Unsurprisingly, being one the smallest purebred dogs, figuring out Chihuahuas isn’t an easy job. They have personalities; but sometimes, their unorthodox traits (that are positive in nature) get mingled with their unusual traits, and that’s when alarm bells start ringing. So, in the wake of that realization, we’re here to make the process of ‘figuring out’ a Chihuahua a little easier for you.
Here’s a list of 6 health issues in Chihuahuas you should pay attention to:
Movement
Celebrities around the world carry Chihuahuas as a part of their fashion statement. This chiefly is owing to their small size and adorable appearance. But, it is important to remember they are but dogs and dogs need to roam about freely no matter how fragile they are. Stagnation can be very problematic for Chihuahuas which can cause various health problems.
They need to play a game of tug or with toys or such other things as they are very agile. Moreover, their energies need to be channelized. Being sedentary makes them feel very gloomy, grumpy and old! Pet owners need to take care they have enough movement and look for the fact that the dog is happy.
Luxating Patella
The Chihuahua owners should keep in mind that these fragile, little dogs have very fragile legs. They need to be very carefully handled as a simple jump from a sofa or the owner’s arms, owing to its mischievous nature, might cause their bones to break or cause a luxating patella.
A luxating patella in a chihuahua occurs when the patella of the dog, which is normally positioned on the thigh bone groove, slips out of the synchronized arrangement. In such cases, you have to take serious note, as such chihuahua health ailments might affect your dog severely. It can occur in one or both hind limbs. In a breed like Chihuahuas, this de-synchronization occurs in a medial way or in a direction going to the interior of the affected limb.
Before you start delving deeper into diseases, it’s important to take note of a few points regarding how pet insurance works. In fact, pet insurance functions more in a way like property insurance than health insurance. So, the policyholder has to directly pay for the healthcare of the pet and only then get reimbursed by the insurance-providing firm.
It is very important to note these insurances never cover already existing diseases or abnormalities. It is financially beneficial when some serious accident or sudden illness occurs that have the ability to bring home very high bills from the vet.
Abnormalities in defecation
This is the hardest part! Agile as they are, defecation training to Chihuahuas becomes very difficult. They do not have a will to defecate almost always but the pet owners must keep in mind they are tiny beings with tiny digestive systems. It is natural they cannot hold on for long intervals.
So, if the owner cannot always cater to its needs, it should at least be trained on how to visit a litter box. This is a feasible measure making both contended. Asking it to hold for long forcefully might cause more serious troubles, adding on to more vet expenditure.
Hydrocephalus
Hydrocephalus is a very dangerous health hazard. It means “water in the brain” and can get very wrong if people mistake it to be a cuteness quotient for Chihuahuas. The problem is because they’ve a very unique face and head, often even referred to as “apple head”. What apparently seems adorable might be a serious issue for the dog.
It occurs when there is excess cerebrospinal fluid exerting pressure on the brain as well as the allied cerebral structures. The baby face and unproportionately large head are primarily caused by the abnormal drainage and circulation of CSF. This heightens up the pressure inside the cranium very much and can damage the extremely sensitive brain of the dog.
Periodontal Disease
This is a disease associated with infected, trembling teeth as well as odorous breath. The teeth eventually become loose enough to break off. It is painful for the dog as to how the teeth inflict when they gradually loosen. They even wear and tear the jaw bone. In fact, this is something so less looked after that vets find most Chihuahuas having bad teeth or a complete absence of teeth in adults.
So, right from taking in a puppy, a vet should be absolutely consulted to keep proper care of the baby’s teeth not only to enhance its smile but also to ease its pain. In adult Chihuahuas, the preventive dentistry which the vet recommends must be followed. This includes dental cleansing by the use of anesthesia in proper intervals as well as how to brush teeth or rinse teeth at home as a part of a very inclusive all-home program.
Cold and Chill
Chihuahuas have an affinity for wearing sweaters and jackets during winter and become naturally morose when it rains. It is primarily because they are extremely sensitive to weather fluctuations and their little bodies can easily catch a cold. So, even if celebrities often propagate their sense of fashion, what they’re looking for is protection.
Final words
Like we suggested earlier, Chihuahuas are adorable, unusual but there’s some uncertainty to that unusual. We hope this article takes away most of those uncertainties out of the window and makes the lives of Chihuahua owners a little easier.
