[BoosDad]

I know that you are out there. You have posted that your Havanese is 17-20. However, for some reason, you never make any additional posts. It is very lonely on the forum being the only owner of a geriatric Havanese (17+years old). I’m sure forum members would enjoy hearing about the adventures of the older guys and gals.

Mr. Boo is a character. However, he has only so many stories to tell these days.

Hope to hear from other folks.

 

[LWalks]

I know that you are out there. You have posted that your Havanese is 17-20. However, for some reason, you never make any additional posts. It is very lonely on the forum being the only owner of a geriatric Havanese (17+years old). I’m sure forum members would enjoy hearing about the adventures of the older guys and gals.

Mr. Boo is a character. However, he has only so many stories to tell these days.

Hope to hear from other folks.

I don’t know but I love hearing about Boo’s escapades and would love hearing all about them too!

Also, when I read the title of this post I thought it was going to be about the age of the people, not their dogs 😂

 

[BoosDad]

I don’t know but I love hearing about Boo’s escapades and would love hearing all about them too!

Also, when I read the title of this post I thought it was going to be about the age of the people, not their dogs 😂

I revised the thread title. Hope it is clearer. I’m half asleep these days lol.

 

[LWalks]

I revised the thread title. Hope it is clearer. I’m half asleep these days lol.

I just attributed it to my being tired! I was VERY curious to hear what was being said about older owners 👀

 

[mudpuppymama]

I would be happy just to hear about Havanese 13 years and older. We don’t hear much from them either.

 

[krandall]

I would be happy just to hear about Havanese 13 years and older. We don’t hear much from them either.

I agree! Those of us with "aging" Havanese all HOPE to get to the 18-20 year old stage! 💗

 

[mudpuppymama]

I agree! Those of us with "aging" Havanese all HOPE to get to the 18-20 year old stage! 💗

While we are on the subject, how is Kodi doing with his eyes? Does he like his sunglasses?

 

[krandall]

While we are on the subject, how is Kodi doing with his eyes? Does he like his sunglasses?

He’s doing really well! I had to wash his eyes tonight, and realized that I haven’t had to do that in quite a while! His eyes are bright and the membranes are looking pretty normal. It’s been too cold for ME to take him on any walks, so we haven’t had a chance to test out his “shades”. That will have to wait for the spring!

 

[mudpuppymama]

He’s doing really well! I had to wash his eyes tonight, and realized that I haven’t had to do that in quite a while! His eyes are bright and the membranes are looking pretty normal. It’s been too cold for ME to take him on any walks, so we haven’t had a chance to test out his “shades”. That will have to wait for the spring!

Wonderful!

 

[JeriBolt]

My Havi is 13 now and just sweet and easy as can be! I was very surprised though when his heart murmur turned into serious heart disease (mitral valve dysfunction) at age 11. He’s been on heart meds twice/day and still here! He also has cataracts and very very hard of hearing. I say I was surprised because I’ve had large dogs for 30 years prior (a Golden and then a Lab) and both were quite healthy until age 15. I didn’t know about small dog health issues and while I adore my Bolt, I wonder what to do when he finally succumbs to the heart disease (they say average life after diagnosis is a year, but he’s still going up and down stairs!). I’d want another Havanese, but aren’t the heart, hearing and sight problems pretty common? Anyway, maybe this is why folks with older dogs don’t write here? Are there many Havanese that live long, healthy lives?

 

[mudpuppymama]

My Havi is 13 now and just sweet and easy as can be! I was very surprised though when his heart murmur turned into serious heart disease (mitral valve dysfunction) at age 11. He’s been on heart meds twice/day and still here! He also has cataracts and very very hard of hearing. I say I was surprised because I’ve had large dogs for 30 years prior (a Golden and then a Lab) and both were quite healthy until age 15. I didn’t know about small dog health issues and while I adore my Bolt, I wonder what to do when he finally succumbs to the heart disease (they say average life after diagnosis is a year, but he’s still going up and down stairs!). I’d want another Havanese, but aren’t the heart, hearing and sight problems pretty common? Anyway, maybe this is why folks with older dogs don’t write here? Are there many Havanese that live long, healthy lives?

