Is It Safe To Leave Your Chihuahua In Boarding Kennel While Traveling?

Sometimes it’s not possible to travel with a Chihuahua. Also, bringing the dog on vacation can hamper the activity of the rest of the family. Incidentally, it might be much smarter on your part to board your beloved pet at a reliable kennel than to leave him with a friend or relative or with some sitter. If you decide to leave your dog in a kennel, here are some points to consider:

First of all, check around the neighborhood to see if other dog owners can recommend a particular boarding kennel. Ask if they thought the kennel was clean, well organized and respected any special requests made regarding their dog’s food or housing. Or if they didn’t like a kennel, find out why. Did the dog contract an illness at the kennel, did it come home filthy, or did it suddenly support a small nation of fleas? When it comes to choosing a kennel for your Chihuahua, the best advice is to take the recommendation of someone you know who has had a satisfactory experience.

Then make an unannounced stop at the boarding kennel and ask to see the facility. The staff should not find your arrival disturbing and should honor, within reason, your request to view the premises. Expecting total spotlessness is unrealistic, but personnel should be actively cleaning runs, and every dog should have clean water. Foul odors of any kind should not pervade the air. Make a mental note of how the animals, in general, look to you.

Well-run kennels take a minute to check for fleas when dogs arrive and just before they go home; flea problems are immediately treated. They require that all dogs have up-to-date vaccinations, for their own protection and the protection of other dogs. Many kennels require proof of a current kennel cough vaccination before they will admit a dog. The proprietors may insist that you submit a certificate from your veterinarian stating all of these requirements are met, so be prepared well ahead of time. These rules may seem inconvenient to you, but they are in the best interest of your dog.

Kennels should also allow you to bring food or toys from home, and provide canned food instead of dry when asked, for instance. Administering regular medication to Chihuahuas may or may not present a problem at a boarding kennel. If it does, it might be better to board your dog at a veterinary hospital, where qualified personnel will see to this job.

It’s imperative to leave an emergency number where you can be reached, as well as the name and number of your veterinarian. If telephones and mail service are not part of your vacation plans, provide the name and number of someone whose judgment you trust, and leave written instructions empowering this person to authorize necessary medical treatment. It’s also a good idea to compose a brief medical history of your animal and leave it with the kennel staff just in case.

Is It Safe For A Female Chihuahua To Give Birth After Her First Heat?

Sometimes your Chihuahua may have finished her first heat and you may be wondering whether or not a dog got her pregnant. If this worries you then you and you cannot be bothered with mothering pups then you may want to look for a method to abort dog pregnancies. Does one exist for dogs? Is abortion necessary?

Pregnancy (gestation) is 62 to 63 days long in dogs. Because of its short duration, there has been no reliable pregnancy test developed for use in dogs. What we can do is feel (palpate) her abdomen. After the 28th day, the fetuses are big enough for us to give an answer. What we cannot know is whether they are purebred or not. The greater question is: How important is it to know?

It has been felt by many people that it may be a mistake to allow a dog to have puppies after her first heat (reproductive) cycle. Of course it is obvious that some of these young females may lack the maturity to mother their babies. But more often than not, they do just fine anyway. The mothering instinct is pretty strong.

What about finding good homes for crossbred puppies? If the Chihuahua puppies are of mixed ethnicity, there will be plenty of deserving homes willing to adopt a multicultural dog. And having a mixed-breed litter now will have no influence on your dog’s ability to deliver purebred dogs later.

Is Abortion Possible? Abortion of the litter? Yes, this is possible, using injections that are given in the veterinary hospital. It would require your dog to stay for a few days. The process is uncomfortable for the dog and may carry some risk. It is not recommended and is generally unnecessary. You can instead choose to let her deliver the babies. As soon as they are 7 to 12 weeks of age, it should be easy to place them with good families. In fact, many people prefer mixed-breed dogs because of their lower tendency toward birth defects.

The last reason to let your young pet to go ahead with this possible pregnancy is that it will give you a chance to learn the ins and outs of the delivery and neonatal process. To get you on the road to a healthy reproductive adventure, be sure to have your dog examined by her doctor soon. In addition to a confirmation of the pregnancy, you should ask lots of questions. Within a day or two of delivery, return to your veterinarian’s office. At that time, the babies will be checked for problems too. Let nature take its course, but get good hands-on medical advice while you’re at it.

