What to do When Your Chihuahua has Wheezing/Seizure-Like Episodes
My husband and I have a chihuahua named Bugsy. We found your web site while trying to find health information. We absolutely love it. Do you have any information about wheezing and their seizure-like episodes. Ours sometimes acts like he can’t catch his breath…
Many chihuahuas owners do not realize that chihuahuas are bred to be small. Breeders create them and as much as we love them, cross breeding can have effects. Trachea issues are common in chihuahuas and can usually be identified by episodes of wheezing. Their trachea collapses on them and the wheezing is usually their immediate response. However, it is ineffective. Instead take firm hold of your Chihuahua, calm them and then plug their noses. This will force them to swallow and breath through their mouths. This is the only remedy so please make a mental note of this.
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Hi Guys ! thanks for all the info here in this site, actually I started searching the web since my chi “chako” had a partial seizure, few days ago, and in the past happened 2 times before. The first time when we were walking he first stick out his tounge, and then he couldn’t stick it in again, for about a minute, he started shivering and shacking, so my instinct was to pick him up and conforting him, I didn’t know what else to do for him, after that he was normal. Few days ago the same episode again, so I decided to make some blood tests, the vet told me his kidney and liver levels are slightly high, and doesn’t mean he has anything. So he wants me to wait a month to see if it happens again, and if I can record it, yes film it.
Have you guys experience anything like this before with your chi’s? Any advice what can I do to prevent of worst things.
Thanks for the info
i have a 4 year old chi hua hua his name is smoky and he likes to venture his block from time to time. one day he came back dirty and bloody we didnt know what happen to him. i immediately but him in the tub and cleaned him up but the bleeding would not stop so i had to cut his beatiful hair to find the bleeding five minutes later i found it i patched him up and hi was fine.the next day he had a seizure and then anothe one and still to this day he has seizures everyday we pray for him and another day with him.
My heart is broken. My beloved Nacho at 7 weeks. Had who knows how many a seizure while I was at work. I came home to poop everywhere and he did not greet me at the door. I found him in his kennel foaming at the mouth and covered in poop. I cleaned him up and as I was drying him his poor little 1.6 pound body began to seizure in my hands. I thought he ate something and was regurgitating. I cleaned him agian and 20 minutes later it happened again. It happened every 20 minutes after that. I tried to call the animal ER but no answer from 2 AM to 7 AM. I cried for him as he got weaker after every episode. Finally at 7AMer callin after callingfor 7 hours I took him to the emergecy clinic. On the way he had his 11th seizure. Poor Nacho. Although I only had him for 3 weeks he will live in my memories forever. RIP Nacho!
Author
it might be a good idea to look at the history of your chihuahua before you took ownership. something or someone could have easily posed a threat to him while in the care of the breeder or if he was a rescue in a shelter and that is what is causing him to behave this way now.
I have a year and half old Chihuahua and recently I moved in with my boyfriend. My dog is terrified of him and screams any time he is near my boyfriend. This had been goign on for a couple of months. Recently he gets so scared he starts having a seizure when my boyfriend comes near him. He has never had this issue in the past and nothing has happened to him to make him so scared. The vet has no idea what is causing his fear. He’s on medication to calm him down but it’s not working. Any suggestions?
Author
please make sure your chihuahua is getting an essential fatty acid oil blend to help retain her health. if she continues to not eat, then take her to the vet as soon as possible. there may be a health issue that is not physically obvious.
My chi is 3 weeks pregnant and she has totally gone off her food and loosing weight, she is normally a little picky with her food but now she doesnt like anything, ive tried all raw meets and cooked meets i dont know wat else to try please help!
i have 2 6 year old chis male and female and my male seems to have seizures.. it starts off as if he was out for a long night at the bar….walking like he is drunk.. then fallin over slightly.. when this happenes he always finds me in the apt then i get him and go lay in bed with him to clam him and reassure him im there to help.. some times they are much worse.. to the point that he looks like he is twisting and floppin like a fish.. when it is that bad i hold him on the bed so not to hurt his self.. i know i need to take him to the vets but i really cant afford it in this day and age.. any one know of any low cost or no cost vets in the california area who might be able to help…. also my female chi has the reverse coughing thing as well… when she is having to much fun is when it hits.. i find that if i rub her neck and clam her down it slowly fades away.. but i will try the holding to nose thing…. ty…im open to any advice.. ty
My 2 year old chi does the same thing.
usually when i come home from work, or from being out for a while.
it’s quite startling for me, as she freezes and stiffens and makes that awful wheezing noise as if she can’t breathe.
i usually rub her throat and it seems to work but it takes a while sometimes. i will try the plugging of the nose the next time.
I am first time chihuahua owner when I rescused her at 2 years old. Today is 4 years old. I never saw her before when she lived with me 3 years. I notice a year ago and it bothers me and sometime it scare me. I didnt want to loose her but I adored her so much. I read your articles from other owners like Nicole’s story. It was almost same thing to my dog. She was so excited when I get home from long day and she was excited and turn her head down and bend curve. She was acting not breathing and gags a little bit. I patted her back and see whats wrong. I could feel her inside whole body as strange. She was normal back. Same thing we went to bed and she acts again. I took her to the vet to examine her throat or gags or heart. But the vet said she had a little heart mumur. Nothing found in her throat or gags. I wonder Is it normal for chihuahua? Is it serious because of her heart mumur?
