Havanese Dog Health Problems

Why Havanese Have Specific Health Risks

The Havanese is a sturdy toy breed, typically weighing 7 to 13 pounds and standing 8.5 to 11.5 inches at the shoulder. Despite their robust temperament and relatively diverse gene pool compared to some toy breeds, Havanese carry heritable predispositions that stem from their breeding history and small skeletal structure.

The Havanese Club of America recommends that breeding dogs undergo OFA patellar evaluation, CERF or OFA eye examination, OFA hip evaluation, and BAER hearing testing. These screenings exist because the breed has documented higher incidence rates for the conditions covered in this guide. When breeders skip these tests, the risk of producing affected puppies increases substantially.

For owners, the practical implication is straightforward: most Havanese health problems are manageable or even preventable with the right combination of genetic screening, regular veterinary checkups, weight management, and environmental modifications. Problems become expensive and painful when they go undetected past the early stage, which is why breed-specific awareness matters more than generic small-dog health advice.

Havanese also have a silky, non-shedding coat that requires regular grooming. While grooming is not a health condition, neglected coats can mask skin issues, ear infections, and lumps that would otherwise be caught early. Owners who maintain a consistent grooming routine tend to notice physical changes sooner, which supports earlier veterinary intervention across all the conditions discussed below.

1) Patellar Luxation

Patellar luxation is one of the most frequently diagnosed orthopedic conditions in Havanese. The condition occurs when the kneecap, or patella, slides out of the trochlear groove where it normally tracks during leg movement. In Havanese, medial luxation (the kneecap slipping toward the inner leg) is far more common than lateral luxation.

Veterinarians grade patellar luxation on a scale of 1 to 4. Grade 1 means the kneecap can be manually displaced but returns to position on its own. Grade 2 means it occasionally pops out during movement and may or may not return without manipulation. Grade 3 means the patella is displaced most of the time but can still be manually repositioned. Grade 4 means permanent dislocation that cannot be corrected by hand.

Many Havanese with Grade 1 or low Grade 2 luxation live comfortably with conservative management. This includes maintaining lean body weight, avoiding high-impact activities like jumping from furniture, using ramps or stairs for bed and couch access, keeping nails trimmed short for better traction, and providing joint-support supplements as recommended by your veterinarian.

Dogs with Grade 3 or 4 luxation, or those with Grade 2 that causes persistent lameness or pain, typically benefit from surgical correction. The most common procedure involves deepening the trochlear groove and realigning the tibial crest to improve patellar tracking. Success rates for surgical repair are generally good, with most dogs returning to normal activity within 8 to 12 weeks of recovery.

Signs to watch for: intermittent skipping or hopping on a hind leg, sudden leg-holding while walking, reluctance to jump or climb stairs, stiffness after rest, or audible clicking in the knee joint.

When to call your vet: if limping persists beyond a day, if your dog cries out during movement, or if you notice progressive reluctance to use one or both hind legs.

2) Hip Dysplasia and Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

While hip dysplasia in Havanese is less common than in large breeds, a related condition called Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (also known as avascular necrosis of the femoral head) is a recognized concern in this breed. Legg-Calve-Perthes involves the spontaneous degeneration of the femoral head, the ball-shaped top of the thighbone that fits into the hip socket. Blood supply to the bone deteriorates, causing the bone tissue to die, collapse, and deform.

This condition typically appears in Havanese between 4 and 12 months of age, though it can occasionally present later. The exact cause is not fully understood, but it is considered heritable and more common in small and toy breeds. Unlike classic hip dysplasia, which involves a malformed hip joint, Legg-Calve-Perthes specifically targets the blood supply to the femoral head.

Affected dogs usually show progressive lameness in one hind leg, pain when the hip is extended or rotated, muscle wasting in the affected limb, and reluctance to bear weight on the leg. The onset can be gradual, with owners first noticing a subtle limp that worsens over weeks to months.

Diagnosis involves physical examination and hip radiographs. In early stages, X-rays may show subtle changes in bone density. As the disease progresses, the femoral head becomes visibly misshapen, fragmented, or collapsed on imaging.

The standard treatment for significant Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is femoral head ostectomy (FHO), a surgical procedure that removes the damaged femoral head entirely. The body forms a fibrous pseudo-joint in its place, and most small dogs recover well with physical rehabilitation. Because Havanese are lightweight, the pseudo-joint typically supports their body effectively, and many dogs return to full activity within two to three months after surgery.

Prevention tips: because this condition is heritable, the most effective prevention is ensuring breeding dogs have OFA hip evaluations and avoiding breeding lines with known Legg-Calve-Perthes history. For owners, maintaining lean body weight reduces stress on developing joints.

When to call your vet: any progressive hind-limb lameness in a young Havanese should be evaluated promptly, as early intervention preserves muscle mass and improves surgical outcomes.

3) Cataracts and Progressive Retinal Atrophy

Eye conditions represent a significant health concern in the Havanese breed, with cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) being the two most important conditions for owners to understand. The Havanese Club of America requires annual eye examinations for breeding dogs through OFA or the former CERF registry for good reason: the breed has a documented higher prevalence of hereditary eye disease compared to many other breeds.

