HYPOGLYCEMIA:
Chihuahuas, like many other toy breeds, may be susceptible to a form of low blood sugar called hypoglycemia. 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. Puppies that do experience hypoglycemia will usually outgrow it by 16 weeks of age. You should keep the puppys stress level as low as possible during the critical period and make sure he is eating. Puppies that are stressed often won't eat well the first few days, which puts them at a risk for Hypoglycemia. I recommend that you put some sugar in their water for the first few days. Once the puppy has adjusted to his new surroundings and is eating well, the sugar in the water can be stopped.
Often the most dangerous period is between six and ten weeks of age. Signs of hypoglycemia vary; usually the dog will get a sad look on its face, it will become inactive, shiver, eventually staggering, falling down, or just laying down, followed by what looks like sleep. This sleep like condition will turn into a form of tooth-clenching seizures and spasms, followed by a comatose condition, and, eventually, death. 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(such as Nutri-Cal or Corn Syrup) and put the puppy on a heating pad. If the puppy does not show improvement, or seems to be geting worse, call your Veterinarian immediately.
You need to leave food & water available to Chihuahua puppies at all times and make sure they are eating it. Chihuahuas can be picky so if they do not seem to be eating well try mixing the dry with canned or boiled Chicken Breast. If your puppy has loose stools for more than 24 hours, he should be taken to your Veterinarian to make sure all is well.
Collapsing Trachea
Chihuahuas can sometimes make a quacking type of noise. It does not adversely affect
their health in any way. They usually do it the most when they are excited, and sometimes
if you rub their throat, it can help.
Molera
The following is a statement from the Chihuahua Club Of America
http://www.chihuahuaclubofamerica.com/breed-info/chihuahuau-breed-standard/molera-statement
Luxating Patellas
Patella luxation can either have genetic causes, or environmental causes (injury). If patella luxation shows up at an early age, it could be due to genetic causes; however, injury might also cause patella luxation to show up in the first year. Sources of injury could include being overweight, too much jumping (jumping off furniture), or too much stress on the patella and surrounding ligaments (a dog dancing on its rear legs). These causes are especially dangerous when a Chihuahua is in the developmental stages...from a young puppy to 1 or 2 years of age. Chihuahuas might also damage their kneecap by hitting it, and even an unskilled Veterinarian might cause permanent looseness if he is forcibly trying to see if the patella is loose. As a Chihuahua ages, slight looseness might be seen, especially in dogs that are very overweight and have continued pressure on the ligaments/patella.
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 (greenies, dentabones, etc.), feeding dry food instead of semi-moist or canned food, brushing your dog's teeth, using the available edible water additives for dental hygiene, as well as taking your dog to the veterinarian for a dental cleaning, etc.
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.
Retained puppy teeth can be removed at the time of spay/neuter. This way the dog is only under anesthetic once.
Puppy Uglies!!
There is a developmental stage that Chihuahua puppies go through that is commonly referred to as the "puppy uglies". This is the time between puppy-hood and adulthood, usually starting at about 3 to 4 months of age and diminishing at about 6 to 8 months of age. During this phase the coat starts to thin and look scruffy - sometimes the puppy will have large patches of hair loss and look like he/she is moth eaten(more evident in Long Coat puppies), which coupled with a growth spurt causes the puppy to look gangly, scraggly and just overall awful! Many Chihuahua owners and even some Vets mistake the symptoms of the "Puppy Uglies" for more serious medical issues such as Allergies, Thyroid problems or Alopecia. At about 6 to 8 months of age this phase begins to end and your puppies coat will begin to fill out and could actually be a different shade than the puppy that you purchased.
Tea-Cup Myth
The following is a statement from the Chihuahua Club Of America
The Chihuahua Is A Chihuahua
The Official AKC Breed Standard describes the Chihuahua as a small dog that comes in two varieties or coat types. The difference in coat type (the Long Coat and the Smooth Coat) is the only official description used to identify a difference within this breed. Our standard does not categorize the Chihuahua by size.
For the purpose of showing and record keeping, the American Kennel club includes the Chihuahua (along with 19 other breeds) in the Toy Group. Therefore, irrespective of their weight or physical stature ALL Chihuahuas registered with the AKC are considered to be a toy breed of dog.
As with all living things, there will be size variance between individual dogs within this breed. Look within the human family - brothers and sisters will differ in height and in weight, as well as other physical attributes. They are described as humans, male or female, and there is seldom if ever a need to break the description down further. The same holds true in regard to the Chihuahua; they are Chihuahuas - Long Coat / Smooth Coat!
Unfortunately, the additional adjectives used to describe the size differences and physical appearances are many and have been misused for so long they now seem legitimate. Teacup, Pocket Size, Tiny Toy, Miniature or Standard - are just a few of the many tags and labels that have been attached to this breed over the years. The Chihuahua Club of America is concerned that these terms may be used to entice prospective buyers into thinking that puppies described in this way are of greater monetary value. They are not and the use of these terms is incorrect and misleading.
Occasionally, within a litter, there may be a puppy that is unusually small. That puppy is a small Chihuahua and any other breakdown in description is not correct. To attach any of these additional labels to a particular puppy is to misrepresent that Chihuahua as something that is rare or exceptional and causes a great deal of confusion among those new fanciers who are looking for a Chihuahua.
The Chihuahua Club of America does not endorse nor condone the use of any of these terms and would caution the perspective puppy buyer not to be misled by them.
We recognize that many Chihuahua fanciers do want the very small puppy. While they are adorable and can be perfectly healthy, the buyer should be cautioned as to the extra care that may be required with regard to their general health and well-being.
