Chihuahua Information Center
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Chihuahua Health
Signs of a Healthy Chihuahua
It is important, as a pet owner to be conscious of your pets health at all times, not just when they get sick. Toys dogs such as the Chihuahua need additional attention and an owner should be aware of certain elements to keep an eye out for.
If you confirm your Chihuahua's health every day, you can avoid your pet from getting any serious illness and avoid emergency visits to the vet. You should go through some simple check signs that you can easily perform daily. This is also very useful when considering purchasing a pup. Beware of certain issues that can happen with mini Chihuahuas or other unnatural breeds.
See Mini Chihuahuas
It is important, as a pet owner to be conscious of your pets health at all times, not just when they get sick. Toys dogs such as the Chihuahua need additional attention and an owner should be aware of certain elements to keep an eye out for.
If you confirm your Chihuahua's health every day, you can avoid your pet from getting any serious illness and avoid emergency visits to the vet. You should go through some simple check signs that you can easily perform daily. This is also very useful when considering purchasing a pup. Beware of certain issues that can happen with mini Chihuahuas or other unnatural breeds.
See Mini Chihuahuas
Daily Check List
Temperature: Changes in body temperature can make a dog ill. Check the body temperature of your Chihuahua; it should remain between 101 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 to 38.8 Celsius). Any abnormal changes in your Chihuahua can be a sign of illness and you should take your dog to the veterinary doctor right away.
Eyes: The eyes can show you a lot and let you know that something is amiss. A slight, watery discharge is normal. However, if your dog has a very thick discharge, this is usually a sign of illness and should be taken care of by a veterinarian as soon as possible. If your Chihuahua has an unusual reddish color in his/her eyes that is also a sign of illness. When a dog ages it develops a cloudiness of its lens, which unfortunately can lead to blindness, but can be avoided with proper care and treatment to any early stage problems.
Mammary tissue (females): Check for swelling and report this to a vet
Testicles (males): Check for swelling and report this to a vet
Nose: Check for abnormal discharge from the nose. An older Chihuahua can develop crust and/or cracks on its nose and you should seek treatment for this. It is normal for the color of a dog's nose to change over a period of time.
Ears: Odor coming from your pet Chihuahua ears is a major sign of sickness.
Breathing: Bad breath from a dog can be a sign of looming illness and you should have it checked out by your vet. Normal breathing is very important; this assures you that your pet is in normal condition. Abnormal breathing is a sign of illness. Breathing problems become more regular as dogs age, so check for unnecessary panting or wheezing.
Temperature: Changes in body temperature can make a dog ill. Check the body temperature of your Chihuahua; it should remain between 101 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 to 38.8 Celsius). Any abnormal changes in your Chihuahua can be a sign of illness and you should take your dog to the veterinary doctor right away.
Eyes: The eyes can show you a lot and let you know that something is amiss. A slight, watery discharge is normal. However, if your dog has a very thick discharge, this is usually a sign of illness and should be taken care of by a veterinarian as soon as possible. If your Chihuahua has an unusual reddish color in his/her eyes that is also a sign of illness. When a dog ages it develops a cloudiness of its lens, which unfortunately can lead to blindness, but can be avoided with proper care and treatment to any early stage problems.
Mammary tissue (females): Check for swelling and report this to a vet
Testicles (males): Check for swelling and report this to a vet
Nose: Check for abnormal discharge from the nose. An older Chihuahua can develop crust and/or cracks on its nose and you should seek treatment for this. It is normal for the color of a dog's nose to change over a period of time.
Ears: Odor coming from your pet Chihuahua ears is a major sign of sickness.
Breathing: Bad breath from a dog can be a sign of looming illness and you should have it checked out by your vet. Normal breathing is very important; this assures you that your pet is in normal condition. Abnormal breathing is a sign of illness. Breathing problems become more regular as dogs age, so check for unnecessary panting or wheezing.
Health Issues The Chihuahua Breed is Prone to
The following Chihuahua health problems and conditions are rare, but do have a higher rate than with other breeds.
Remember that it is not just the Chihuahua breed that can be prone to specific health problems. All breeds carry certain DNA that makes them susceptible to a number of varying diseases. The following conditions and problems are not meant to dissuade you from having a Chihuahua. These are just rudiments to keep in mind, so that if your dog shows any early signs, you can have your vet check him or her out right away. We strongly recommend taking your puppy or dog for regular vet visits, as it is imperative to the quality of life and overall health of your Chi..
