your chihuahua can not explain its symptoms, so it’s your responsibility to keep him or her healthy and to determine whether or not they need veterinary care. chihuahuas tend to want to hide their illness, so it is up to you to check your chihuahua for abnormalities.
not knowing if your chihuahua is feeling sick or how to care for your chihuahua when they are sick can be VERY stressful! this article will help you determine if your chihuahua is showing signs and symptoms of being ill and when you need to take them to see a veterinarian.
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be prepared: questions your veterinarian may ask
your veterinarian may ask additional questions to help localize or diagnose the problem. it may help to be prepared to answer some of the following questions:
- how long have you owned your chihuahua?
- where did you get your chihuahua (adoption center, breeder, previous stray)?
- what other type of pets do you have?
- what is the age of your chihuahua?
- has your chihuahua experienced any previous illnesses?
- is your chihuahua currently under treatment for an illness or disease?
- what preventative medications is your chihuahua currently taking?
- does your chihuahua receive consistent flea treatment?
- are any other pets ill?
- has he/she been vaccinated? if so, when? which vaccines?
- have there been any recent pet acquisitions?
- have there been any recent activities such as boarding, grooming, trip to the park?
- is a majority of your chihuahua’s time spent indoors or outdoors?
- have there been any recent changes in diet or eating habits?
- what brand of food, how much and how frequently does your chihuahua eat?
- what type of table scraps are offered and how frequently?
- what type of treats are offered and how frequently?
- how much water does your chihuahua typically drink per day?
- have there been any recent changes in water consumption?
- have you noticed any coughing or sneezing?
- have you noticed any lumps or bumps on your chihuahua?
- is your chihuahua urinating normally?
- Is your dog having normal bowel movements?
- when is the last time he/she had a bowel movement?
- have you noticed any recent weight loss or weight gain?
after answering some general questions, more specific questions need to be answered. a brief cursory exam of your chihuahua at home can help you determine the answers. these questions are also commonly asked when chihuahua owners are seeking help over the phone.
be prepared to answer the following questions, depending on the problem with your chihuahua:
regarding the eyes
- have you noticed an increase or decrease in tear production?
- do the eyes appear cloudy or red?
- have you noticed any discharge coming from the eyes?
- do the eyes appear bloodshot?
- are the pupils the same size in both eyes?
- have you noticed your chihuahua rubbing or pawing at the eyes?
- is your chihuahua squinting?
- do the eyes appear to be sunken or excessively protruding?
regarding the ears
- do you notice any swelling or discharge from the ears?
- are the ears drooping when they normally stand erect?
- are the ears red and inflamed?
- do you notice any odor to the ears?
- is your chihuahua rubbing or pawing at the ears?
- have you noticed a lot of head shaking?
- have you noticed any pain or crying when you rub or scratch your chihuahua’s ears?
regarding the nose
- have you noticed any congestion, sneezing or coughing?
- have you noticed any blood coming from the nose?
- have you noticed any nasal discharge?
regarding the mouth
- have you noticed any swelling of the lips or tongue?
- have you noticed any bleeding from the mouth?
- what color are the gums – tissue just above the teeth?
looking inside the mouth
- are there any foreign objects such as bones or sticks stuck on the roof of the mouth or around the teeth?
- is your chihuahua able to open and close the mouth normally?
- is there any pain involved in opening or closing the mouth?
- have you noticed any excessive drooling or foaming at the mouth?
- is your chihuahua able swallow food normally?
regarding the chest
- is your chihuahua experiencing any difficulty breathing?
- have you noticed excessive panting?
- is there any pain when the chest area is petted?
- have you noticed any recent coughing?
- is the heartbeat steady and consistent?
- what is the heart rate?
place your hand or your ear on the left side of your chihuahua’s chest, just behind the elbow. you should be able to feel or hear the heartbeat. count how many beats the heart pumps in one minute.
regarding the abdomen/stomach area
- has your chihuahua been having any diarrhea or vomiting?
- is your chihuahua able to eat and drink normally?
- does the abdomen/stomach area appear swollen or distended?
- does your chihuahua appear to be in pain when the stomach area is petted?
- is your chihuahua known to chew on non-food items such as clothing, towels, rocks, or other items?
regarding the urinary and reproductive systems
- have you noticed any difference in urinating?
- does your chihuahua seem to strain to urinate or cry in pain?
- does your chihuahua repeatedly try to urinate with no urine produced?
- is there any blood in the urine?
- how frequently does your chihuahua urinate?
- is your female chihuahua spayed?
- has your female ever had puppies? if so, at what age?
- if your female is not spayed, when was her last heat cycle and was she bred?
- do you notice any discharge from the vaginal area?
- is your male chihuahua neutered? if so, at what age?
- do you notice any discharge from the penis?