Is It Normal For A Mother Chihuahua To Consume Her Placentas?

Although some female Chihuahuas who give birth turn up their noses at the placenta, most take to it as though it were a deluxe pizza. The slippery sac containing the pup is torn, the baby licked and cleaned. Then the dam turns to the task of eating the placenta. Others eat it first, chomping and slurping, before they tend to the pup. In those cases, you tear the sac. Occasionally, it may be consumed as the pup is delivered, with you never seeing it.

Consumption of the placenta, with its hormones, stimulates the milk flow, facilitates delivery of the following pup, and aids reduction of uterine size after delivery. Before domestication, dogs ate the evidence of a fresh birth to hide the litter from predators. Opinions concerning placentas differ. Some breeders allow the mother to consume all of them; others let the dam have two or three and dispose of the rest.

The wisest course is to allow the Chihuahua to follow her instinct. Do not get into a hassle over this issue, upsetting her. If the situation can be managed calmly, let her consume a few. Too many increase the discharge or result in diarrhea or indigestion. However, it is better to cope with diarrhea than a frantic mother who has been thwarted in her efforts to do as nature is telling her.

Dietary Management For Your Chihuahua’s Chronic Liver Disease

The liver is one of a Chihuahua’s major organs. It has many vital functions, some of which are: the production of most blood proteins (including those involved in blood-clotting), the conversion of waste products of protein-processing into a substance that can be removed from the body by the kidneys, the processing and storage of carbohydrates and fats, the purification of the blood and the production of bile to aid the process of digestion. Unusually, the liver may suffer from a sudden, acute disorder such as canine leptospirosis or infectious canine hepatitis. Longstanding, or chronic, liver disease is perhaps more common.

Chronic liver disease in a Chihuahua may be caused by anatomical abnormalities present at birth. Other causes are cancer, most commonly due to its spread from tumors elsewhere in the body, long-term inflammation, immune-system disorders, or disorders of the bile duct, which empties bile from the liver into the small intestine. Chronic liver disease is most common in older dogs, although anatomical abnormalities may cause symptoms in puppies who are just a few months old.

By the time symptoms of chronic liver disease appear, 80 percent of the liver tissue may have stopped working properly. Sadly, in most cases, the outlook for an affected dog is very poor. If your dog starts to show any of the symptoms described, or is in any way ‘off-color’, take him to be examined by your vet.

Cases of suspected chronic liver disease are often very frustrating to investigate. This is partly because the symptoms are vague, but also because the liver may be affected by or involved in other conditions. There is also no simple test that can be carried out to confirm beyond doubt the existence of chronic liver disease, or to identify its causes.

Your vet will examine your Chihuahua and may then carry out blood and urine tests, analysis of any build-up of fluid in your dog’s abdomen, X-ray pictures and ultrasound investigations, and a biopsy. Exploratory surgery to take a direct look at the liver may also be appropriate.

There is no cure for chronic liver disease, so the aim of treatment is to slow down its progression and to control associated symptoms. This may involve the following:

Dietary management: This is the cornerstone of treatment for liver disease. Its purpose is to reduce the build-up of the waste products of protein-processing, which cause many symptoms of this condition. A diet regime should include the following: Easily digested carbohydrates,such as rice (to provide energy), high-quality & easily digested sources of protein such as eggs, four to six small daily meals, and sufficient food to prevent weight loss (some dogs may need force-feeding).

Did You Know That Your Chihuahua Would Love To Be Stretched?

One of the best ways to relax your Chihuahua puppy is stretching her on her back. It is like giving a massage or doing a yoga posture. You can either stretch your puppy in your arms or on the floor.

To stretch her, hold the pup in your arms and cradle her like a baby by holding her on her back. With your arms tucked under her, gently pull her toward you. Let her body wrap around your chest. While you are doing this, apply some pressure with the palm of your hand at her knees to stretch her legs out even further. This helps stretch her spine. When your puppy feels she can’t get away, then she will relax that much more in your arms.

You can also stretch her on the floor by rolling her on her back. Take the palm of one hand and support her front legs forward and with the palm of your other hand, push gently on her knees so her hind legs stretch out. You can do this with a grown dog as well.

Lastly, don’t stretch your Chihuahua only during stress-related situations. She will then associate stretching as something stressful. And when dogs are more stressed, they are more resistant about lying on their backs.

