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Deciding on a Chihuahua as your family pet is a great move and one of the first things you are going to want to do is familiarize yourself with Chihuahua health problems so that you know what to look for and you know what is healthy behavior and what is unhealthy behavior for your Chihuahua. It takes time to get to understand what they mean with their body language and when they are showing symptoms of something serious, so get to know these symptoms so you can identify them if they come up.

You are going to want to have a long talk with your vet about what to look for in your Chihuahua before you bring the little dog home so that your vet can take you through normal Chihuahua behavior and what to look for if something is wrong. Not only can your vet help you, but also your breeder can also be a vast fountain of knowledge on the care of your Chihuahua and will probably give you information to take home.

Many Chihuahua health problems are part of the breed’s character and are usually present at birth. Some of the problems develop over time but you should be able to identify the serious conditions right away. One common Chihuahua health problem is a floating kneecap. Sometimes their legs do not develop properly and the material that is supposed to hold the kneecap in place is weak and causes the kneecap to float in and out of place. This is very painful and needs medical attention right away.

Another common Chihuahua health problem is that for the males their testicles do not drop and they need a vet to look at them. A normal Chihuahua male will have their testicles drop from their abdomen almost from birth or certainly by the time they reach adulthood. If this has not happened then contact your vet right away, as your Chihuahua will need medical attention for this condition.

Some Chihuahua health problems you can easily see and others you cannot and it is the ones you cannot see that can sometimes be the most serious. The brain in any animal has fluid flowing to and from it at all times and in a Chihuahua one of the health issues is a blockage of this brain fluid causing swelling on the brain and major health issues.

This is an extremely serious health issue and can sometimes be found by your vet during a regular appointment. It is a good idea to monitor your Chihuahua’s health in between regularly scheduled appointments because you never know what can happen.

Many toy breeds of dog can get crystal in their urine and this can cause a blockage and major health issues. A Chihuahua shares this potential condition with the other toy breeds but some health issues are exclusive to the Chihuahua.

Either way it is important to monitor your Chihuahua’s health at all times as you never know what could happen and you should always make sure you get your dog to regular vet appointments.

Last 5 posts by Sandra Dean

• The Chihuahua Dog And Grooming Practices - August 7th, 2008
• Information About Chihuahua Breeding - July 18th, 2008
• Chihuahua Breeders And The Ones To Avoid - July 18th, 2008
• Chihuahua Breeding And Your Dog - July 16th, 2008
• What You Should Ask A Chihuahua Breeder - June 12th, 2008

Tags: Dogs