Havanese Health Problems: What You Should Know
July 17, 2008 – 5:38 pmYou either have welcomed or will shortly welcome your new Havanese puppy into your home. She will adore you completely. You will be a hero simply for coming home from work. More importantly, your new Havanese puppy will trust you completely. Her wellbeing is entirely in your hands. In addition to providing her with food, water and attention, you know you want to do whatever it takes to keep her happy and healthy. Some health promotion measures are things you would want to do for any puppy. Other health promotion measures come with the extra fur on the Havanese.
What questions will you want to ask your Havanese breeder before you commit to the purchase of a particular animal? What simple, regular routines will you undertake to ensure your Havense’s continued good health? What are the signs of health problems in any dog? What are the signs of particular Havanese health problems?
The Havanese is a longhaired breed, so you should brush and comb their fur twice a week. This will prevent matting and tangles. Most Havanese owners have their dogs professionally groomed several times a year. Be sure to keep your Havanese’s eyes and ears clean. This will help prevent infections.
Some health problems are common to any breed of dog. You should keep your Havanese’s eyes and ears clean to prevent infection or infestation with ear mites. Also, many puppies develop internal parasites, such as worms. Regularly check your pet’s coat for ticks and fleas. Even indoor animals can get them. Your veterinarian can provide treatments for worms and can provide you with the best treatments for fleas.
Some Havanese health problems are genetic. Problems such as knee and hip dysplasia (dislocation), early onset cataracts, retinal atrophy and genetic deafness tend to run in the Havanese breed. These problems are not fatal, but might affect the quality of life for your Havanese. For instance, eye problems can lead to blindness. You will want to make sure that your breeder has tested the sire (father) and dam (mother) of the puppy you wish to purchase. Breeders should remove animals with eye or joint problems from their breeding stock.
Prevention is worth many ounces of cure when it comes to Havanese health problems. You can prevent ear parasites by cleaning your Havanese’s ears once a week. (Ear mites are a particular problem for all floppy eared dog breeds-the Havanese included). You can prevent eye infections by cleaning your Havanese’s eyes once a week.
Be sure that your Havanese does not ingest common foods that you enjoy but that are poisonous to all dogs. These foods include chocolate, caffeine, grapes and raisins, tomatoes, onions, garlic, chives, nutmeg, and walnuts.
Keep your veterinarian’s phone number readily available in case you need to arrange emergency care for your Havanese. If you need to transport your Havanese to the veterinarian, be sure to do the following. Muzzle the animal, because injured animals may bite even their owners. If you suspect a limb is broken, wrap the limb in a towel and loosely tape it. Do not splint the limb. You can lift small dogs directly under their belly. For small dogs with a suspected neck, back or hip injury, lift the dog on a board. Lift large dogs on a board.
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