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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001104659-09-013603.txt : 20090302
<SEC-HEADER>0001104659-09-013603.hdr.sgml : 20090302
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20090302210027
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001104659-09-013603
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20090226
FILED AS OF DATE:		20090302
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20090302

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MAZZO JAMES V
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001227297

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-02189
		FILM NUMBER:		09649539

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1700 E ST ANDREW PLACE
		CITY:			SANTA ANA
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			92705

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ABBOTT LABORATORIES
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000001800
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				360698440
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			IL
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		100 ABBOTT PARK ROAD
		STREET 2:		D-322 AP6D
		CITY:			ABBOTT PARK
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60064-3500
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8479376100
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>4
<TEXT>
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    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-02-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000001800</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ABBOTT LABORATORIES</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ABT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001227297</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MAZZO JAMES V</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>100 ABBOTT PARK ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ABBOTT PARK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>60064-6400</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
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        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common shares without par value</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-02-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common shares without par value</value>
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            <transactionDate>
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            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
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                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <postTransactionAmounts>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>21.92</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>98470</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-07-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>33.76</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>49235</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2013-04-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>49235</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F5"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>82.19</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>82058</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-05-20</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>82058</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>82058</value>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
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                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>93.11</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>75904</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-05-26</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
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        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Option (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>55.92</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>133838</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2009-02-26</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-05-29</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Shares</value>
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                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>133838</value>
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                    <value>133838</value>
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                    <value>D</value>
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    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These shares represent non-performance vested restricted stock awards under the Abbott Laboratories 1996 Incentive Stock Program subject to an 18-month cliff vesting period.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These shares represent non-performance vested restricted stock awards under the Abbott Laboratories 1996 Incentive Stock Program. The awards have a 3-year term, with no more than 1/3 of the award vesting in any one year and include the right to have stock withheld for tax purposes.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Fully vested employee stock option received pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated January 11, 2009, by and among Abbott Laboratories, Rainforest Acquisition Inc. and Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. (the &quot;Merger Agreement&quot;) in exchange for an employee stock option to acquire 240,000 shares of Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. common stock for $8.99 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Fully vested employee stock option received pursuant to the Merger Agreement in exchange for an employee stock option to acquire 120,000 shares of Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. common stock for $13.85 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Fully vested employee stock option received pursuant to the Merger Agreement in exchange for an employee stock option to acquire 200,000 shares of Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. common stock for $33.72 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">Fully vested employee stock option received pursuant to the Merger Agreement in exchange for an employee stock option to acquire 185,000 shares of Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. common stock for $38.20 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Fully vested employee stock option received pursuant to the Merger Agreement in exchange for an employee stock option to acquire 326,200 shares of Advanced Medical Optics, Inc. common stock for $22.94 per share.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>John A. Berry, by power of attorney for James V. Mazzo</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-03-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
