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Health Testing Guide
Which tests are mandatory, how to spot responsible breeders — and what it costs when things go wrong.
For the Maltese we've compiled 1 test required by Malteser Club Deutschland 1983 e.V. and 10 additionally recommended tests, drawn from breed-club regulations, the University of PEI (CIDD), and OMIA — weighted by severity and heritability.
View verified breedersWhat this grade means
In the Maltese, patellar luxation (PL) occurs primarily, as well as more serious risks such as patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), portosystemic shunt (hepatic encephalopathy), or hydrocephalus (water on the brain). The Malteser Club Deutschland 1983 e.V. mandatorily prescribes a patellar luxation (PL) examination with a limit of PL 0–1 as well as an inconspicuous tooth and bite evaluation for breeding. Responsible breeders additionally screen their animals for heart and vascular problems as well as congenital neurological diseases. Before buying, make sure to ask for the complete veterinary findings on patellar luxation (PL) and the dentition of both parent animals.
Every breed is susceptible to certain inherited conditions. Just like humans, dogs inherit predispositions from their parents. Responsible breeders screen their breeding dogs for these conditions and make informed mating decisions to reduce the risk passed on to puppies.
No — but it's the strongest tool we have. Diet, exercise, environment, and genetics all contribute to whether a dog develops a condition. When breeders use the right tests to identify risk in potential parents, the likelihood of many conditions appearing in the puppies drops significantly.
There's no one-size-fits-all here. For the Maltese, Malteser Club Deutschland 1983 e.V. requires 1 test for breeding approval, plus 10 additional recommended tests. The specific tests and passing thresholds are detailed further below.
Keep in mind
Reliable screening tests still don't exist for many hereditary conditions, and tests for complex polygenic conditions don't always predict severity in the puppies. Even so, they're a powerful tool of responsible breeding.
There are two main types of health tests:
Screen the dog's DNA for known disease-causing mutations. Can be performed from puppyhood and give a binary result (clear / carrier / affected).
Clinical and imaging exams like X-ray, ultrasound, or ophthalmoscopy. They show how a predisposition actually manifests — usually only conclusive after 12–18 months.
We group breeding programs into three levels based on testing depth. Ask your breeder directly which level they meet.
A breeder at the Great level meets the Good level and performs 10 additional clinically recommended screenings that reduce risk in this breed.
In addition to Good:
Cleft palate
Andere
A cleft palate is a congenital birth defect where the roof of the mouth fails to fuse properly during development in the womb. This failure leaves an abnormal opening between the oral cavity and the nasal passages. Because these two systems are directly connected, food, liquids, and air cannot be properly separated during swallowing.
Physical examination · Passing: clear
Cryptorchidism
Andere
Cryptorchidism is a developmental condition of the male reproductive system where one or both testicles fail to descend normally into the scrotum. Instead, the undescended testicle remains trapped inside the abdomen or in the groin area. This failure to descend is a physical development issue rather than an active illness, but it alters how the reproductive organs develop.
Physical examination
Dental abnormalities
Andere
Dental abnormalities refer to congenital or acquired malformations of the teeth and jaw structure. This includes malocclusions, which are misalignments where the upper and lower teeth do not meet properly, as well as missing or extra teeth. These structural issues can interfere with normal chewing and cause teeth to rub painfully against the sensitive tissues of the mouth.
Passing: normal
Congenital blindness
Augen
Congenital blindness is a severe or complete loss of vision present from birth, affecting the eyes and the neural pathways connected to the brain. It is caused by developmental abnormalities in key structures like the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, or the optic nerve. These structural defects prevent visual signals from being properly formed or transmitted.
Physical examination · Passing: clear
Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)(PDA)
Herz
Patent ductus arteriosus is a congenital heart defect where a normal fetal blood vessel connecting the aorta and the pulmonary artery fails to close shortly after birth. This failure allows blood to continuously recirculate through the lungs instead of flowing to the rest of the body, putting severe, permanent strain on the heart muscle. Over time, this volume overload causes the left side of the heart to enlarge and weaken.
Ultrasound
Congenital deafness(CHSD)
Nervensystem
Congenital deafness is a hereditary hearing loss present from birth that affects the inner ear's sensory cells, preventing sound signals from reaching the brain. It is usually genetic, occurs more often in certain breeds and is frequently linked to coat patterns such as merle or piebald.
Physical examination · Passing: hearing in both ears
Epilepsy(IE)
Nervensystem
Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain and nervous system where abnormal electrical activity causes sudden, temporary disruptions in normal brain function. These disruptions lead to repeated seizures, which are involuntary changes in body movement, sensation, or behavior. Because the underlying cause is often complex, the brain's electrical signaling remains permanently prone to these sudden misfires.
Physical examination · Passing: no epilepsy
Hydrocephalus
Nervensystem
Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition affecting the brain and nervous system, commonly referred to as water on the brain. It occurs when cerebrospinal fluid, the natural protective liquid surrounding the brain, builds up abnormally inside the brain's cavities, known as ventricles. This accumulation creates harmful pressure on the surrounding brain tissue, which can impair normal brain function.
X-ray
Shaker dog syndrome(GTS)
Nervensystem
Shaker dog syndrome is an inflammatory condition affecting the cerebellum, which is the part of the brain responsible for coordinating voluntary muscle movements. This inflammation, believed to be an immune-mediated response where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own nervous tissue, leads to uncontrollable full-body tremors. The exact underlying cause of this brain inflammation remains unknown.
X-ray
Portosystemic hepatic encephalopathy(PSS)
Stoffwechsel
This is a neurological condition caused by liver dysfunction, typically occurring when abnormal blood vessels bypass the liver. Because the liver cannot filter toxins from the bloodstream, these harmful substances build up and directly affect the brain. This lack of proper filtration leads to central nervous system dysfunction.
Not health tests, but required for breeding: the club asks for these results too. They don't count toward the risks or the rating.
These levels are a comparison framework, not an official certification. They help compare breeding programs at a glance.
A complete checklist with every core-standard and additionally recommended test, plus identity and rearing questions — take it with you.
Open the full checklistFor breeders
Machine-readable mating rules, minimum ages, scoring schemes, and what's required for HonestDog verification — as a printable guide.
Example rule — Patellar Luxation
Both parents must be PL 0–1 or better.
We take mandatory tests from official breed regulations, build the recommended health standard from veterinary databases — and cross-check every uploaded certificate against the dog's profile using AI.
L1 = core standard: the club's required tests where its rules set them, otherwise the recommended health standard for the breed. L2 = additionally recommended or clinically indicated. L3 = lower prevalence. Every assignment carries a source and confidence rating.
VDH breeding regulations, CIDD (University of PEI), OMIA (University of Sydney), curated veterinary input.
Uploaded certificates are read by AI and checked for date, result, and consistency with the dog's profile — our team reviews anything inconclusive.
The Maltese is not currently listed in our extreme-breeding overview. That does not mean it is free of hereditary disease: which ones are typical, and which tests the parents should have, is on this page.
Self-check
Answer 6 quick questions about your everyday life and see how well the Maltese fits you — including an honest cost estimate per month, per year, and across the dog's lifetime.
See breeders who have already uploaded their health test results for verification.
View verified breeders