White Shaker Syndrome
As the name implies, this condition only occurs with white dogs. The Maltese is very prone to this, since the dog only is found with white coats. This is one reason why breeding white Maltipoos is tricky….They are sought after and a popular color choice, but when breeding a white Maltese and a white Poodle to produce white puppies, it also increases the risk of this health problem.
With this health issue, the dog will have tremors of their entire body. There are environmental conditions that can trigger this to happen as well as genetic causes. Episodes most often begin between the ages of 6 months old to 3 years old.
Luxating Patella
Also known as Patellar Luxation. This is very common with small dog breeds. It is extremely common with the Chihuahua, and is common with the Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, Maltese and other tiny dogs, the Maltipoo is no exception. “Hyrid Vigor” as talked about above, does not decrease the chances of this. This is a condition that CAN be genetic, however in many cases, proper care can prevent this from happening!
Before buying a Maltipoo puppy, it is important to see that BOTH parents have health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for patellas (knees).
You should ask the breeder to see the paper work for this, this will mean that both parents were tested for this condition (which CAN be genetic) and both have passed, meaning that neither carries the genes that would cause a puppy to be prone to this.