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Signs Of A Healthy Toy Poodle

29 9:08:07

Are you in search of a healthy Toy Poodle? Finding a healthy Toy Poodle is easy provided you know the signs to watch out for. Learn what are these signs: Size. The Toy Poodle should not be more than ...

Are you in search of a healthy Toy Poodle? Finding a healthy Toy Poodle is easy provided you know the signs to watch out for. Learn what are these signs:

Size. The Toy Poodle should not be more than ten inches at the highest point of the shoulder and weighs six to nine pounds. However, a dog that seems healthy may still be over or underweight. To check, feel the base of the tail and other bony parts on the dog's body such as spine, shoulders and hips. You should be able to feel a small covering of fat over these areas. The pet is too thin if the bones protrude or easily felt. On the other hand, you cannot feel the bones at all if the dog is overweight.

Coat. The coat could be curly or corded with the texture ranging from coarse and wooly to soft and wavy. The coat is longer on body, head and ears and shorter on puffs, bracelets and pompons.

Skin. A healthy dog has a smooth skin. It should be free of redness, open sores, scales, scabs or growths. It should be free of fleas, ticks and other external and foreign parasites.

Eyes. The eyes are very dark, oval in shape and set far enough apart. They should be shiny and free from thick, green or yellow discharge. Round, protruding, large or very light eyes are a major fault in a Poodle breed standard.

Ears. The ears should hang close to the head and set at or slightly below eye level. There should be no dark or bloody discharge in the canal nor any foul odor from the ear, redness or swelling.

Mouth. The mouth should be pink with sparkling white scissor-bite teeth. The teeth should fit into the gum and there should be no inflammation or paleness in the gums nor bleeding or foul breath. Black pigments may occur as the dog grows old but there shouldn't be any hard white, yellow, green or brown matter.

Temperature. The average temperature of a healthy dog is 101 degrees F or 38 degrees C. However, the normal temperature of a health dog may range from 99 to 102 degrees F or 37.2 - 39.2 degrees C. If the pet's temperature is above 103 or below 99 degrees F, vet's attention is needed. One exception however is female dogs that are about to give birth. Their temperature often drops to 99 degrees about 24 hours before the actual birth begins.