Maltese Health Problems: Symptoms and When to Worry
The most common Maltese health problems are portosystemic shunt, white dog shaker syndrome, and dental disease. Maltese typically live 12–15 years. This page is organized by symptom, so you can jump straight to digestive, neurological, dental, and joint problems, see what each one looks like in a Maltese, and know whether it is a vet visit this week, a vet visit today, or an emergency right now.
Quick answer: when to worry about your Maltese
Go to an emergency vet now if you see any of these:
- Stomach and digestive: Retching that produces nothing, a swollen tight belly, and restlessness are the signs of bloat, a true emergency. Blood in vomit, black tarry stools, or a pet that has stopped eating and passing droppings altogether also needs a vet now.
- Neurological: A seizure lasting more than five minutes, several seizures in a row, or sudden paralysis is an emergency.
- Dental: Refusing food entirely, facial swelling, or a fractured tooth with exposed pulp needs a vet within a day.
- Joint, back, and mobility: Sudden inability to use the back legs, dragging the hindquarters, or crying out when touched along the spine is an emergency. A ruptured disc has a window of hours for the best outcome.
- Any pet: collapse, seizures lasting more than five minutes, uncontrolled bleeding, or an inability to stand.
Book a vet visit this week if you see any of these:
- Stomach and digestive: Vomiting or diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours, refusing food for more than a day, or unexplained weight loss.
- Neurological: A first seizure, a head tilt, wobbliness, or a behavior change that came on over days.
- Dental: Bad breath, drooling, dropping food, chewing on one side, or red gums.
- Joint, back, and mobility: Limping for more than a day or two, stiffness after rest, reluctance to jump or climb stairs, or a change in gait.
Keep watching if: the change is mild, your Maltese is still eating, drinking, and moving normally, and it resolves within a day or two. Write down what you saw and when; a dated list is the most useful thing you can bring to a vet.
Stomach and digestive problems in Maltese
Portosystemic Shunt (Liver Shunt)
Abnormal blood vessel bypasses the liver.
How common in Maltese: Present in breed
What it looks like in a Maltese:
- Small stature
- Neurological signs after eating
- Seizures
- Poor growth
Outlook: this is one of the conditions that can shorten a Maltese's life. Managed early it is often years, not months, but it belongs on the list of things that eventually lead to end-of-life decisions.
When to see a vet: Vomiting or diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours, refusing food for more than a day, or unexplained weight loss.
When it is an emergency: Retching that produces nothing, a swollen tight belly, and restlessness are the signs of bloat, a true emergency. Blood in vomit, black tarry stools, or a pet that has stopped eating and passing droppings altogether also needs a vet now.
Seizures and neurological problems in Maltese
White Dog Shaker Syndrome
Tremors affecting white dogs, treatable with medication.
How common in Maltese: Present in white breeds
What it looks like in a Maltese:
- Tremors
- Incoordination
- Shaking
When to see a vet: A first seizure, a head tilt, wobbliness, or a behavior change that came on over days.
When it is an emergency: A seizure lasting more than five minutes, several seizures in a row, or sudden paralysis is an emergency.
Dental and mouth problems in Maltese
Dental Disease
Crowded teeth and gum disease common in toy breeds.
How common in Maltese: Very common
What it looks like in a Maltese:
- Bad breath
- Tooth loss
- Red gums
- Difficulty eating
When to see a vet: Bad breath, drooling, dropping food, chewing on one side, or red gums.
When it is an emergency: Refusing food entirely, facial swelling, or a fractured tooth with exposed pulp needs a vet within a day.
Joint, back, and mobility problems in Maltese
Patellar Luxation
Kneecap displacement.
How common in Maltese: Common in toy breeds
What it looks like in a Maltese:
- Skipping gait
- Lameness
When to see a vet: Limping for more than a day or two, stiffness after rest, reluctance to jump or climb stairs, or a change in gait.
When it is an emergency: Sudden inability to use the back legs, dragging the hindquarters, or crying out when touched along the spine is an emergency. A ruptured disc has a window of hours for the best outcome.
Breathing problems in Maltese
Collapsed Trachea
Weakening of tracheal cartilage.
How common in Maltese: In toy breeds
What it looks like in a Maltese:
- Honking cough
- Breathing difficulties
When to see a vet: Noisy breathing at rest, a cough lasting more than a few days, or tiring quickly on walks all warrant a visit.