Thanks for telling us about your dog. It is so great to hear from older Hav owners. It sounds like your dog still has great quality of life. I cannot speak to what is typical for the breed as they age. I would think many start to have some issues but still have a good quality of life. My Mia is only half Havanese, then other half is Papillon. She is 14.5 years old and has not developed any health issues that I know of so far, However, I often what potential problems may lie ahead. I wonder how common heart disease is in older Havs.

 

[JeriBolt]

Yes, Bolt still has a pretty good quality of life and can see enough not to bump into things! I think your dog being half Havi is a great thing! Now that I’ve learned more about health issues in small purebreds, I think that the combined “designer dogs” are onto something. I’d love a Havi-Papillon mix so if you know a breeder that does that (or was it an accident?), please share!

 

[mudpuppymama]

Yes, Bolt still has a pretty good quality of life and can see enough not to bump into things! I think your dog being half Havi is a great thing! Now that I’ve learned more about health issues in small purebreds, I think that the combined “designer dogs” are onto something. I’d love a Havi-Papillon mix so if you know a breeder that does that (or was it an accident?), please share!

Well Mia is a breeder accident!!! I was definitely not looking for a designer dog! If I get another dog, I will certainly go the purebred route and seek out a reputable breeder. A designer dog does not mean fewer health issues and could mean more since many of those breeders are not reputable and you are dealing with a mixed bag of genes.

I just did a quick search and it looks like many small dog breeds are prone to heart disease in their golden years. They are all bound to get something as they age. I think the best thing we can do is seek a reputable breeder, raise them as best we can and support them as much as possible in their old age. I don’t think older dogs really care that much about not being able to see or hear. They just want to be near their owners and be loved.

 

[krandall]

Well Mia is a breeder accident!!! I was definitely not looking for a designer dog! If I get another dog, I will certainly go the purebred route and seek out a reputable breeder. A designer dog does not mean fewer health issues and could mean more since many of those breeders are not reputable and you are dealing with a mixed bag of genes.

I just did a quick search and it looks like many small dog breeds are prone to heart disease in their golden years. They are all bound to get something as they age. I think the best thing we can do is seek a reputable breeder, raise them as best we can and support them as much as possible in their old age. I don’t think older dogs really care that much about not being able to see or hear. They just want to be near their owners and be loved.

Hearing problem are common in ALL older dogs, regardless of size. So are sight problems. Heart problems vary by breed. Some Havanese have heart problems, but certainly not all. My Kodi is 13 3/4 and his heart is absolutely fine. His parents lived to pipe old ages, and his grandmother was almost 18 when she passed.

Do not get confused into thinking heart disease is a huge "Havanese thing" because your lovely pet has a problem with it. And CERTAINLY don't think that a "designer dog" from non-health tested parents is likely to get you a healthier dog. That is not likely.

 

[JeriBolt]

True… I think I WAS lucky with my 2 big dogs who saw and heard perfectly until they passed. My Golden had congenital epilepsy but came thru his seizures fine and lived a long life! So, maybe there are Havanese breeders whose pups aren’t prone to heart disease but it is so common, I’ll have to see if MY heart can take the risk when I get to that point! I DO love everything about the temperament of the Havanese!

 

[LWalks]

True… I think I WAS lucky with my 2 big dogs who saw and heard perfectly until they passed. My Golden had congenital epilepsy but came thru his seizures fine and lived a long life! So, maybe there are Havanese breeders whose pups aren’t prone to heart disease but it is so common, I’ll have to see if MY heart can take the risk when I get to that point! I DO love everything about the temperament of the Havanese!