I have a 15 year old chi that had his first seizure the other day. I brought him to the vet soon after and they looked after him for 24 hours and said everything seems fine. The next day after I brought him home he’s all out of sorts, he seems confused and doesn’t want to eat. He also has a bit of a twitch. Is this the after effects of a seizure or should I be worried something else could happen? Thanks
Author
Dear Kai and Paula,
Here is some information on chihuahuas and hypoglycemia you may want to review.
Hypoglycemia is a condition in which the Chihuahua’s blood sugar level drops to an extremely low level, causing “sugar shock.” When levels of glucose in the blood drop rapidly, the dog’s body and brain are deprived of essential nutrients. The results of hypoglycemia can be weakness, seizures, coma, and in severe cases, death.
Because chihuahuas are so small, they can be prone to hypoglycemia, especially when they are very young. Hypoglycemia is usually caused by stress, illness, lack of food, or by using up stored energy without it being replenished.
It is important to make sure that young puppies and very tiny chihuahuas eat regularly throughout the day. Another preventative for hypoglycemia is regular feeding of a high-calorie supplement called Nutrical, available from your veterinarian or your local pet store.
If you suspect that your chihuahua is hypoglycemic, call your vet immediately as this condition can be quickly fatal.
HYPOGLYCEMIA: New Chihuahua Owners Need To Read!
In some respects, bringing your new Chihuahua puppy home is like bringing home a tiny newborn human baby. Most important! Chihuahuas, like many other toy breeds, may be susceptible to a form of low blood sugar called hypoglycemia.
You probably won’t experience low blood sugar (with your particular puppy) but, in the event that you do, it is an emergency. Small dogs, especially Chihuahuas, have a very small fat reserve around the liver. When they get stressed for some reason (like going to a new home), or if they play too hard (using a lot of energy), or miss a meal, the fat reserve is used up and the body will begin to draw upon the blood sugar for energy. If this condition is left unchecked the dog will grow progressively weaker until it falls into a coma and eventually dies. The good news is that this condition is easily arrested and puppies that do experience hypoglycemia will usually outgrow it by 16 weeks of age. Your goal, as a new owner, should be to keep the puppy s stress level as low as possible during the critical period.
Often the most dangerous period is between six and ten weeks of age. During that time the puppy is weaned away from the dam, wormed, vaccinated, bathed, his toenails are trimmed, and sometimes he is sold into a new environment. Also, the immunity that a puppy gets from the mother’s first milk will drop off somewhere around the ninth week, and that will increase his vulnerability to virus and bacteria. All together, these factors contribute to a very stressful time for the little dog. Some puppies breeze right through it and others have problems.
Signs of hypoglycemia vary; usually the dog will get a sad forlorn look on its face, then it will become inactive, eventually staggering, falling down, or just laying down, followed by what looks like sleep. This sleeplike condition will turn into a form of tooth-clenching seizures and spasms, followed by a comatose condition, and, eventually, death. Not all symptoms may be seen at any one time so watch for any lethargic behavior or lack of coordination. If your puppy seems too sleepy, wake him up, stand him up and make sure he stands and can walk normally. If he lies back down, falls, or staggers, then get some sugar into him. If you are unsure of how to proceed then call your breeder and/or your veterinarian.
Hypoglycemia is seen most often in smaller specimens of Chihuahua puppy, but I caution all new owners to watch your puppy carefully until he is at least 16 weeks of age. If the puppy is a ‘tiny’, I won’t even sell a puppy until it is 12 weeks of age. This can cause bonding and socialization problems because the first 120 days of the puppy’s life are like “the formative years” in the life of a human child. What it comes down to is a judgment call by the breeder as to when the puppy is strong enough to leave. Once that call is made the new owner has to take over and become the puppy’s ‘Guardian’. It is hard to hold the breeders responsible for hypoglycemia when they aren’t there. While hypoglycemia could be a potential problem to any puppy, given the proper circumstances, it can be easily treated.
Sugar in the drinking water, pancake syrup, nutri-cal vitamin paste, nutristat, (generic nutri-cal and less expensive), kids sugarcoated breakfast foods will help restore lost blood sugar. In severe cases a veterinarian may have to inject a glucose solution into the dog’s bloodstream. This occurs usually in cases where the dog is unconscious and unable to swallow. The injection is usually made into a major blood vein such as the jugular vein in the throat.
One good idea is to make sure your dog eats just prior to his being out of your sight for any extended period of time. You can also boost him with sugar in some form (except candy) before you leave him. You must make sure to leave some food available so the dog can eat while you’re away. Some Chihuahuas are nibblers who eat very slowly and some are down right finicky so take that into account and leave him with nutrition that is tempting enough that he will eat something while you are away from him.