Luxating Patellas A Chihuahua health issue that you will want to be conscious of is the chance of luxating patellas, this is a circumstance in which the knee cap of the Chihuahua slips out of its place. Sometimes, it is not severe enough to need surgical treatment and sometimes it is. Your vet will tell you what steps to take. If you observe your Chihuahua limping, be sure to find out what may be wrong. If you purchased your Chihuahua from a breeder, they should have on record if the parents had this condition; it can be hereditary.
SHLS Sometimes a Chi will lose his or her hair because of a SHLS issue. This stands for Severe Hair Loss Syndrome. If diagnosed with this, there is no pain, although the fur may or may not grow back. Do be sure to have any fur loss examined by the veterinarian, as there can be many causes and not just SHLS.
Low Thyroid This is also known as hypothyroidism and it is the same type of low thyroid condition that humans can get. No need to be alarmed, but certainly it is a time to bring your Chihuahua to the vet. Symptoms will be baffling weight gain, excessive sleeping and lack of energy.
Trachea Issues This breed can develop a collapsed trachea more often than larger breeds. This can happen if a collared Chi lunges forward or is jerked backwards. It is recommended that when outside on a leash, a dog harness be used as opposed to a dog collar. Signs of a collapsed trachea on a Chihuahua are coughing, trouble breathing and signs of pain.
Hypoglycemia This is a drop in blood sugar levels and can happen quite quickly. This can be common especially with puppies who are very young, 8 to 12 weeks old. Symptoms can be weakness, trembling, dizziness and vomiting. Rubbing honey or corn syrup onto the puppy's gums can help stabilize your dog while you seek help at the vet ASAP. Fast medical help is necessary to save the life of the dog.
Sudden Death Syndrome in Dogs
Sudden Death Syndrome in a puppy is never a fault of the dog owner. This is a very occurrence and it is as much of a mystery as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome with babies. While studies have been done one this happening, there is still a lot to be understood. Some elderly dogs have suddenly died from things such as Cholelithiasis and the Paragonimus Kellicotti infection. If you are owner of the mother of a puppy who has been the victim of this sudden death, keep in mind that the mother dog is having deep feelings of loss. She may seem very distant and most likely, this has nothing to do with the dog's health and once she recovers from this loss and you feel ready, you may wish to breed her again. If this sad event should occur a second time, it is then that you would take the mother dog to the vet to have a complete and meticulous checkup and evaluation.
Limping
When a dog begins to limp, this could be something as straightforward as a torn muscle or a pinching nerve and can go away. Conversely, keep in mind that there are some Chihuahua health problems that small toy dogs such as a Chihuahua are prone to.
One possible reason for a coming & going limp: Chihuahuas are prone to having dislocating kneecaps. It is caused by the sideways movement of the kneecap and is called a luxating patella. While some puppies can be born with this and others can have a predisposition for this, it can often occur from trauma... Something as simple as jumping off a sofa can cause this with a tiny Chi. (You can read more about this above).
When the kneecap slips out of its normal position, it becomes like a wedge and squeezes the ligaments near the knee so that the dog cannot bend its leg. Then kneecap slides back into position and the dog can often walk normally again.
But yet another condition of small toy dogs that will cause limping is Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease or Femoral Head Necrosis. This is often a condition a Chihuahua can inherit from their parents. It happens because of a failure of adequate blood supply to the top of the femur (the 'ball' part of the hip) the femur decays and a fracture occurs.
Sometimes, lameness in the hind legs has nothing to do with the legs at all. It can be caused by decay of the discs in the spine and those discs then push into the spinal cord. This is known as a slipped disc. This can occur at the neck or the spine. When it happens, the disc affects the relay of signals down the nerves and if the nerve affected goes to the legs, limping can happen. If your pup or dog is limping, bring these 3 issues up to your vet. If your vet does not seem concerned, find a new vet.
Be sure to check out our very large book for all details of complete Chihuahua care...
Don't forget to check out the eBook that we have complied for you...with guarded information only animal behaviorists, veterinarians and breeders know about...that you can have right now! Click here to see why we created this book for you.
The following Chihuahua health problems and conditions are rare, but do have a higher rate than with other breeds.
