Havanese Health

A new puppy is precious to behold.  It is easy to fall in love with a puppy, giving little thought to the dog that this puppy will become.  As an occasional breeder of Havanese puppies, it is my hope that every puppy I produce will grow up to be a healthy dog that provides years of loving companionship to his or her family.  But, like every other living creature, the future health of a puppy is determined by both genetic and environmental influences.  Genes can come together to produce a dog who develops cataracts, hip dysplasia, or other problems later in life.  Injuries, reactions to vaccines or flea treatments, and poor nutrition are just a few of the environmental causes which may lead to serious health issues.  No, we don't want to think about these things when we bring a new puppy home.   We want our puppies to grow up healthy and pain-free and we want them to live a long, long time.

But what if something goes wrong and the puppy becomes sick with a serious problem?  Is there something the breeder could have done to prevent the problem?  Is there something the puppy buyer could have done to save themselves from the heartache of a sick or disabled dog?  And what can anyone do once the problem has developed?  What is the breeder's responsibility?  And what is the owner's responsibility?  At this point in time and until science discovers how to prevent genetic diseases in dogs, it is certain that some puppies will be affected with serious health problems.  Until that time, the Havanese breed's best friends will be conscientious breeders and Havanese owners who do their parts to protect this wonderful breed.

The Breeders Job:  To engage in self-education on the health problems in the breed.   To support and pay attention to current research on the genetic health problems of dogs in general and specifically, the Havanese.  To research the pedigrees of their foundation dogs for health issues, then breed away from these issues by not breeding affected dogs and being careful not to double up on genes for known health problems.   Complete health testing for all breeding dogs and register the results with registries such as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, CERF, and CHIC.  A breeder will have honesty with themselves about the soundness of their dogs and always breed to better their line.  Part of the process will involve having their dogs evaluated by AKC judges in the conformation ring, but a championship title without health testing is not enough. Always, the breeder must have the health of future offspring in mind and make breeding decisions with good health being a priority goal.

The Prospective Owner's Job: Do your homework to learn about the health issues in the breed.  Ask the breeder to see proof of health test results for the sire and dam of a litter.  The Havanese Club of America recommends that health tests are done for hearing (Baer), vision (CERF), patellas, and hips.  Ask about other health tests the breeder may do, including blood work. Ask the breeder about their health warranty.  While a breeder cannot guarantee that a puppy will not develop a genetic disease, they should have a warranty that tells you what they will do if the puppy does become sick.   Breeder warranties will vary, so be sure that you understand the warranty offered to you. Ask the breeder if the puppies will receive a wellness check from the vet before being placed in their new homes.  What vaccine schedule does the breeder recommend?  Do puppies receive an intial vaccine before leaving the breeder's home?

If you are visiting this page to learn more about the health problems with the Havanese breed, the following website link is provided for that purpose.  My thanks to Suzanne McKay who created the informative Havanese ABC's website and who has graciously allowed me to link to her site:  CLICK HERE FOR HAVANESE HEALTH INFORMATION.