Like every pet, Maltese breed dogs need to have a good diet. It is important that you put in practice this general rule to take care of you pet. Whatever dogs eat is a crucial part of the quality of life you give them. Because of the small dog frame; maltese dogs need to consume the best quality food to keep a good inmune system. The first step is to consult your pet's doctor in recommendations for the food and treats your pet should be consuming, associates at a pet store will give good recommendations as well.
One of the biggest problems Maltese dogs face is the matted - tangled hair, this is a big concerning point to maltese dog owners; and is second in our list because it actually has to do with your dog's health in a great way; the matted hair can trap moisture, bugs, fleas, bacteria and sores may develope under the mats resulting in aggravated and ripped by the clipper blade. To avoid this, brush your maltese regularly with a proper brush for the length of its hair and more importantly keeping your maltese up-to-date with the grooming, brushing, untangling, ear plucking, nail clipping and bathing services. The picture below shows the Before and After of one of our clients; notice the extra long, uncontrollable and uneven hair on the 'Before' - especially the paws where our little friends pick up the bacteria, bugs and fleas. The 'After' picture shows a much less and easy to manage hair where the pet's facial hair allows better vision and aspect to the dog's face. The paws are nicely groomed, clean and bacteria-free. Also, keeping up with the grooming will save some money in the long run because extra long haired dogs are more costly to groom. Remember, we have the right staff and equipment to treat your pets.
Another important tip on a maltese health is eye care due to the "Tear Stains." This could be caused by many reasons and two of the most powerful are addressed above, food and long facial hair are two main reasons for this problem to occur on your maltese. A poor diet consisting in low quality food, lack of grooming on the eyes area, tap water and plastic bowls are the impactful causes to contribute to this problem. As mentioned before, the food should be administrated according to your pets type of diet, keep grooming services on schedule to avoid wet long hairs getting inside the eyes. Try to change the tap water which has a lot of chemicals, toxins, and carcinogens to a filtered water you could find a pet store as well. Lastly, use stainless-steel bowls and avoid plastic ones that are not BPA free which are very dangerous especially toy breeds.
Finally, every dog is unique and malteses are one of a kind! it's in your hands to keep your little friend healthy in happy.