Stress can be a real problem to some Chihuahuas. Common sources for high stress are, being sold and taken to a new environment, a temporarily depressed immune system caused by vaccinations, a radical and sudden change of diet, being terribly frightened by something. Some things humans might consider being of little consequence, such as trimming his toenails or giving him a bath, can be terrifying to your little dog. Like people, some dogs will handle stress better than others. The point being that you should minimize stress in your puppy’s life whenever possible and keep him eating to offset any possible bouts of stress-induced hypoglycemia. Source: blueboychihuahuas.com
My dog is really ill right now. My mother has taken him to the vets this morning. It seems he is having a seizure ever 30-60 seconds and this morning he was in a coma. I really need to know what that is about. Please help. He has hypoglycemia.
I’m at a loss. We just bought a 2nd Chi and he was 8 weeks old when we got him. He has had 5 siezures in the last 2 weeks…that we are aware of—they seem mild. He is back to being a little spit fire and acts as if it never happened instantly. I have called the breeder and she says that none of her other chi’s have had this problem. Stated that he could be hypoglycimic. The vet wants to run a lot of tests that we cannot afford. He also seems to urinate a lot. I’m at a loss. He is such a cutie and has stole our hearts but I don’t want this to progress…I have been on the web and there are so many that have this issue…
We have two chis and our tiny male has always done the reverse sneeze as the vets call it, but more of a wheeze when extremely excited/nervous/scared. Recently, our female who is a standard size (5+) has began to tremble immensely while simultaneously wheezing, similarly to our male. however, while she is wheezing she gags herself, as if she swallowed something? If I hold her she begins to calm, but still trembles which is not typical of her personality. I also noticed that the insides of her ears will redden. I am a chronic hypochondriac and have taken her to er vets a number of times. Am I overreacting?
Ps she whelped in July for the first time, I have no idea if this has anything to do with that. Oh, and she is shedding quite a bit but that should be typical due the season. *fall*
Thanks,
Nicole
My chi does not wheeze, but does have grand mal seizures. She is currently taking phenobarbitol. I am concerned about the liver damage factor, is there any natural remedy I could try?
Author
Hello Yvonne. Thank you for visiting famouschihuahua.com. I’m glad the pet health information on wheezing and seizures was helpful for you.
editor @ famouschihuahua.com
Thanks so much for this article! My chihuahua mix Fudge has these episodes a LOT and I found out accidentally that if I hold him to calm him down, the wheezing stops. I never remember to bring it up to my vet because they are so brief and he seems perfectly fine otherwise. He had one just now and I decided to go online to see what it could be. I am glad to know what is causing these fits and I’m going to try the “plug his nose” technique the next time it happens.
Great site; glad I stumbled upon it!
Someone please help!! I dont know whats wrong with my chi. she is just a baby and in the past week she has had a few weird episodes. Her limbs stiffen and she acts like she cant breathe. I took her to the vet and they said she might be hypoglycemic and to feed her every 3-4 hours. I have done this and it seemed to help but she had another today right after i fed her. I called the vet and told her, and she said shes probably having seizures and her prognosis didnt look bright. I am so very sad and i am searching for different oppinions so if anyone can help me please reply. She is sooo cute and seems completely normal besides these episodes.
Author
Julia, here is a link you may want to review regarding your pet’s nutrition https://www.famouschihuahua.com/chihuahua-nutrition/what-to-feed-your-chihuahua/
Please also review the links https://www.famouschihuahua.com/category/chihuahua-health-concerns/
https://www.famouschihuahua.com/chihuahua-nutrition/chihuahuas-essential-fatty-acids/
My Chis getting pretty thin, I’ve been trying to find feeding guides on the net but can’t seem to find much help. He’s eating dry food but he seems to lose interest in his meal after the first kibble. Can you help?
Author
Hi Polarchip,
May I ask what it was that you were feeding your chihuahua when she reacted this way?
Cheers,
[email protected]
My chi has had two episodes, both occurred when she was SO EXCITED about having a bite of my food (she trembles when excited) but then the trembling became larger and larger until she was shaking, bug-eyed, and unable to walk. I think too much emotional stimulation caused them.
Also I hear that macadamia nuts will cause tremors, do not feed to dogs.
Author
Beth, here is some info that may help your chihuahua seizure situation:
Are Chihuahua’s prone to seizures?
http://www.faqs.org/qa/qa-5600.html
Why do dogs have sezures..
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061120172125AA4VBUx
How to help prevent seizures in Little Chihuahuas..
http://www.ehow.com/how_2020316_help-prevent-seizures-little-chihuahuas.html
If anyone has additional info please comment.
I was wondering if you had any info about chi’s that have what I can only describe as mini seizures? Carlos is perfectly alert but his back legs seem very stiff and dont want to work ( like his balance is very off) He has only had maybe 3 or 4 in two years one lasted a minute or so but the others were very brief 30 seconds or so. the last one that he had he actually jumped down out of my arms and ran and played with his brother. Any info will be helpful
Thank you
Beth