- if your chihuahua is not neutered, do you notice any swelling of the testicles?
- have you noticed your chihuahua excessively licking or grooming the genital area?
regarding the musculoskeletal system – bones and joints
- have you noticed any limping?
- are any legs or joints swollen?
- has your chihuahua been excessively licking at one area of his/her legs?
- does your chihuahua show signs of pain when walking?
- is your chihuahua able to walk normally?
- does your chihuahua walk on his/her knuckles?
- does your chihuahua drag any legs when walking?
- does your chihuahua seem to be in pain when petting him or her?
by supplying the answers these questions, your veterinarian will be in a much better position to help your chihuahua. additional tests may be necessary to find out what the problem is, but the answers to the above questions can greatly narrow the area of concern.
please note that famous chihuahua is providing this information to chihuahua owners as a guide so you know when to take your chihuahua to see your veterinarian. if at any time your chihuahua is showing signs or symptoms of illness and discomfort, don’t wait, just go the vet!
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the amazing ebook, caring for chihuahuas made easy, breed information, health care and nutrition teaches you about common chihuahua health problems and how to properly care for your chihuahua! it also teaches you the secret to making your chihuahua live longer!
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Comments 550
Hi, My Chi has a heart condition, he is 8 years old, he is on heart med’s and fluid tablets twice daily. I had him at the vet yesterday as he had developed a cough, the vet said it was an irritation in the trachea. He gave me antibiotics and antinflamitorys. Today I have noticed my dog has barely moved off the couch, his breathing is rapid and shallow and he is mostly unresponive, Ive had to force him to drink water as he hasnt been able and normally on the fluid tabs he drinks very regularly. I had to carry him to the loo as he had not got the energy to walk out himself. Are these effects of all the medication or Should I bring him back to the vet?? I have an emergancy num for him as it is a bank holiday here in ireland.
Please help Im very worried if anything were to happen to him it would be like losing a limb.
I’m just a fellow Chi owner, the Editor might have better advise but in the meantime…How old is the Chihuahua? I just went through this with my new baby. Not eating causing them to become Hypoglycemic. If you’re dealing with a baby you need to feed him/her something even if its Gerber baby meat sticks and get Nutrical. The best way to tell if this is the problem is get some sort of sugar into the dog. A drop of pancake syrup, or corn syrup in its mouth. I did this with mine to determine if that was the problem and within 10 minutes my baby was better. 2 days without food isn’t good. You could give this a try until you can get the pup into the vet. If your dealing with an older pup, could be something different. Either way call your vet but getting food into your pup and (Nutrical doesn’t hurt either) is the first step. You can find me on twitter at twitter.com/o0ochillyo0o
my chihuahua hasn’t eaten for two days she will only drink water and sleeps. she can only walk a few steps
Here’s some good advise for fellow Chi lovers & responsible Chi parents.
If it’s enough to worry you to the point where you feel the need to reach out to others then it’s probably a good idea to call your Vet! Just like with children, better to be safe than sorry. I believe Baby Chi’s are even more delicate than human babies. As responsible “parents” it’s best to over-react than to not act at all. twitter.com/o0ochillyo0o
Author
thanks for this comment suze, famous chihuahua feels obligated to the chihuahuas of these people because we fear that if we don’t tell them to take their chihuahuas to the vet, they might not. never question taking your chihuahua to the vet if they show any sign of illness, just go!
I’m surprised at the number of people here who need to be told to take their chi to a vet! Chi’s are such small and vulnerable dogs that to ‘wait and see’ is never a good idea. As for ones that don’t get walks outside – I’m speachless. I use a wheelchair yet still take my chi for a walk every day, even though I can’t go far. He loves to smell all the smells outside. First sign of illness/unusual behavior take your dog to the vet, please.
Author
call your vet and tell them what is going on. they will let you know if you should bring him in earlier for an examination. don’t panic and don’t be scared. if there is an emergency number they provide for after hours, call that number.
Hello, I just got two chihuahua last week and they are six weeks old. Wen i got them they were very active and playful, but for two days now my male chihuahua just lays around, don’t want to walk or move. He just sleep all day longg. He don’t eat like he use to. They have an appointment next week for their physical and I’m wondering should i take him before then? I am very nervous and scared.
Author
your chihuahua can’t tell you that he is not feeling well, so make his health a priority and make sure he sees a vet asap.
Hello. My Chihuahua is not wanting to get up and do anything since last night. He is normally up and about running around. I noticed between his penis and rectum he is swollen and red quite a bit. Perhaps he was bitten by something? He was doing much better during the day today but this evening just wants to lay down and not get up. Any thoughts???
