Will maltese dogs under 4lbs at maturity have health problems?
March 11th, 2010 | by admin |Just saw this texas breeder who claims most of the maltese he breeds will be 3lbs to 4 lbs at maturity.
But i also heard that maltese not within the standard size 4lbs-7lbs will have health problems. So is there anybody who can give me some advice?
Yes…they will have numerous health issues beyond reasons. The dogs you are describing are dogs called "teacups"
They are inbreed runts, the breeder takes the small runts ( most of which are already prone to health issues are breed them to produce even "smaller dogs".
A healthy Maltese should weight 4-6 pounds and these dogs are not healthy, a real breeder wouldn’t breed them to be this small. Dogs that are bred to be this small have numerous health issues because their skeletal structure is fragile, they often suffer from bone and muscle issues, as well as neurological and behavioral issues from being inbreed.
Its best to stay away from any dog that is called a "teacup" they don’t exist, this is just a cutsey name BYBers use to scam people into buying their BYBred mutant mutts.
8 Responses to “Will maltese dogs under 4lbs at maturity have health problems?”
By ladystang on Mar 11, 2010 | Reply
more than likely
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By Tasha on Mar 11, 2010 | Reply
He’s considering his puppies "teacups", which, appearently there is no such thing. So, yes. If the breed weighs at 3 – 4 lbs at maturity, it will have many health issues… probably won’t even live till maturity.
Here is the real TRUTH about "teacup" dogs: http://www.barkrescue.net/teacup.htm
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By ۞ Eyes of a Warrior ۞ on Mar 11, 2010 | Reply
Yes…they will have numerous health issues beyond reasons. The dogs you are describing are dogs called "teacups"
They are inbreed runts, the breeder takes the small runts ( most of which are already prone to health issues are breed them to produce even "smaller dogs".
A healthy Maltese should weight 4-6 pounds and these dogs are not healthy, a real breeder wouldn’t breed them to be this small. Dogs that are bred to be this small have numerous health issues because their skeletal structure is fragile, they often suffer from bone and muscle issues, as well as neurological and behavioral issues from being inbreed.
Its best to stay away from any dog that is called a "teacup" they don’t exist, this is just a cutsey name BYBers use to scam people into buying their BYBred mutant mutts.
References :
By oregano13 on Mar 11, 2010 | Reply
There is not a 100% chance the dog will have health problems, but being undersized for the breed would certainly drastically increase the likelihood of major health difficulties to the point they are a near certainty. Generally ‘breeders’ who select for small size are selecting for small size alone with no care for their health or other factors. Ask the breeder to fax you copies of the BAER and CERF results on both paretns, and the OFA certificates for luxating patella and thyroid at the least. If he can’t provide them, walk away.
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By Muffin [Kylie] on Mar 11, 2010 | Reply
Yes it would have health issues. That guy is advertising dogs that aren’t "supposed" to grow to be the breed standard so it will have health issues. Just find a good breeder, that’s selling dogs that should end up weighing about 4-7 pounds.
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By Pixie on Mar 11, 2010 | Reply
The smaller the dog the more likely health issues are to occur.
Let’s start out by saying "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A "TEACUP" PUPPY".
With that in mind, let me say this; It seems as though there is a plethora of people who are insistent on buying tiny puppies in the 2 to 4 pound range. Also commonly referred to as a "Teacup puppy".
The word "Teacup" has been used to merely describe the size of a puppy, meaning it is very small and will probably be under the standard size which is 4 to 7 pounds for the Toy Group, Yorkshire Terrier breed. We cannot imagine anyone wanting anything smaller than that! Their bones are VERY fragile and can be broken by jumping off of a couch, falling off of a bed, being stepped on or worse.
Many breeders, while tacking a whooping price on a puppy, "claim" to breed so called "teacups" as if they were a breed all their own. Don’t be fooled! They are NOT a breed of their own.
If a breeder says they specialize in "teacups" RUN, RUN, RUN for the hills! Most "TEACUP" puppies are in reality, a premature puppy.
Most females are bred on the ninth through the fifteenth day of their heat cycles. Eggs can be fertilized for up to 72 hours after any of these breeding’s. Therefore, it is possible to have puppies conceived up to a week or so younger than the puppies first conceived in a litter. However, when the first puppies conceived are mature and ready to be born, labor starts and all the puppies will be born, no matter when they were fertilized.
Some of the problems that may be encountered are both genetic and congenital in these tiny babies and the list is a long one.
The risk of open fontanels (soft spot from the cranial bone not forming), portosystemic shunts (PSS- abnormal vessel that allows blood to bypass the liver. As a result the blood is not cleansed by one of the bodies filters: the liver.), hypoglycemia, cardiac problems, collapsing trachea, luxating patellas, Leggs Calves Perthes disease, seizures, hydroencephaly, blindness and digestive problems can be increased in these tiny babies.
Problems such as respiratory problems can remain or worsen throughout their lives. These babies frequently are so fragile that they do not live more than a few years. There have been several tiny Yorkies as adults who still had open fontanels and their owners had to carry nourishment with them all the time. Their vets have felt it unsafe to give a full dose of vaccine so the puppies had to get several injections to be on the safe side.
There is no such thing as a "tea cup" Yorkshire Terrier, Maltese, Poodle, or any other breed for that matter. They simply do not exist. "Tea-cup" is just a marketing ploy given by unethical and unscrupulous breeders to drive up the price of their puppies!
So called "Teacups" fetch anything from $1000 to $10,000! This is ridiculous and shameful! There are a lot of chronically, unhealthy puppies because unscrupulous breeders and puppy mills are inbreeding. Some poor darlings only live for a very, very short time!
They take the little teeny, tiny Yorkies and they breed 2 1/2 pounders with 3 pounders … well, they’re playing with genetics. You should NEVER breed a female of any breed less than 5 pounds.
PLEASE educate yourselves before buying a tiny puppy whether it is a Yorkie or any other breed. You could be in for months or years of heartbreak not to mention staggering veterinarian bills!
DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!! IF YOU WANT A HEALTHY PUPPY, DON’T FALL FOR THE TEACUP ACT!
References :
http://www.barkrescue.net/teacup.htm
By Messykatt on Mar 11, 2010 | Reply
The two statements aren’t mutually exclusive. In other words, the backyard breeder is bragging about the tiny size (often called "teacup") because there are always people out there who don’t research what they’re doing and will buy them, often at high prices.
However, it’s equally true that they’ll have health problems, because you get them that tiny by purposely breeding generations of runts.
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By marci knows best on Mar 11, 2010 | Reply
I would run screaming from that breeder. Well-bred Maltese from a reputable breeder will generally be between 4 – 7 pounds. That is really little. Smaller than most cats. The smaller the animal, the more chance that some organ has not had enough space to develop properly and will cause health issues.
The national club is a good place to look for a reputable breeder
http://www.americanmaltese.org/
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