Health of the Bichons

The Maltese is a Toy Breed with dark eyes and a long silky coat – very much a lap dog. His profuse coat will need dedicated grooming every day to keep it in good condition – this is not a dog for anyone who does not have the time to do this. The long and profuse coat can be a welfare problem for this breed. It will tangle and collect dirt and debris easily. It will impede his movement and cover his eyes unless trimmed.

• • Heart disease: Myxomatous degeneration of the mitral valve (can lead to heart failure)
  • Heart disease: Patent ductus arteriosus (duct between aorta and pulmonary artery fails to close after birth – causes gradual heart failure, progressive discomfort and distress)
  • Shaker dog – or acquired tremor syndrome (tremors in young adult dogs; cause unknown)
  • Necrotising meningoencephalitis (inflammation of the brain causing weakness and seizures in young dogs, often fatal) (autoimmune disease)
  • Pyloric stenosis (only liquid food can pass into the stomach, causes severe vomiting)
  • Portosystemic shunt (an abnormality of the blood circulation, resulting in blood from the heart bypassing the liver and entering the general circulation)
  • Patellar luxation (dislocated kneecap)
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Cataract
  • Entropion (inward turning eyelashes)
  • Deafness
  • Hypothyroidism (under-activity of thyroid gland (causes lethargy, coat changes, obesity)