Symptoms and signs of a sick chihuahua often can go unnoticed. 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.
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?
Healthcare Tip: How to check your chihuahua’s 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?
- iIs 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: 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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550 Comments.
I have a 4 month old mini chi. She has been asking weird for about 2 weeks now. all she does is moap around sleep and when she does that she hides. I hunted her down yesturday and noticed she was extreamly dehydrated so ive been givein her pedilite. her skin almost snaps back to her skin. but she still seems weak and she dont have an appotite. her gums are also turning white and her teeth are becomeing loose. someone please help me out. i want to take her to the vet but i am a full time student and dont work.
Angel! The honking noises, could it be reverse sneezes?? i HAVE HAD SO MANY DOGS BEFORE i GOT MY cHIHUAHUA AND NONE HAVE EVER HAD WHAT IVE LEARNED ARE REVERSE SNEEZES. he makes this honking noise out of the blue and his little body kinda spazes out. It only last a few mins and its over . I did some research and learned that its not anything to get alarmed about unless he does it very often then I would have him checked. does that sound like something your dog might be doing??
Phoebe swallows hard, alot and she does not act sick, I have medicine for inflammation and would like to know what causes her to swallow like that. She does not act sick.
My 3 year old chihuahua has been sneezing and snorting since last night, but this morning when I woke up he would sneeze and blood would come out but now his nose is not bleeding but is still snorting and sneezing what could be wrong with my lil guy
tINA mAYBE YOUR PET MISSES ITS MUM
I hope this comment gets to stacey,first find you another vet! my baby (3 year old) chihauhua did some of the things yours is doing and our vet said it was a calcium crash.their little body’s don’t have enough fat to store calcium.he told me to give her calcium ,so i bought calcium 600 mg at wal-mart.just get the plain calcium,i got natural calcium 600 mg. i crushed it and gave it to her everyday,and i would give her 1/2 of a tums twice a day.i sure hope this helps ! if this is what is wrong with your puppy you need to get it to it quick.a chihuahua can die while it is having a crash.my chihuahua also acted like she was drunk.i am not a vet ! but i came very close to losing my baby. if i was you i would go straight to get this ,it you put it off and it has anymore you may lose your baby.my vet also gave my baby some in the veins .at least call one of the vets you went to and ask if it could be a calcium crash.you may not have anytime to waste ! ! !
Hi, I have a 3 1/2 year old male Chihuahua that is acting very strange. he will pace back and forth on the edge of my bed really fast and bob his head up and down and side to side. He acts like he sees things in the air or something. Ive taken him to serval vets, one said that it was an onset of a sezuire and another said it might be a brain tumor, another said he looks like he is high on somthing. I’m going nuts. this has been going on for a month or so. it stops for a few hours sometimes a whole day but it always comes back and it’s lasting longer and longer. it started yesterday and he is still going. hasnt slept all night. the symptoms stopped for about an hour and he was starving so he ate then it all started again about an hour later and is still going. i also have his sister who is about 3 lbs, she use to get the same thing but not as bad and hasnt gotten it now for a few weeks. if anybody can help i would greatly appreciate it. i dont know what else to do. please help. i have a video of buddy showing his symptoms which i’m going to try and upload if i can. thanks so much
if everyone is asking all these serious questions for such a small delicate dog on the internet and not taking them to a vet it sounds like you should not really have them exclude the people with little issues being asked . it takes too much responsibility and care to have a delicate dog such as a chihuahua . maybe you should move up to a larger breed . to own a chihuahua you have to be very serious about the responsibility as though it is a newborn baby you are raising till the end .
when i go to sleep or when hes on the couch or on the floor he keeps looking on the floor and it seems like he bites the floor and i dont know what to do can someone plz help me thanks.
I just wanted to give a little update. I gave wawa (his name) 6 ccs of carol syrup, and my little dog un-tucked his tail, and started PLaying. I am totally happy and this is round 4 and I had to make him Stop eating. I call everything a “she” I called him a she in my last post but thats because I have a normal black chihuahua (rescue) female (nicki) wawa and nicki are my babies. I just never knew about the sugar thing. I’m thinkin maybe the pepto before gave him a little bit of sugar (enough that he needed) I know now when he starts to “mope” and not eat, try carol syrup. The pepto is good for diarhea, I am going to give him some more motrin in the morning because he still has a “little” fever but all else I am happy that He is eating and playing like normal.
