Are Maltipoos healthy?
The Maltipoo dog breed is generally very healthy but can inherit some of the common health issues prone to their parent breeds, including the following:
- Patellar luxation: Also known as slipped kneecaps, patellar luxation is a common problem in many dog breeds. It occurs when slight abnormalities cause the knee joint to slide in and out of place. This can cause pain and occasional lameness. Surgical treatment is available for severe cases, although many dogs lead normal lives without treatment.
- White shaker syndrome: The Maltese breed is at high risk for white shaker syndrome, an autoimmune disorder in dogs that causes full-body tremors.
- Degenerative myelopathy: This is a neurological disorder that usually affects senior dogs; it is a progressive and degenerative disease that affects the spinal cord, resulting in hind-limb weakness and paralysis.
- Portosystemic shunt (PSS): The hereditary condition, also known as PSS, obstructs proper blood flow to the liver. The liver detoxifies the body and, without proper blood flow, PSS sends the toxins in unfiltered blood to the heart, brain, and other body parts. It causes loss of appetite, hypoglycemia, jaundice, urinary tract problems, vision problems, and stunted growth. Antibiotics and diet changes can help in the short term, but surgery is the only permanent treatment for the problem. If not treated early, PSS can be life-threatening.
- Dysplasia (hips and elbows): Poodles are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, a skeletal disease that causes abnormal development of the joint, leading to grinding and pain.
- Addison’s disease: Addison’s disease is a malfunction in the hormone production of the adrenal glands.
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA): This disease causes degeneration of the light-detecting retina at the back of the eye, resulting in a loss of vision.
It’s important to remember that even though this breed might have an increased risk for certain health conditions, this doesn’t mean they will develop them. Mixed-breed dogs are often more healthy than purebred dogs because of greater genetic diversity. Your veterinarian can help you keep an eye out for possible health problems with regular checkups.