
Maltese
An aristocratic-looking toy dog, with dark eyes and a pure white coat that is long and silky, the Maltese is a most striking dog.








The Maltese breed can be prone to:
- Patellar luxation
- Portosystemic shunt
- Mitral Valve Disease¹ which is where the heart valves become diseased and don't work properly.
- Chiari malformation syringomyelia² which is a condition where fluid-filled areas develop around the spinal cord causing pain.
- Cataracts³ which is a condition where the lens in the eye becomes cloudy and this can result in blindness.
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
None but there are several recommended schemes that the Kennel Club recommends which can be found here.
¹C. M. Lee, 'Genome-wide association study of degenerative mitral valve disease in Maltese dogs', Jan 2019, Journal of Veterinary Science
²S. Sanchis‐Mora et al, 'Dogs attending primary‐care practice in England with clinical signs suggestive of Chiari‐like malformation/syringomyelia', 2016, Vet Record
³S. A. Park et al, 'Clinical manifestations of cataracts in small breed dogs', 2009, Veterinary Ophthalmology
Despite their small size the Maltese is a comparatively robust little dog who as long as they are well-bred and socialised, are active, friendly, trusting and alert. They bond very closely to their owners and will want to go everywhere with them.