Maltese Health Care & Feeding

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Maltese Health Problems

Or check out my advice for raising a healthy Maltese puppy or adult dog:

Complete list of Maltese health problems

Injuries in Maltese

The leading health issue in toy dogs is INJURY. You must keep Maltese under constant surveillance and leash/arm control. Too much can happen to these small creatures in the blink of an eye.

• Bone fractures or a concussion can occur from jumping off furniture, or falling or leaping from your arms, or being hit on the head by a thrown or falling object, or being stepped on.
• Maltese can choke on the tiniest object and it takes very little to overdose them with anything toxic.
• Maltese can squeeze through the smallest crack of a door or fence and be gone.
• If you allow them to act foolishly aggressive toward larger dogs, their neck can be broken with a single grab.
• If you let them off-leash, their excitable chasing instincts may send them under the wheels of a car.

Eye diseases in Maltese

Many Maltese are blind from eye diseases such as glaucoma and progressive retinal atrophy.

If the prominent eyes get scratched, a corneal ulcer may form and damage the eye.

Tear duct disorders cause tears to overflow onto the white coat, staining it a coppery brown.

Maltese may also have abnormalities of their eyelashes where the hairs turn inward and irritate the eyeball.

Serious health problems in Maltese that can require expensive surgery

• dental disease – bad teeth and infected gums
• a weak windpipe (collapsing trachea) that causes chronic coughing
• loose knee joints (luxating patella) that cause lameness and pain
• a severe liver disease called liver shunt
• heart diseases, especially patent ductus arteriosus and mitral valve disease

Skin problems in Maltese

Chronic allergies are very common in Maltese and cause terribly itchy skin that can lead to bacterial infections (hot spots).

Recurring ear infections are common due to profuse hair in the ear canals.

Neurological diseases in Maltese

Epilepsy (regular seizures of unknown cause) is a big concern in Maltese.

Another neurological disease that occurs in Maltese – more than any other breed – is an odd condition called White Shaker Dog Syndrome. Its symptoms are just like it sounds: full-body tremors. The theory is that it's a chronic stress-related or excitement-related disorder.

Thyroid disease in Maltese

According to the Michigan State University Thyroid Database, up to 22% of Maltese have hypothyroidism.

Other health problems in Maltese

Inherited deafness and a digestive disease called pyloric stenosis

Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is always a threat in Maltese puppies or in adults under 4 pounds. A low blood sugar crash can be fatal if not treated immediately.

Maltese are prone to harmless episodes of reverse sneezing.

Preventing health problems

Some health problems are inherited. For example, if your Maltese inherits from his parents the genes for an eye disease called PRA, he will go blind and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

But most health problems can be prevented by the ways you raise your dog.

FREE eBOOK! My free online health care program, 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy shows you how to raise your Maltese in all the right ways that help prevent health problems. Become your dog's health care champion!