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Havanese Health
HCA recommends the following screening that can be completed by age of 12 months. The HCA website has also given the normal percentage for Havanese as obtained from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals breed statistics , and Canine Research for Animals.
CERF Testing - Ocular Abnormalities - 92.9% Normal
This test is performed by a veterinary opthamologist. Drops are added to the dogs eyes. Twenty minutes later, the veterinarian looks in the back and front of the eyes for ocular abnormalities like cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, etc. The test takes five minutes, can be done on puppies as early as 7 weeks old, and is well tolerated. The test requires specialized equipment, but generally most large cities have specialized veterinarians available.
Congenital Deafness - B.A.E.R. Testing - 99.6% Normal
This exam is performed by a veterinary neurologist, and can be done on adults and puppies as young as 7 weeks old. There is no anesthetic. The Brain Auditory Evoked Response test takes about 5 minutes. The hearing patterns of the dog or puppy show up on the screen for each ear. At the time this test was first recommended in 1996, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals thought hearing loss was color linked to piebald color. This explained why we saw so many Dalmations and Jack Russell's in for testing. They were quite excited to hear the Havanese were going to begin testing as, unlike the Dalmations or Jack Russell's, the Havanese had solid colors, and parti-colors, though few piebalds. We had all our dogs and puppies checked and all passed with normal hearing in both ears. The disadvantage of the test is there are so few locations that do BAER testing, and the charge is considerable. A reasonable cost would be $220 per dog if a owner off the street requested it. The advantage is it's a once in a lifetime test.
Patellar Luxation - 97.1% Normal
The patella, or kneecap, is part of the stifle joint or knee. In patellar luxation, the kneecap luxates, or pops out of place, either in a medial or lateral position. Your regular veterinarian should exam the dogs patellas at 12 months of age, record the findings on the downloadable application, and sent in to OFA for certification. Puppies most often have loose patellas. Your veterinarian can advise if yours are within normal range.
These three tests can be completed by age 12 months. At 24 months, tests such as the OFA-Hips is recommended. This is done by a veterinarian, generally under anesthetic. There are veterinarians that will do this without anesthetic, and I'd encourage you to locate one. I know of several dogs that did not recover from the anesthetic. Why take the risk, if you don't have to. For other testing, visit the Havanese Club of America.
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