Remember that it is not just the Chihuahua breed that can be prone to specific health problems. All breeds carry certain DNA that makes them susceptible to a number of varying diseases. The following conditions and problems are not meant to dissuade you from having a Chihuahua. These are just rudiments to keep in mind, so that if your dog shows any early signs, you can have your vet check him or her out right away. We strongly recommend taking your puppy or dog for regular vet visits, as it is imperative to the quality of life and overall health of your Chi..
Luxating Patellas A Chihuahua health issue that you will want to be conscious of is the chance of luxating patellas, this is a circumstance in which the knee cap of the Chihuahua slips out of its place. Sometimes, it is not severe enough to need surgical treatment and sometimes it is. Your vet will tell you what steps to take. If you observe your Chihuahua limping, be sure to find out what may be wrong. If you purchased your Chihuahua from a breeder, they should have on record if the parents had this condition; it can be hereditary.
SHLS Sometimes a Chi will lose his or her hair because of a SHLS issue. This stands for Severe Hair Loss Syndrome. If diagnosed with this, there is no pain, although the fur may or may not grow back. Do be sure to have any fur loss examined by the veterinarian, as there can be many causes and not just SHLS.
Low Thyroid This is also known as hypothyroidism and it is the same type of low thyroid condition that humans can get. No need to be alarmed, but certainly it is a time to bring your Chihuahua to the vet. Symptoms will be baffling weight gain, excessive sleeping and lack of energy.
Trachea Issues This breed can develop a collapsed trachea more often than larger breeds. This can happen if a collared Chi lunges forward or is jerked backwards. It is recommended that when outside on a leash, a dog harness be used as opposed to a dog collar. Signs of a collapsed trachea on a Chihuahua are coughing, trouble breathing and signs of pain.
Hypoglycemia This is a drop in blood sugar levels and can happen quite quickly. This can be common especially with puppies who are very young, 8 to 12 weeks old. Symptoms can be weakness, trembling, dizziness and vomiting. Rubbing honey or corn syrup onto the puppy's gums can help stabilize your dog while you seek help at the vet ASAP. Fast medical help is necessary to save the life of the dog.
Sudden Death Syndrome in Dogs
Sudden Death Syndrome in a puppy is never a fault of the dog owner. This is a very occurrence and it is as much of a mystery as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome with babies. While studies have been done one this happening, there is still a lot to be understood. Some elderly dogs have suddenly died from things such as Cholelithiasis and the Paragonimus Kellicotti infection. If you are owner of the mother of a puppy who has been the victim of this sudden death, keep in mind that the mother dog is having deep feelings of loss. She may seem very distant and most likely, this has nothing to do with the dog's health and once she recovers from this loss and you feel ready, you may wish to breed her again. If this sad event should occur a second time, it is then that you would take the mother dog to the vet to have a complete and meticulous checkup and evaluation.
Limping
When a dog begins to limp, this could be something as straightforward as a torn muscle or a pinching nerve and can go away. Conversely, keep in mind that there are some Chihuahua health problems that small toy dogs such as a Chihuahua are prone to.
One possible reason for a coming & going limp: Chihuahuas are prone to having dislocating kneecaps. It is caused by the sideways movement of the kneecap and is called a luxating patella. While some puppies can be born with this and others can have a predisposition for this, it can often occur from trauma... Something as simple as jumping off a sofa can cause this with a tiny Chi. (You can read more about this above).
When the kneecap slips out of its normal position, it becomes like a wedge and squeezes the ligaments near the knee so that the dog cannot bend its leg. Then kneecap slides back into position and the dog can often walk normally again.
But yet another condition of small toy dogs that will cause limping is Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease or Femoral Head Necrosis. This is often a condition a Chihuahua can inherit from their parents. It happens because of a failure of adequate blood supply to the top of the femur (the 'ball' part of the hip) the femur decays and a fracture occurs.
Sometimes, lameness in the hind legs has nothing to do with the legs at all. It can be caused by decay of the discs in the spine and those discs then push into the spinal cord. This is known as a slipped disc. This can occur at the neck or the spine. When it happens, the disc affects the relay of signals down the nerves and if the nerve affected goes to the legs, limping can happen. If your pup or dog is limping, bring these 3 issues up to your vet. If your vet does not seem concerned, find a new vet.
Be sure to check out our very large book for all details of complete Chihuahua care...
Don't forget to check out the eBook that we have complied for you...with guarded information only animal behaviorists, veterinarians and breeders know about...that you can have right now! Click here to see why we created this book for you.