Bolt sounds like a sweet guy. My older Hav (almost 11) was diagnosed with mitral valve disease at age 8– the vet heard a murmur, so we took him to get an echocardiogram as a baseline. He gets them every year now, and so far they haven’t seen any enlargement of his heart or other symptoms, so no meds needed. His cardiologist said that until we start to see negative effects from the mitral valve leakage like enlargement or he starts to have trouble breathing (we count his resting breathing rate at least once a month), he doesn’t need medication, but then at that point he would need a medication that is generally tolerated very well and dogs can be on it for years. The last phase as I understand it is congestive heart failure and THAT is the diagnosis that typically has about a year life expectancy… and there are meds but apparently they have more side effects. The cardiologist also said that, depending on how late the diagnosis of the mitral valve disease, dogs never progress to CHF. So for now we try to keep him in good shape, give him high quality food, get his yearly echos, and hope he will be with us for a LOT longer.

I know his breeder has had a few dogs she bred get heart disease over the years just because I’ve seen it on the Facebook group for her litters, but I don’t think it’s a large number— and I know all of her breeding dogs had their OFA cardiac certifications. Our vet seemed to think it was not likely congenital given that he never had a murmur until he was 8. I think it’s Cavaliers and some others that are TRULY prone to CHF, with many dogs dying way too young. Unfortunately there are way too many things that take them from us too soon, but hope your Bolt continues to do well on his meds!

 

[BoosDad]

Boo, you are the BEST! You are the Havanese Forum mascot! 💗 🥰

My Havi is 13 now and just sweet and easy as can be! I was very surprised though when his heart murmur turned into serious heart disease (mitral valve dysfunction) at age 11. He’s been on heart meds twice/day and still here! He also has cataracts and very very hard of hearing. I say I was surprised because I’ve had large dogs for 30 years prior (a Golden and then a Lab) and both were quite healthy until age 15. I didn’t know about small dog health issues and while I adore my Bolt, I wonder what to do when he finally succumbs to the heart disease (they say average life after diagnosis is a year, but he’s still going up and down stairs!). I’d want another Havanese, but aren’t the heart, hearing and sight problems pretty common? Anyway, maybe this is why folks with older dogs don’t write here? Are there many Havanese that live long, healthy lives?

Boo also has mild mitral valve disease, which was discovered just prior to age 19. Then, he was determined to have a stage 2 heart murmur. He had workup with a cardiologist, and was placed on Enalapril to control hypertension. Repeat workup this year has shown no progress in the valvular disease, and his murmur remains at stage 2. Boo’s cardiologist said that once they go on meds for CHF, life expectancy is about 18 months. However, I have met someone, whose toy poodle was on heart meds for over two years. So who knows?

I think Boo’s cardiac problems are more an age thing as opposed to a breed thing. Irregardless, his cardiac condition remains only mild, even at age 20.

 

[krandall]

True… I think I WAS lucky with my 2 big dogs who saw and heard perfectly until they passed. My Golden had congenital epilepsy but came thru his seizures fine and lived a long life! So, maybe there are Havanese breeders whose pups aren’t prone to heart disease but it is so common, I’ll have to see if MY heart can take the risk when I get to that point! I DO love everything about the temperament of the Havanese!

Again, I am not sure it IS as common as all that…

 

[krandall]

Boo also has mild mitral valve disease, which was discovered just prior to age 19. Then, he was determined to have a stage 2 heart murmur. He had workup with a cardiologist, and was placed on Enalapril to control hypertension. Repeat workup this year has shown no progress in the valvular disease, and his murmur remains at stage 2. Boo’s cardiologist said that once they go on meds for CHF, life expectancy is about 18 months. However, I have met someone, whose toy poodle was on heart meds for over two years. So who knows?

I think Boo’s cardiac problems are more an age thing as opposed to a breed thing. Irregardless, his cardiac condition remains only mild, even at age 20.

Yeah, I think that’s sort of like my dad, who died of congestive heart failure… at 93… almost everyone dies of SOMETHING by that age. When doctors ask if “heart disease runs in my family”, I am not sure that counts.

 

[JeriBolt]

Boo is certainly unique! Any dog living to 20 is an anomaly and his genes plus your care must explain it! If only all our pooches could be with us for that long!!