High Point, North Carolina

Holly & Sean

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Chihuahua Health Information

Collapsing Trachea

Collapsing trachea is a problem for Toy dogs of many breeds. The symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, and exhaustion. Although it appears more often in dogs older than 5 years, an occasional puppy has it from birth. To understand the condition, think of the trachea as a straw made of cartilage that carries air from the neck to the chest. When the cartilage collapses, breathing becomes difficult, kind of like sipping soda through a flattened straw.

Your vet can treat the condition with medication, but if you smoke, your Chi's prognosis may be poor. Secondhand smoke is a proven contributing factor to the problem . . . and smoke tends to settle low, where a little dog's nose is.  

I recommend using a harness rather than a collar when walking your Chihuahua.

Reverse Sneeze

Occasional bouts of sneezing, snorting, honking and wheezing are not unusual in chihuahuas, and is sometimes called a "reverse sneeze". This is usually caused by a elongated soft palate that is thought to become temporarily misaligned. It is a common trait in toy breeds. Pulling hard on a leash, drinking too fast or getting overly excited can lead to an episode of reverse sneezing. Reverse sneezing SHOULD NOT be confused with a different condition called "collapsed trachea".

Although reverse sneezing may appear to be scary, it only lasts a short time and can be ended by massaging the dog's neck and throat and encouraging the dog to swallow or lick. Another way to slow the reverse sneeze is to clap your hands to distract the dog, or pinch closed the dog's nostrils with your fingers, forcing it to breathe through its mouths and to swallow.

Heart Murmur

Heart murmurs are relatively uncommon in Chihuahuas and even those that have one usually have the functional type. As in people, that means they can be as active and athletic as they want and live long, normal lives.

Molera

The Chihuahua's molera(a.k.a. fontanel) is considered a breed characteristic and not a defect. Most Chihuahuas (80 percent to 90 percent) have a molera — a soft spot on the top of their head similar to a human baby's soft spot.

But unlike babies, most Chihuahuas don't outgrow it. Although it usually shrinks as the dog matures and ends up between nickel- and dime-sized, Pepe's molera won't be a problem as long as you're gentle when petting or handling his head.

In rare cases, the molera remains quite large and can be a sign of a serious problem called hydrocephalus (see the next section). But don't borrow trouble. Hydrocephalus has several other signs besides a larger-than-usual molera.

Chihuahua Club of America - Link - CCA Molera (Fontanel) Statement

Hydrocephalus

A dog with hydrocephalus (a.k.a. water on the brain) may have an unusually large head for his size caused by swelling. Other signs of this fatal condition are frequent falling, seizures, a lot of white showing in the eyes, an unsteady gait, and east-west eyes (the opposite of crossed eyes). A dog with hydrocephalus is in pain and won't live long, so euthanasia is the humane solution. (Euthanasia is the medical term for a humane, vet-assisted death.)

Hypoglycemia

Please read web page on hypoglycemia.

Subluxation of the Patella

In dog lingo, subluxation of the patella is called slipped stifles or loose kneecaps. When it occurs, the kneecap (we're talking about the rear legs) slips out of its groove — sometimes often and sometimes rarely — depending on the severity of the problem. If your dog is one of the unlucky few whose kneecaps slip often, surgery may be the solution. A dog with a mild case can live a normal life, kind of like a person with a trick knee. Subluxation of the patella is a relatively common problem in small breeds and some large ones as well.

Teeth Issues

Because the Chihuahua is small, he also has a very small mouth. This small mouth can cause problems with the mouth being too small for the teeth, which causes overcrowding. Overcrowding of teeth can cause food to be trapped between the teeth, resulting in plaque and tarter buildup, as well as premature tooth-loss. Keeping the teeth clean is essential to keeping the mouth and the rest of the dog healthy. Dogs that have dirty teeth are found to be at much more at risk of heart, liver and kidney damage from the bacteria entering the bloodstream.
You can help keep the mouth clean by offering dental biscuits, dental chew toys, including edible dental chew toys (i.e. greenies, dentabones, etc.), feeding dry food instead of semi-moist or canned food, brushing your dog's teeth (but don't use human toothpaste...it has fluoride...there are doggie toothpastes available at most pet shops), using the available edible water additives for dental hygiene, as well as taking your dog to the veterinarian for a dental cleaning, etc. As the Chihuahua gets older, it is almost inevitable that he will need at least one dental cleaning by the veterinarian, quite often more.
Another issue, although less serious and easily corrected, is retained puppy teeth. Toy breeds are more prone to this problem, and it is caused by the adult tooth growing beside the puppy tooth, instead of the puppy tooth falling out. I usually recommend that if there are any retained puppy teeth (the usual teeth to be retained are the long canines and the small incisors in the front), that the puppy teeth be removed at the time of spay/neuter. This way the dog is only under anesthetic once, and for the rest of his life food can't get trapped between the puppy and adult teeth.

Anal Sacs

WHY DOES MY DOG DRAG ITS BOTTOM ON THE FLOOR?  This is usually a sign of anal gland irritation not worms. The anal glands (scent glands) need to be emptied every so often depending on diet, age, sex, and the stage of the breeding season, ask your vet, groomer or a breeder to show you what to do to take care of the problem.   WHAT HAPPENS IF AN IMPACTED SAC DOES NOT GET EMPTIED?  An abscess can form and rupture out through the skin. This is a painful, messy and pretty smelly condition often mistaken for rectal bleeding. If an anal sac abscess forms, it must be properly treated by your veterinarian. Antibiotics will be needed.

Floppy Ears

WHY ARE MY CHIHUAHUA PUPPY'S EARS SOFT AND FOLDED DOWN?

This is normal during the teething stage from approximately four months and up to eight months. Occasionally in older Chihuahuas it can be due to ear infections or mites or tooth decay. It is rare to have a soft eared Chihuahua but it does happen occasionally, a good indicator is; if the ears have never stood erect in the first six months of its life they probably never will.   This is not a health concern, it just means that they are not able to be shown in an  AKC conformation events.

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