Author
it could be any number of things, but he sounds like he is experiencing tenderness throughout his body. keep a close eye on him and if it seems like he needs emergency care, do not hesitate to take him to an emergency animal hospital in your area. you can find one by doing a google search for emergency animal hospitals in your area. you can also call them in advance to let them know what your chihuahua is experiencing.
he’s actually never been in a harness. He was handled and held alot this weekend (However, he was never dropped or mishandled). He really never leaves the house -he’s puddle pad trained.
Tonight he appears to be worse. We just tried to pick him up and he went balistic (crying and yelping really loud and fighting to get away )and then cowered away from us (which is highly unusual bc he spends so much time in our laps). Have you ever heard of this type of thing? He’s on anti-inflammatory meds and has been thoroughly xrayed….
Author
hi wendy,
what do you use to take your chihuahua for a walk? he could be experiencing pain or tenderness from where his or her harness goes around his body. the tugging, etc could be affecting him.
We have a 11 month old chihuahua and he has been exhibiting the following symptoms: when you pick him up at times he ‘flips out’- crys and tries to jump out of your arms (at times, when you pick him up he is fine though); he is shaking a lot more than normal and acts as if he is scared of us; eating and drinking some but not as much as normal. We took him to the vet today and they couldn’t find anything wrong- gave him antiflammatory, and did xrays and blood tests (xrays were fine, blood test results tomorrow). During exam he was fine during some of it and other times it was if you were torturing him. He cries really loud and tries to jump out of your arms. We have a great vet and even he is stumped. Have you ever heard of this? Pls help!
i have a 10 week old male chihuahua he has stop eating but he will drink water i have giving him some karo syrup but he is still very sleepy and has diarriha. what should i do
Author
you call a vet ASAP. do not wait another minute – take your chihuahua to emergency ASAP!
i gave my chihuahua its shots and it is really sick. it is having seziures and laying like it is dead , trouble breathing what do i do?
My chihuahua is 2 years old and licks her lips all the time. She is alway sticking her tongue out and she has tiny bubbles on her lips when she is doing this. The vet doesnt know why she is doing this. She thought maybe a stomach ache. But she does it all the time pretty much. She doesn’t eat well. And she acts like she has trouble breathing sometimes.
Author
call your vet to tell them whats happening and make an appointment asap. your chihuahua puppy may have eaten something that is making her ill.
My pup is 9 months old and just over the holiday weekend seemed to be a little depressed. Usually when she hears a car or someone close a door she barks and runs aroudn but this last weekend that stopped. She has been throwing up for two days and and stool is a little runny. She doesn’t want to eat at all and all she wants is water. Is this cause to be concerned or should I just let it ride out?
Author
hi lisa, there should be a n emergency 24 hour vet hospital in your area that you can call during after hours. if your vet doesn’t leave an emergency number on their machine for after hour calls then try calling other vets until you get one that does provide an emergency after hour vet. also try searching online for an emergency 24 hour vet in your area.
Please help!! My chi is 1 yr. old and last night (July3rd) she seemed afraid to jump on the couch that she usually zips right across. This morning she stopped jumping on the bed also and whined to be lifted. Normally she can jump onto everything. She is licking more around her groin area, but other than that she shows no sign of pain and only seems to be pouting a bit more than usual sort of like when she is sick to her tummy. She hasn’t ate yet today and does seem to be sleeping more than usual. Because it is a holiday I cant seem to get the vet on the phone and Im terrified. It will be Monday before I can probably get her to a vet . Im so scared….
Author
hi wendi,
chihuahuas are lap dogs so the fact that she likes to sleep in your lap is not unusual. she is also very young so her coordination isn’t going to be very good and she is also a very tiny creature which means she is growing and will be sensitive to touch in some areas where her body is experiencing growth. it is also very possible that she is sensitive in the areas to where she had her first set of shots only two weeks ago. give your vet a call and describe to them what your chihuahua has experienced regarding her sensitivity to touch. it will have to be your judgment call as to whether or not you want to take her in early, but whatever you do, don’t miss the vet appointment.
I bought a Chihuahua 2 weeks ago, she is now 9 weeks old. Is it normal for her to be very docile, sleep alot, and prefers a lap to sleep in as opposed to playing? My Mom also bought a Chihuahua at the same time but hers is 3 weeks older and hers does not sit still for not even a second. Hers is very rambucious. My chihuahua plays some but not a lot and also seems to trip over her feet alot while in the grass. Is this normal or should I be concerned? Also, lastly, yesterday and today she cried out when I picked her up on 2 occasions, like it was painful. But after picking her up and touching around on her body there was no further crying. Her next vet appointment is in 1 and a half weeks for second set of puppy shots. Should I wait to talk to the vet then or bring her in sooner. She was already examined once by the vet 2 weeks ago for a first visit. No problems were noted at that time. Please respond.
my 10 years old chihuahua isn’t pregnant but she’s still producing milk.. could anyone help? thanks