Cataracts involve a clouding of the lens inside the eye, which obstructs light from reaching the retina and progressively impairs vision. In Havanese, cataracts can be hereditary and may appear at a younger age than the typical age-related cataracts seen in senior dogs. Juvenile cataracts can develop as early as one to three years of age in affected individuals.

Early cataracts may appear as a small opacity in the lens that does not significantly affect vision. As the cataract matures, it covers more of the lens, eventually causing noticeable vision impairment. Dogs with complete cataracts may bump into objects, become hesitant in unfamiliar environments, or show difficulty navigating in dim light.

Cataract surgery, called phacoemulsification, involves breaking up the clouded lens with ultrasound and replacing it with an artificial intraocular lens. The procedure has a high success rate when performed by a board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, with approximately 90 to 95 percent of dogs regaining functional vision. However, the surgery is expensive, and not all cataracts are surgical candidates depending on retinal health and other eye conditions.

Progressive retinal atrophy is a group of inherited diseases that cause the photoreceptor cells in the retina to deteriorate over time. Unlike cataracts, PRA is not surgically correctable. The condition typically begins with night blindness, as rod cells (responsible for low-light vision) are affected first. Over months to years, daytime vision also deteriorates as cone cells degenerate, eventually leading to complete blindness in many cases.

The progression of PRA varies. Some dogs lose vision over several years, while others progress more rapidly. There is currently no cure or treatment that reverses PRA, but dogs adapt remarkably well to gradual vision loss when their environment remains stable and familiar.

Prevention tips: annual eye exams by a veterinary ophthalmologist, genetic testing for known PRA mutations before breeding, and selecting puppies from lines with clear eye histories. For dogs diagnosed with PRA, maintaining consistent furniture placement, using verbal cues during walks, and avoiding rearranging the home layout helps them navigate confidently.

When to call your vet: any cloudiness in the eyes, sudden bumping into objects, reluctance to navigate in low light, redness, excessive tearing, squinting, or pawing at the eyes.

4) Chondrodysplasia

Chondrodysplasia (CD) is a skeletal condition that affects cartilage and bone development, resulting in abnormal limb proportions. In Havanese, chondrodysplasia is a specific inherited condition that has been identified and studied by breed health researchers. It is distinct from the intentional dwarfism seen in breeds like Dachshunds or Basset Hounds and is considered a defect in the Havanese breed standard.

Affected Havanese may show shortened and bowed forelimbs, enlarged joints, an abnormal gait, or disproportionately short legs relative to their body. The severity varies considerably. Mildly affected dogs may appear slightly stocky or low-set without significant functional impairment, while severely affected individuals can experience pain, reduced mobility, and secondary joint problems.

Chondrodysplasia in Havanese is believed to follow an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern, meaning a dog must inherit the defective gene from both parents to be clinically affected. Dogs carrying one copy of the gene (carriers) may appear normal but can produce affected puppies if bred to another carrier.

Diagnosis is typically based on physical examination and radiographs showing characteristic skeletal changes. In mild cases, the condition may not be immediately obvious to owners but becomes apparent to experienced veterinarians or breed judges upon careful evaluation.

There is no cure for chondrodysplasia, but management focuses on maintaining quality of life. This includes weight management to reduce joint stress, moderate low-impact exercise, pain management when needed, joint supplements, and monitoring for secondary arthritis development. Severely affected dogs may benefit from consultation with a veterinary orthopedic specialist.

Prevention tips: the most important prevention measure is genetic screening of breeding dogs. The Havanese Club of America encourages breeders to evaluate breeding stock for signs of CD and to avoid producing affected puppies. Prospective owners should ask breeders whether their lines have been evaluated for chondrodysplasia.

When to call your vet: if your Havanese shows an unusual gait, limb bowing, reluctance to exercise, difficulty rising, or signs of pain during normal activity.

5) Heart Murmurs and Mitral Valve Disease

Cardiac conditions in Havanese most commonly involve heart murmurs that may be associated with mitral valve disease (MVD), also known as myxomatous mitral valve degeneration or endocardiosis. This is the most common acquired heart disease in small-breed dogs, and Havanese are not exempt from its prevalence.

The mitral valve sits between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart. In MVD, the valve leaflets gradually thicken and degenerate, preventing them from closing tightly. This allows blood to leak backward (regurgitate) through the valve with each heartbeat, creating the turbulent blood flow that a veterinarian hears as a murmur through a stethoscope.

Heart murmurs are graded on a scale of 1 to 6, with Grade 1 being barely audible and Grade 6 being detectable without a stethoscope. Many Havanese develop low-grade murmurs in middle age that remain stable for years without clinical signs. However, some dogs progress to more significant valve deterioration, leading to congestive heart failure if not managed.

The progression from a murmur to heart failure is not inevitable. Many small dogs live their full lifespan with a stable, low-grade murmur that never requires treatment beyond monitoring. The key is regular cardiac evaluation so that progression is detected early if it occurs.

