Cockapoo nutrition: weight, ear infections and food allergy

A Cockapoo is about as healthy as the Cocker Spaniels and Poodles it comes from, no more and no less. In a UK survey of more than 9,000 dogs comparing Cockapoos, Labradoodles and Cavapoos with their parent breeds, the odds of disease did not differ in 86.6% of the comparisons made. The crossbreeds had higher odds for 7.0% of the disorders compared and lower odds for 6.4%. The authors found no strong hybrid vigor effect, and no sign of poorer health either. For feeding and care, that means planning for what both parent breeds bring: ear infections, itchy skin, weight gain on a small frame, and an inherited eye disease that a DNA test can rule out.

What the parent breeds pass on

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) is the inherited condition to check first. One form, progressive rod-cone degeneration (prcd), is recessive and causes gradual blindness from middle age or later. Both parent breeds carry it. In Brazil, genotyping of 220 English Cocker Spaniels found the prcd mutation at an allele frequency of 25.5%, and 8 of 10 dogs with two copies that were examined already had impaired vision. In Japan, the mutant allele frequency in Toy Poodles was about 9%. A Cockapoo can inherit two copies if both parents carry one, so both parents should have a prcd DNA result. No diet or eye supplement prevents PRA.

Small dogs of both parent types can also have kneecaps that slip out of place (patellar luxation). A dog that skips or holds up a back leg for a few strides and then carries on normally should be examined. Keeping the dog lean reduces the load on the knees, but no supplement corrects the underlying shape of the joint.

Calories and meals

Cockapoo size depends on the Poodle parent, so there is no single breed weight. Start from the dog's own ideal weight. The Merck Veterinary Manual calculates resting energy requirement (RER) as 70 multiplied by body weight in kilograms raised to the power 0.75. Adult dogs are fed about 1.6 times RER if neutered, 1.8 times if intact and 1.4 times if prone to obesity. Puppies get 3 times RER until 4 months of age and 2 times RER after that. Rounded to the nearest 5 kcal:

Individual dogs vary by as much as 30% either way, so these are first estimates. Body condition decides the rest. The ribs should be easy to feel without pressing, with a waist visible from above. A fluffy coat hides both fat and thinness, so check with the hands, not the eyes.

• Puppies: three or four meals a day until about 4 months, then three, then two from around 6 months.
• Adults: two measured meals, weighed on a kitchen scale.
• Treats: no more than about 10% of daily calories, taken off the meal ration. A 7 kg neutered adult on 480 kcal has roughly 48 kcal for treats.

Ears

Drop ears and hair growing in the ear canal can keep the canal warm and damp. In UK primary-care records of more than 22,000 dogs, designer crossbreeds as a group had 1.63 times the odds of otitis externa compared with other crossbred dogs, and breeds with pendulous ears had 1.76 times the odds of breeds with erect ears.

• Check the ears weekly, and dry them after swimming or bathing.
• Clean only when there is visible wax, using a cleaner the vet recommends. Nothing goes deep into the canal.
• Ask the groomer or vet whether hair in the canal needs removing. It is not needed in every dog.
• Head shaking, scratching, redness, smell or discharge need an examination. The right treatment depends on whether bacteria, yeast or both are present.

A dog with repeated ear infections usually has an underlying cause. Allergy, to something in the environment or in food, is a common one.

Itchy skin and food allergy

Signs that allergy may be behind a Cockapoo's problems:

• Ear infections that keep returning
• Licking or chewing the paws
• Rubbing the face, or scratching the belly, armpits or groin
• Red skin, recurrent skin infections or hot spots
• Soft stools or frequent bowel movements alongside the itch

Food allergy is diagnosed with an elimination diet trial, not a blood, hair or saliva test. The dog eats only a prescription hydrolyzed diet, in which proteins are broken down too small to trigger the immune system, or a diet based on a protein it has never eaten. Nothing else passes its lips: no treats, chews, flavored medicines or table scraps. A review of the evidence on trial length found that more than 80% of dogs with food allergy were in remission by 5 weeks, and more than 90% by 8 weeks. It recommended trials of at least 8 weeks.

If the signs clear, the old food is brought back. If the signs return, food allergy is confirmed, and single ingredients can then be tested one at a time. Switching between shop-bought "limited ingredient" foods is not a substitute for a strict trial. If the signs do not clear on a properly run trial, other causes, such as environmental allergy, become more likely and are managed differently.

Coat and skin

Cockapoo coats range from flat to tightly curled, and the curlier, Poodle-type coats keep growing and need clipping every few weeks to stay free of mats. Mats hold moisture against the skin and can hide skin disease, so regular grooming is part of skin care.

A complete and balanced dog food supplies the protein, essential fatty acids, zinc and biotin a normal coat needs. A dull, dry or thinning coat is more often a sign of skin disease, allergy, parasites or a hormone problem than of a missing nutrient, and it deserves an examination before any change of food. Fish oil, which provides the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, is sometimes added for dogs with itchy skin. The vet can advise on a dose based on the dog's weight, since fish oil adds calories and can cause loose stools.

Teeth

Dental disease is common in small and medium dogs. Kibble alone does little to clean teeth. What works best:

• Daily tooth brushing with a dog toothpaste, started in puppyhood.
• Dental chews or diets that carry the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal, which shows the product was tested against plaque or tartar. Count their calories.
• A mouth check at every vet visit, with cleaning under anesthesia when the vet finds tartar or gum disease.

Bad breath, red gums, dropping food or chewing on one side are reasons to book an examination.

Supplements

Most Cockapoos on a complete diet need none. Before buying any, discuss them with the vet:

• Fish oil may help some dogs with allergic skin. It should not be started in the middle of a food trial.
• Probiotics are sometimes used after a course of antibiotics or for loose stools. Results vary between products.
• Joint supplements do not prevent patellar luxation, which is a problem of joint shape.
• Eye antioxidants do not prevent or slow inherited PRA.

Sources

1. The doodle dilemma: How the physical health of 'Designer-crossbreed' Cockapoo, Labradoodle and Cavapoo dogs' compares to their purebred progenitor breeds. PLOS ONE, 2024.
2. Allele Frequency of the C.5G>A Mutation in the PRCD Gene Responsible for Progressive Retinal Atrophy in English Cocker Spaniel Dogs. Animals, 2019.
3. Real-time PCR genotyping assay for canine progressive rod-cone degeneration and mutant allele frequency in Toy Poodles, Chihuahuas and Miniature Dachshunds in Japan. Journal of Veterinary Medical Science, 2016.
4. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals. Merck Veterinary Manual.
5. Frequency and predisposing factors for canine otitis externa in the UK: a primary veterinary care epidemiological view. Canine Medicine and Genetics, 2021.
6. Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (1): duration of elimination diets. BMC Veterinary Research, 2015.