The Havanese is a healthy breed overall with relatively few serious health issues. The Havanese Club of America, as the AKC Parent Club for Havanese, serves as caretaker and protector of the breed.   To fulfill that role, we take pride in a proactive health program led by an active Health Committee functioning in an advisory role on matters related to the health and welfare of the Havanese.

Here, in the Health section of the Havanese Club of America website, you can learn more about:

  The innovative Top Paw Health Award system developed by the Havanese Club of America to encourage widespread health testing. Recognition is awarded not only to those dogs whose owners have health tested them at various levels, but also to those breeders and stud dog owners who are health testing their own Havanese in addition to mentoring other Havanese fanciers to encourage them to health test their Havanese.
 Our relationship with other leading health organizations such as the AKC Canine Health Foundation (AKCCHF), the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC)
  Common canine health issues which we include in our extensive health testing programs

Ocular Abnormalities - 92.9% Normal*
*Source - Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) 2006 Havanese Statistics Report for Eye Disease

Definition - any condition for which the Havanese would not receive a passing CERF exam (primarily cataracts but also including rare cases of optic nerve coloboma, retinal atrophy, retinal dysplasia and lens luxation/subluxation)

Diagnosis - annual CERF exam

• CERF exam which should be performed every year until age 7
• Verify CERF online at OFA website here
• Verify CERF online at VMDB website here
  

More Info - through VMDB website

Congenital Deafness – 99.4% Normal**
**Source - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) online breed statistics 10/2007

Definition - Congenital deafness in dogs can be acquired [caused by intrauterine infections, ototoxic drugs like gentamicin, liver disorders, or other toxic exposures before or soon after birth] or inherited. Inherited deafness can be caused by a gene defect that is autosomal dominant, recessive, sex-linked, or may involve multiple genes (more on this later). Within the Havanese breed, there have been reports of unilateral deafness and much less frequently of bilateral deafness.

Diagnosis - Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) testing performed at a BAER testing facility with results sent to OFA for OFA certificate.

• Available over 7 weeks of age
• Verify BAER testing online at OFA website here
  

More Info - through Dr. George Strain and LSU Vet School

Patellar Luxation – 97.3% Normal**
**Source - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) online breed statistics 10/2007

Definition - The patella, or kneecap, is part of the stifle joint (knee). In patellar luxation, the kneecap luxates, or pops out of place, either in a medial or lateral position..

Diagnosis - veterinary exam sent to OFA for OFA certificate number

• Available at 1 year of age
• Verify patella testing online at OFA website here
  

More Info - through OFA website

Cardiac – 98.5% Normal**
**Source - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) online breed statistics 10/2007

Definition - Malformation of the heart or great vessels

Diagnosis - cardiac auscultation by a veterinary cardiologist, veterinary internist or general practice veterinarian

• Available at 1 year of age
• Verify cardiac testing online at OFA website here
  

More Info - through OFA website

Hip Dysplasia – 91.2% Normal Hips**
**Source - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) online breed statistics 10/2007

Definition - Literally, this is faulty or abnormal development of the hip and is a genetic condition causing laxity of the hip joint which in turn may lead to various degrees of arthritis (also called degenerative joint disease, arthrosis, osteoarthrosis).

Diagnosis - hip radiographs sent to OFA for rating

• Preliminary rating available at 1 year of age
• Permanent rating and OFA number available over 2 years of age
• Verify hip testing online at OFA website here
  

More Info - through OFA website

Elbow Dysplasia – 92.7% Normal**
**Source - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) online breed statistics 10/2007

Definition -An inherited, polygenic disease in the dog's elbow. May consist of one or more than one of these conditions: Pathology involving the medial coronoid of the ulna (FCP), Osteochondritis of the medial humeral condyle in the elbow joint (OCD) or Ununited anconeal process (UAP).

Diagnosis - elbow radiographs sent to OFA for rating

• Preliminary rating available at 1 year of age
• Permanent rating and OFA number available over 2 years of age
• Verify elbow testing online at OFA website here
  

More Info - through OFA website

Legg-Calve-Perthes – 100% Normal**
**Source - Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) online breed statistics 10/2007

Definition - Blood supply to the femoral head in the hip joint is interrupted, which in turn leads to avascular necrosis, or the death of the bone cells.

Diagnosis - hip radiographs sent to OFA for rating

• Available at 1 year of age
• Verify Legg-Calve-Perthes testing online at OFA website here
  

More Info - through OFA website

The HCA participates in the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) program to promote testing and reporting of health test results for the Havanese breed. CHIC is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC/Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).  Testing required for a Havanese to receive a CHIC certificate include OFA BAER, OFA Hips, OFA Patellas and annual CERF exams. It is not necessary for the Havanese to actually pass those tests as our intent with the CHIC program is to simply encourage widespread testing and the open disclosure of results through the OFA database.

HCA encourages Havanese breeders to use the OFA database to research the health pedigree of dogs prior to breeding. This provides an outstanding research tool for performing searches on individual dogs and also links health testing results of the dog’s related pedigree information (Parent, Offspring, and Sibling) , when those related dogs have been health tested.

It is fair to assume the vast majority if not all breeders have good intentions, as no one sets out to breed unhealthy dogs. Each breeder faces similar challenges as we work to translate good intentions into producing healthy puppies. Appropriate utilization of available information along with a continued commitment to health testing and research will ensure we meet our common goal ‘to encourage and promote quality in the breeding of purebred Havanese’.

Please contact the Health Committee members if you have questions or concerns about Havanese health.

Chair: Lynn Nieto (FL)