Cockapoo health problems

Cockapoos are like the energetic teddy bears of the dog world, who love spending quality time with their pet parents!

Since they’re a cross between the cocker spaniel and the poodle, cockapoos often combine many lovely qualities from both breeds – including high levels of intelligence and a cheerful personality. These charming dogs also tend to enjoy training activities, and most cockapoos jump at any opportunity to join in with family adventures as well.   

Due to their poodle ancestry, cockapoos usually have curly coats that don’t moult as much as other dog breeds. However, the cockapoo’s coat still has to be groomed regularly, to prevent it from becoming matted.

Explore our cockapoo breed guide for more information about this enchanting dog breed!

Potential health conditions linked to the cockapoo breed

Please remember that while the following health concerns are frequently seen in cockapoos, each dog is a unique individual. So, your canine companion isn’t necessarily going to suffer from any of the health conditions commonly experienced by cockapoos. But, if you’re considering pet insurance, you could read our guide to insuring your cockapoo for more information.  

Always speak to your vet if you’re concerned about your dog’s health.   

Don’t forget to visit our dog first aid guides to discover the basics of canine first aid.

Ear infections

Due to the shape of their ears, some dogs – including the cockapoo – tend to be more prone to ear infections than others.

There are many potential causes of ear infections in dogs, including:

• Excess wax, hair, or moisture in the ear.
• Allergies
• Foreign objects, e.g. grass seeds.
• Ear mites.
• A bacterial infection, e.g. otitis externa.

An ear infection is both irritating and painful for your cockapoo. So, if you notice any of the following symptoms in your cockapoo, it’s important to contact a vet for advice:

• Head shaking.
• Scratching (e.g. rubbing their face along the ground).
• Redness and inflammation.
• Heat and/or swelling.
• Discharge and/or a foul smell from the ear.
• Pain (they may not let you touch their ear).
• Head tilt and/or loss of balance.

To treat your cockapoo’s ear infection, a vet will begin by finding out what’s caused it. Along with examining your cockapoo’s ear, a vet might perform tests to determine whether a specific type of bacteria is causing the ear infection.

Once your vet understands the cause of your cockapoo’s ear infection, they can advise as to the best course of treatment, which could include:

• Ear drops.
• Ear cleaning.
• Anti-inflammatory and pain relief medication.
• Antibiotics.
• Dealing with the underlying cause, e.g. surgery to remove a grass seed.

Hip dysplasia

Canine hip dysplasia is a genetic condition (something a dog is born with) that impacts their hip joints. ‘Dysplasia’ is a word linked to abnormal development, so, hip dysplasia describes abnormalities within a dog’s hip joint.

For cockapoos with hip dysplasia, either one or both of their hip joints are unstable and can cause them to experience pain, swelling, and stiffness – resulting in lameness. Eventually, hip dysplasia can cause dogs to develop arthritis.

Treatments for canine hip dysplasia in cockapoos can include weight management, anti-inflammatory medication, and surgery.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis is inflammation of the ‘conjunctiva’ – a thin membrane or layer of tissue that protects the inside of your cockapoo’s eyelid and front of their eye. This inflammation can be caused by many other conditions, including allergies, trauma, and blocked tear ducts.

It’s thought that face shape plays a role in terms of the dog breeds who are more prone to developing conjunctivitis. So, dogs who are a cross between breeds who are prone to certain eye conditions (like poodles and cocker spaniels) are potentially at risk of developing conjunctivitis, too.

The symptoms of conjunctivitis in dogs might appear in one eye or both eyes, and could involve:

• Rubbing their face or scratching their eye.
• Weepy eyes.
• Redness and swelling around their eye.
• Increased blinking.
• Mucus or discharge from their eye.

Treatments for conjunctivitis in dogs will depend on the underlying cause, though vets may treat simple cases with eye drops and anti-inflammatory medication.