When it is an emergency: Blue or gray gums, open-mouth breathing at rest, gasping, or collapse is an emergency. Go now; do not wait for an appointment.
Warning signs to watch for in a Maltese
These are the early signals owners most often miss, or dismiss as age:
- Honking cough
- Neurological signs after eating
- Severe dental issues
- Trembling
- Lameness
Maltese lifespan: what is normal
Maltese are notably long-lived, often reaching 12-15 years.
Genetic factors
Maltese have some predisposition to liver shunt and dental issues. White dog shaker syndrome can occur.
What Maltese usually die from
Knowing what typically ends a Maltese's life is not morbid. It tells you which of the symptoms above deserve the fastest response.
- Age-related decline (about 40%): Many live to old age.
- Heart disease (about 20%): Mitral valve disease.
- Cancer (about 15%): Various cancers.
- Liver disease (about 10%): Including shunts.
When it may be time: from managing symptoms to saying goodbye
Some of the conditions above (portosystemic shunt) are managed for years. Each one, though, has a point where treatment prolongs the decline rather than the life. If you are reading this page because your Maltese is older and the bad days are starting to outnumber the good, that is worth saying plainly: you may not be looking for a diagnosis anymore. You may be looking for permission.
Signs the balance has shifted in a Maltese:
- Coughing worsening
- Unable to exercise
- Loss of appetite
- No longer grooming
The when to say goodbye to your Maltese guide walks through the quality-of-life scale vets use, what euthanasia actually involves, and how to prepare. If you are weighing costs and options, the pet end-of-life services guides by city cover in-home euthanasia and cremation prices, and the coping with losing a Maltese guide is there for afterward.
Preventive care for Maltese
- Dental care crucial
- Use harness not collar
- Coat maintenance
- Liver shunt awareness
- Regular small meals
Sources
This page is compiled from veterinary references and breed-specific health studies. It is general information, not a diagnosis; your vet knows your Maltese.
- https://www.americanmaltese.org/health/
- https://www.ofa.org/
If this has stopped being about symptoms
Many people land here when their Maltese is old or ill and they are trying to work out whether what they are seeing is the end. If that is you, the health details above matter less than the question underneath them.
Maltese Health FAQs
- What are the most common health problems in Maltese?
- The conditions most often seen in Maltese are portosystemic shunt, white dog shaker syndrome, dental disease, and patellar luxation. Abnormal blood vessel bypasses the liver.
- What do Maltese usually die from?
- The leading causes of death in Maltese are age-related decline, heart disease, and cancer. Many live to old age. Maltese typically live 12–15 years.
- Do Maltese have digestive problems?
- Yes. The digestive conditions seen in Maltese are portosystemic shunt. Vomiting or diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours, refusing food for more than a day, or unexplained weight loss. Retching that produces nothing, a swollen tight belly, and restlessness are the signs of bloat, a true emergency. Blood in vomit, black tarry stools, or a pet that has stopped eating and passing droppings altogether also needs a vet now.
- Do Maltese have neurological problems?
- Yes. The neurological conditions seen in Maltese are white dog shaker syndrome. A first seizure, a head tilt, wobbliness, or a behavior change that came on over days. A seizure lasting more than five minutes, several seizures in a row, or sudden paralysis is an emergency.
- At what age do Maltese start having health problems?
- Inherited conditions can show up in the first few years. Age-related problems like arthritis, kidney decline, and cancer cluster in the last third of a Maltese's 12–15 years lifespan, so twice-yearly checkups from about 7 years old catch most things early.
- What are the signs a Maltese is dying?
- The signs that a Maltese is nearing the end are refusing food and water, being unable to stand or get to the bathroom without help, pain that medication no longer reaches, withdrawing from the family, and more bad days than good over two weeks. Our when-to-say-goodbye guide for the Maltese walks through the quality-of-life scale vets use and what euthanasia involves.
- What's the best diet for a Maltese?
- Malteses do best on high-quality dog food appropriate for their life stage (puppy/kitten, adult, senior). Breed-specific health concerns may warrant specialized diets. Consult your vet rather than following general advice online.
- How often should I take my Maltese to the vet?
- Annual wellness exams for adult Malteses, twice yearly for seniors (typically 7+ for dogs). More frequent visits if your Maltese has known health conditions. Preventive care catches issues before they become emergencies.
Keep their memory close
If you're facing a difficult time, these may bring comfort.