Did You Know That Your Chihuahua Would Absolutely Love A Massage?

Every culture that allows domestic pets teaches its members ways to relate physically with those pets. In some countries, Chihuahuas live a dog’s life, and are rarely held or petted. We’ve noticed that some German dogs that we import do not seem to like our “American” way of petting. After investigation with our German contacts, we have learned that Germans have a slightly different approach to their dogs. They pet and stroke them in a different way and in different places than do many Americans. In our culture, petting a dog is very important. Most people tend to pet dogs around the head and shoulder regions and stop there. Others literally trounce their dogs, pounding their sides and ruffling their fur.

Sometimes there is little method to the physical display. The dog is expected to “take it” whether or not it is the kind of physical affection it enjoys. Few Chihuahua owners stop to read their dog’s needs and desires. A dog owner may find that the dog does not enjoy being petted - if by petting we mean rough jostling or pounding. Instead, like many humans, they greatly
enjoy a more extended type of body contact - a kind of massage.

Massage can be a beneficial technique when used as an aid to relaxation. The first principle of dog massage is to stop thinking of your dog solely from the shoulders up. Contact can be made with almost any part of the dog’s body if it is sensitive contact. Skilled veterinarians know this from treating unapproachable patients. They often have to devise creative ways of lifting the animal up onto an examination table, or treating injuries all over a pet’s body.

To begin a dog massage, make a list of all the areas where a given Chihuahua likes body contact. If you are the dog’s owner, you know. If you are not, ask the owner. Then list the areas where
the dog is sensitive to touch. Begin your first massage with the areas on your first list, but include one area on the second. Gradually include more “forbidden” areas as you give massages.

It’s best to begin on the head, gently massaging the eyelids, muzzle, and nose. Always keep one hand in contact with the dog during the entire massage. It’s best to have the dog in the sitting position. From the head area, work down the neck to the chest and pectoral muscle. Some dogs will automatically offer a paw. Take hold of it, but gently place it down if the dog seems to be losing balance.

Choose a leg and work up and down on it very gently. If your Chihuahua decides to lie down, you will have better access to its rear legs. Try to avoid forcing the dog down. If your dog knows the command for down, you can use it in massage work, but don’t force the issue. Make your
strokes long and firm. Try to distinguish massage from regular petting. The massage should be more extended and pliable in its movement than regular petting. Avoid all slapping, pinching, and pulling motions. These will break the mood of the massage. Many dogs will communicate quite clearly what they like and dislike.

Developing Regular Chihuahua Grooming Habits

Grooming should be started immediately in order to ensure that you know your dog’s body and can spot any potential health problems, and to make the dog realize that he must tolerate grooming.

1. Each day during the first week, run a soft brush over his back and down his sides.

2. During the second week, comb out mats and get the comb down to the skin on the back and sides.

3. The third week, start working on the chest, tummy, tail and legs.

4. The fourth week, start on nails, teeth and baths.

5. Try to groom at the same time each morning or night, even if only for a few minutes. Your new dog will come to enjoy it, and the grooming will help the bonding process as well as establish dominance. It will also make the dog look and feel good!

6. Consult your Chihuahua breeder or a good groomer to find out how to groom your particular breed. Make sure he covers coat care, ear care, nail care and mouth care.

2 Games For Chihuahua Puppy Loving Fun

1. King of the Hill: This game can be as much fun for puppies as it is for people. All you have to do is put a leash on your Chihuahua puppy (and a couple of puppy buddies), take a treat and lead him up the ramp to the platform. Let him sniff the entire platform and get used to it, then lead him down another side. Repeat from all directions, then take the leash off and toss a toy onto the platform and watch him figure out the easiest way to get it! Several puppies playing this is a lot of fun to watch.

2. Playhouse: A playhouse can be used for children and Chihuahua puppies alike. The more inventive you are, the more fun both kids and puppies will have. If you are not handy with a hammer and nails, you can purchase plastic playhouses, or go to a piano shop and get a piano box. The easiest way to familiarize the puppy with the playhouse is to let him follow kids through it, so if you do not have any, borrow some from the neighbors! (This is good socialization for your puppy and the neighbors, and it ensures that they will watch out for your Chihuahua puppy!) You can also hide various toys in the playhouse when puppy is not looking.