breed, different vet bills. Make sure your coverage matches your poodle's size.
Grooming Injuries Are Real
Bella needs professional grooming every six weeks. The groomer once nicked her ear, and it got infected. Some insurance covers grooming injuries, some doesn't. With a high-maintenance coat, it's worth checking.