Havanese are considered a very healthy breed, but the most common health issues for the Havanese include cataracts, luxating patella, heart, liver, hip dysplasia and, or LCP, sebaceous adenitis (SA), thyroid and unilateral hearing loss.
Havanese also have a high frequency of autoimmune diseases such as sebaceous adenitis, autoimmune thyroiditis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia and a variety of other autoimmune problems. To help with all these conditions we have set up a DNA diversity panel program with UCDavis.
Click here for more information about this program
For detailed discussion about other issues click on the individual links in the menu.
All our breeding dogs are tested for all the problems mentioned previously. I believe that thorough health testing of all breeding stock is essential and that all health testing should be made public for the benefit of the breed. It is always best to find any health issue before a dog is bred, not after the puppy develops the problem. For this reason, all our breeding dogs are tested for and certified clear of the following: hearing, patella, hips, elbows, liver function, heart, and thyroid. At present, there is no test for SA except for those dogs that have active cases.
Our girls are given a Wellness blood test before breeding to ensure that they are healthy along with keeping all health clearances up to date.
Despite all this testing there is no guarantee that these problems can not occur in any one puppy. We can only guarantee what we will do if one of these problems occurs. All of the genetic problems previously mentioned other than SA and late on-set heart problems can be discovered in a puppy before the age of two, so we guarantee the dogs for this period. SA is a lifetime guarantee. Most of these conditions can also be a result of lifestyle (food, exercise, number of vaccines, it is simply impossible to guarantee the dog’s health for life. As the buyer, you need to be aware of this and provide the best care you can and to be prepared for the aging dog. Some age related problems are simply unavoidable, and some are more expensive than others in terms of care.
At nine weeks our puppies will receive a thorough exam at the Pine Ridge Veterinary Clinic, https://www.pineridgevet.com/ and my dogs usually see Dr. K. McKensie. They will also receive their first parvo and distemper shot as well as their microchip and then be registered with the Canadian Kennel Club.
Links on each of our dogs’ health records can be found on the individual dog’s page.