Maltese
This page is educational reference material for preparing questions. A licensed veterinarian examines the animal, makes the diagnosis, and sets the treatment.
Adopting a Maltese: breed-specific rescues, what to expect, adoption costs, and preparing your home for a rescued Maltese.
Finding a Maltese to Adopt
Adopting a Maltese is not the bargain option — it is the informed option. Rescue Malteses come with a known temperament, a known size, often a completed vaccination schedule, and volunteers who will tell you the truth about whether the dog is right for your home. Most national breed clubs maintain a rescue page; that is where to start.
Weighing around 4-7 lbs and lifespan of 12-15 yrs, the Maltese has specific care needs shaped by its genetics and build. The Maltese's minimal shedding coat and moderate activity requirements tell only part of the story — their toy heritage shapes everything from trainability to health risks.
Breed-Specific Health Profile: Research identifies luxating patella, dental disease, collapsed trachea as conditions with higher prevalence in Malteses. These are population-level trends, not individual certainties. Discuss with your veterinarian which screening tests are recommended for your Maltese.
Breed-Specific Rescues
The Maltese's minimal shedding coat and moderate activity requirements tell only part of the story — their toy heritage shapes everything from trainability to health risks. Malteses with moderate energy levels strike a good balance between activity and relaxation.
- Size: small (4-7 lbs)
- Energy Level: Moderate
- Shedding: Minimal
- Lifespan: 12-15 yrs
Shelter Adoption
Care decisions tuned to breed-level detail tend to stick, because they match the animal's actual behavior. Care for Malteses has to account for a small frame, a minimal shedding profile, and breed-linked risk around luxating patella and dental disease.
What to Expect
- Maintain an occasional grooming routine
Preparing Your Home
First Days Home
The cost difference between catching a condition early versus treating it at an advanced stage is typically 3-5x, not counting quality-of-life impact. Watch for early signs of luxating patella, maintain regular veterinary visits, and keep your dog at a healthy weight — excess weight worsens most of the conditions this breed is prone to.
Veterinary Care Schedule for Malteses
Preventive care reduces both emergency costs and disease severity over your pet's lifetime. Here is a general framework for your Maltese. Below is a general framework.
| Life Stage | Visit Frequency | Key Screenings |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy (0-1 year) | Every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks, then at 6 and 12 months | Vaccinations, deworming, spay/neuter (consult AVMA guidelines on optimal timing) consultation |
| Adult (1-7 years) | Annually | Physical exam, dental check, heartworm test, vaccination boosters |
| Senior (7+ years) | Every 6 months | Blood work, urinalysis, Luxating Patella screening, Dental Disease screening, Collapsed Trachea screening |
Malteses should receive breed-specific screening for luxating patella starting at 3-5 years of age or earlier if symptoms appear. Catching problems early gives you more treatment options and better odds.
Cost of Maltese Ownership
More Maltese Guides
Find more specific guidance for Maltese health and care.
- Maltese Diet & Nutrition Guide
- Maltese Pet Insurance Cost
- How to Train a Maltese
- Maltese Grooming Guide
- Maltese Health Issues
- Maltese Temperament & Personality
- Maltese Exercise Needs
- Maltese Cost of Ownership
What are the most important considerations for adopting a maltese?
Adopting a Maltese requires research into breed-specific needs, finding reputable rescues or breeders, and preparing your home for their arrival.