Caza Casa Havanese 

      . . . Life is good with a Havanese!

Healthy Havanese

In general, we see the Havanese as a healthy breed of dog.  We continue in our ongoing education efforts to effectively advance a healthy breeding program, in anticipation of the best possible Havanese for future generations.  According to the Havanese Club of America, current health concerns in the Havanese general population include cataracts, orthopedic, liver and cardiac abnormalities, and deafness.  

As a health-conscious purebred Havanese breeder, we do not purposefully breed dogs with known health conditions and do our best to aim for the best and healthiest Havanese litter!  We endeavor to only breed known healthy bitches with known healthy dogs to help ensure a healthy Havanese litter. 

Before you buy a Havanese please ask the breeder what testing has been done on the dam and sire and ask for the results of that testing.  Many responsible breeders will happily provide you with test results.  However, you may find breeders who do not test their Havanese for health issues, which is of great concern because how else do they know if their breeding dogs and bitches are as healthy as possible?  If they do not know the current health of the dam or sire, how will you know if your new puppy has been given the best possible chance for a healthy life? 

You are the total caregiver of your Havanese. You are responsible for your Havanese health the moment your puppy arrives. Not only should you willingly give your Havanese love and friendship but also good healthcare for a lifetime of well being.  

An explanation about the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) 

The Havanese Club of America has determined eye (CERF) testing, hearing (BAER) testing, patellae testing, and hip testing are four basic health concerns facing Havanese today.  

CHIC serves as a database identifying all dogs that have completed health testing suggested by that breed's national parent dog club, in our case the Havanese Club of America.  Caza Casa Havanese, as well as other responsible Havanese breeders, are in the process of completing all tests to receive a CHIC number on our dogs used for breeding.  OFA hip testing cannot be done until dogs are 24 months of age, so this is not a speedy process.  There are many Havanese breeders, including Caza Casa Havanese, that have gone above and beyond what our parent club suggests for health testing.  

It is of importance to note that obtaining a CHIC number does not mean that a dog is healthy or has normal test results.  A CHIC number does mean that the dog has completed all the required tests to receive a CHIC number.  Breeders and prospective buyers of Havanese need to  investigate and verify test results...are they normal or abnormal? Please note that Excellent, Good & Fair designations for hips are all considered normal.

In 2004, a progressive healthful second step was made by our parent club, the Havanese Club of America.  A Four-Star program was initiated that includes the same tests needed to receive a CHIC number; however, in order to receive the Four-Star certificate from HCA each Havanese that applies for the certificate must have also passed all of those required tests.  No dog that has failed any of the required health tests receives a Four-Star certificate from HCA.  The Four-Star certificate is good for one year, at which time a review is done to ensure the Havanese with Four-Star certification are up-to-date on their yearly CERF testing with normal CERF test results. 

Vaccinations…you will receive a vaccine record of the shots your puppy has already received.  These shots are given to protect our puppies while still at our home although they are not old enough to have received all of their shots.  Therefore, you should be educated about vaccines and listen to your own veterinarian.  Your veterinarian knows the diseases prevalent in your area and is the best person to suggest the specific vaccines needed in your specific locale.  If there are concerns regarding Lepto, for example, it would be very wise to have that particular vaccine given separate and not in combination with other vaccines, as Havanese and other breeds have had reactions to Lepto.  Please discuss this and other health concerns with your veterinarian.

Hearing health…This is once-in-a-lifetime canine testing of brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) to determine if there is normal hearing bilaterally.

Orthopaedic health…This is once-in-a-lifetime canine testing. You have two choices for testing hips.  At two years of age the OFA x-ray method is used.  Patellae may be checked by your general veterinarian who is experienced palpating and grading the patellae and reporting those results to OFA or may be checked by an orthopedic specialist. Another hip evaluation may be done by using the PennHip method after sixteen weeks of age. NOTE: It is our opinion that the PennHip method is better suited for larger breed dogs than for toy breed dogs.  We only use the OFA x-ray method to evaluate the hips of our toy breed Havanese.

Eye health…Eye testing is recommended yearly for Havanese.  CERF eye examinations are done by a canine ophthalmologist.  If there is no ophthalmologist in your area, often CERF  eye clinics are held at local dog shows sponsored by area dog clubs.  Join a dog club in your area to get the scoop on upcoming events and cost-saving clinics for CERF  and BAER testing. 

Internal health…Please obtain baseline values of your Havanese from your veterinarian! Baseline values are an excellent indicator for your vet to note the normal blood values for your Havanese.

You are asked to report both negative and positive test results to the appropriate agency and to your breeder, e.g., see above health links.  In doing so, you help breeders continue in our endeavor to prevent future health conditions and maintain a high standard of excellence for the Havanese breed.  If you need assistance reporting test results, please call or email us so we can help you help the Havanese breed.

A picture in time may tell a thousand words…

Litters always contain the typical pet Havanese we all know and love and may sometimes contain an exceptional Havanese puppy that may be considered for showing and/or breeding.  Photographic analysis of Havanese structure allows breeders to see the physical positioning and proportion of legs and body comparative to the Havanese Standard.  The window of opportunity photographing the wet ‘n soapy puppies is at eight weeks of age; this gives a good snapshot into the future of the puppy as it may look structurally as an adult.  These photographs may be used as a tool to help classify pet and show/breed potential Havanese in each litter.  This is used as a guide only by breeders, as there are many other important qualities to consider including type and personality to name a few.  Puppies less than eight weeks and less than one year old should not undergo soapy photos because of variable growth spurts during those periods.  You will find a detailed description of how to obtain soapy photographs at the Havanese Club of America website. 

Caza Casa Havanese wishes to thank the Havanese Club of America and HEART organization for their active research in Havanese health issues and for providing information to help educate responsible owners and breeders of our loving Havanese.

Our Email Address: amigos@cazacasahavanese.com