I hope this honestly helps someone else. I Have come to own a pure white miniature chihuahua and he has almost died on me 3 times now, when he was given to me, he was because the previous owner didn’t have time for him, he was only about 5 weeks old and VERY frail, I was scared to death half the time and got VERY attached to her, when she would get sick, (and I am not a vet) gave her pep-to bismal and it helped her every time, if she had diarhea or didn’t eat. Then the owner came over later (when he was about 6 months old) and told me they had a sugar problem and when they got sick to give them sugar water, or caro syrup I am trying the caro syrup tonight as he wont eat or drink and he had a fever earlier but I gave him liquid motrin and it’s come down. I was searching the web to see what others do for their chihuahua’s because I have come to far with him (he is now 6 or 7 months) to loose him now.
Connie
Hi I just got my chihuahua mix from a rescue. She is fine except when she runs she throws her back legs. She walks fine. is this normal?? She weighs 9 lbs. Thank you
my chihuahua is making honking like its got something in throat! what could it be?
i am just trying to find some answeres. our 1 1/2 year old chihuahua suddenly got lethargic this woried me enough to take her to the vet. on my way there she started salivating severly. the vet put her on an Iv but a total of 5 hours passed from the first symtom she died. it apeared to be congestive heart failure to the vet but he sent samples to the university of auburn to find out why. do you have any idea what could do this so fast?
hi phillip, you can find more possible answers for your concern at the famous chihuahua facebook page where other chihuahua owners are offering you advice. go to http://www.facebook.com/pages/Famous-Chihuahua/7464602476#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=218506081511743&id=7464602476
I have a little boy chi named rocky. He is usually upbeat and wanting to play, but today he is lying around and sleeping not eating. Could someone help me, he was abused with me by my ex.
my chihuahua is always whining and wont stop and at night she drags her babies around by its neck then placing them somewhere else.
what should i do please help !!
i have a chihuahua that squirts pee out everytime u pet her shes been doing this since i got her at 7 weeks old when does she ever stop doing this??
my guy puppy is having yellow discharge from his penis is it serious?
Stupid people!!! If your chihuahua is sick, TAKE them to a vet!!!!! Asking the help of a chat list moderator and thinking they can help is the most irresponsible thing you could do!
holy crap…some of these people have no business owning a Chihuahua!! Sooo distressing:(
I purchased a pomeranian Friday afternoon from a breed. She is tiny weights about 1.3 lbs and she is 10 weeks old today. She will not eat or drink. Called the breeder and said to give her Karo or Nutri-cal so her blood sugar wont go down and to try to make her eat. I took she to the vet sunday and she is dehydrated and to feed her will a syringe and now she is vomiting and has diarrhea. I called the breeder and asked if she had problems with her not eat or drinking and she said no that she eat dry dog food fine. So why wont she eat or drink and has diarrhea and is vomiting? Would it be because she is scare and miss her mom and sister?
Was just wondering?, in the evenings our Chi seems to be bothered with an ear problem. They appear to be bright red and he seems very lethargic, it usually lasts for about 90 minutes and then he’s fine. Is this normal?
Hello, My dog Peewee is typically a very healthy dog. Over the past week, he began to become very sensitive on his lower back / side area. He will randomly yelp when touching his back or picking him up.
His tail appears to be slounched downward.
He is very slow at walking and appears disoriented and may be in pain.
He still has his appetite. At times he will hide, but often wants to be close to someone on their lap.
He is not able to go up/down the stairs, or climb up to the couch.
I am very worried and this is unusual. We waited a few days now, and he appears to be getting better and then going down hill again.
I have a chi 5yo male, Max. He has not eaten or drank water since yesterday around 11a. when you try to pick him up he cries. I think he has abd pain. He is very quiet not running around. When should I bring him in
My 8 Month old Chi, always sneezes a lot when she gets excited but lately she has been snorting (breathing in thru her nose loudly) her nose a lot for about a min. at a time? Should I be concerned? ALl her other behaviour is normal and she is a very happy puppy. I was thinking of taking her to the vet to see if she has breathing problems…any advice out there would be much appreciated 🙂