When MVD does progress, early signs include increased resting respiratory rate, a soft cough (especially at night or after excitement), reduced exercise tolerance, and restlessness during sleep. Advanced heart failure can cause labored breathing, fluid accumulation in the lungs or abdomen, fainting episodes, and significant weight loss.

Treatment for progressive MVD typically involves medications such as pimobendan (which improves heart muscle contraction), diuretics like furosemide (to reduce fluid buildup), and ACE inhibitors (to reduce the workload on the heart). The EPIC trial demonstrated that pimobendan can delay the onset of heart failure in dogs with preclinical MVD, which has changed treatment protocols significantly.

Prevention tips: maintain lean body weight, provide regular moderate exercise, avoid excessive sodium in the diet, schedule annual cardiac exams starting at age 5, and ask your veterinarian about baseline echocardiography if a murmur is detected.

When to call your vet: new or worsening cough, increased breathing rate at rest (consistently above 30 breaths per minute while sleeping), decreased stamina, fainting or collapse, or sudden reluctance to lie flat.

6) Liver Shunt (Portosystemic Shunt)

A portosystemic shunt (PSS), commonly called a liver shunt, is an abnormal blood vessel that allows blood from the intestines to bypass the liver and enter the general circulation without being filtered. The liver normally removes toxins, metabolizes nutrients, and processes medications from blood arriving via the portal vein. When a shunt diverts this blood around the liver, toxins accumulate in the bloodstream and the liver fails to develop to its normal size and function.

Havanese are among the small breeds with a recognized higher incidence of congenital portosystemic shunts. These shunts are present at birth and typically cause symptoms within the first one to two years of life, though mild cases may not be diagnosed until later.

The clinical signs of a liver shunt can be subtle and episodic, which sometimes delays diagnosis. Common symptoms include stunted growth compared to littermates, poor weight gain despite adequate appetite, intermittent disorientation or confusion (especially after meals high in protein), head pressing against walls, circling, staring into space, excessive drooling, urinary issues including bladder stones (particularly ammonium biurate stones), intermittent vomiting or diarrhea, and in severe cases, seizures.

Symptoms often worsen after high-protein meals because the protein breakdown products, particularly ammonia, are not being properly processed by the liver. This neurological syndrome is called hepatic encephalopathy and is one of the hallmark signs that prompts veterinarians to investigate for a liver shunt.

Diagnosis involves blood work (elevated bile acids and ammonia levels are key indicators), urinalysis (ammonium biurate crystals), abdominal ultrasound, and sometimes advanced imaging such as CT angiography or nuclear scintigraphy to identify the exact location and type of shunt.

Treatment options depend on the type of shunt (intrahepatic vs. extrahepatic) and its severity. Many Havanese with congenital shunts have extrahepatic shunts, which are generally more amenable to surgical correction. Surgical options include ameroid constrictor placement or cellophane banding, both of which gradually close the shunt over weeks, allowing the liver to adapt and develop increased function.

Medical management, used either as the primary treatment for dogs that are not surgical candidates or as a bridge to surgery, includes a protein-restricted diet, lactulose to reduce ammonia absorption from the gut, antibiotics to reduce ammonia-producing bacteria in the intestines, and hepatoprotective supplements. Some dogs are managed medically for their entire lives, though surgical correction, when feasible, generally offers better long-term outcomes.

Prevention tips: congenital liver shunts cannot be prevented in an individual dog, but responsible breeding practices can reduce incidence. Breeders should have bile acid testing performed on breeding stock and should not breed dogs from lines with a history of liver shunts.

When to call your vet: any unexplained neurological signs in a young Havanese, stunted growth, disorientation after eating, seizures, persistent vomiting, or failure to thrive warrants immediate evaluation.

Expected Cost Ranges for Common Havanese Conditions

Understanding typical costs helps owners plan financially and avoid treatment delays caused by unexpected bills. These ranges reflect common U.S. veterinary pricing and vary by region, clinic type, and case severity.

These costs do not include routine preventive care such as annual exams, vaccinations, dental cleanings, and parasite prevention, which typically add $500 to $1,200 per year for a healthy Havanese. For broader financial planning including emergency funds and routine care budgets, visit our Pet Costs hub.

When to See a Vet Immediately

Havanese are small dogs that can deteriorate quickly when a serious condition flares. Call or visit emergency veterinary care without delay if your Havanese shows any of the following:

• Sudden collapse, fainting, or inability to stand or bear weight on any limb.
• Seizures, severe disorientation, head pressing, or circling that does not resolve.
• Labored breathing, persistent coughing, or blue-tinged gums indicating oxygen deprivation.
• Repeated vomiting or diarrhea paired with lethargy, abdominal pain, or refusal to eat.
• Sudden blindness, walking into objects, or acute eye swelling, redness, or cloudiness.
• Neurological signs after eating, including confusion, staggering, or excessive drooling in a young dog.
• Rapid abdominal distension or signs of acute pain such as whimpering, reluctance to move, or a hunched posture.

Small breeds process toxins faster relative to body weight, and conditions like hepatic encephalopathy from a liver shunt or acute heart failure can progress from mild signs to life-threatening in hours. When in doubt, calling your emergency vet for guidance is always safer than waiting overnight.