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Health Conditions
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Hypoglycemia in Chihuahuas & Yorkshire terriers:
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What it is, why it happens and how to prevent and treat it
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HYPOGLYCEMIA
Hypoglycemia is a condition in which the puppies blood sugar level drops to an extremely low level, causing "sugar shock." When levels of glucose in the blood drop rapidly, the dog's body and brain are deprived of essential nutrients. The results of hypoglycemia can be weakness, seizures, coma, and in severe cases, death. Because these puppies are so small, they can be prone to hypoglycemia, especially when they are very young. Hypoglycemia is usually caused by stress, illness, lack of food, or by using up stored energy without it being replenished. It is important to make sure that young puppies and very tiny chihuahuas eat regularly throughout the day. Another preventative for hypoglycemia is regular feeding of a high-calorie supplement called Nutrical, available from your veterinarian or your local pet store. If you suspect that your puppy is hypoglycemic, call your vet AT ONCE as this condition can be quickly fatal.
(Low Blood Sugar)
This is a central nervous system disorder caused by low sugar. It occurs mainly in Toy breeds between six and twelve weeks of age. Often it is precipitated by stress.
The first signs are those of listlessness and depression. They are followed by muscular weakness, tremors (especially in the facial muscles) and later convulsions, coma and death. The entire sequence is not always seen. The dog may appear to be depressed or may be weak, wobbly and jerky; or the puppy may be found in a coma.
Hypoglycemia can occur without warning when a puppy is placed in a new home, or while being shipped. It might appear after a puppy misses a meal, chills, becomes exhausted from too much playing or has a digestive upset. These upsets place an added strain on the energy reserves of the liver and bring on symptoms (if the dog is susceptible).
Puppies that are weaned on rice and hamburger are more likely to develop hypoglycemia. Their diet is deficient in certain ingredients needed to sustain the liver.
A similar condition occurs in adult hunting dogs when hunting. Care should be taken to feed these dogs before hunting and increase the protein in their diet.
Treatment is directed at restoring blood levels of glucose. Begin at once. Prolonged or repeated attacks can cause permanent damage to the brain. If a puppy is awake, give Karo syrup, honey or sugar in water by mouth. You should begin to see improvement in thirty minutes. When unconscious, a puppy will have to be given a dextrose solution intravenously. It may be necessary to treat for swelling of the brain. A veterinarian should be called at once.
Prevent recurrent attacks by feeding a high-quality kibble diet and add to it sugar, syrup or honey. See that the puppy eats at least every eight hours and receives a daily vitamin.
Breeders should wean puppies on a balanced diet. Food supplements should not exceed 10 percent of the total ration. Owners of Toy puppies should not overtire them or allow them to chill.
A condition exists in which hypoglycemia is persistent of periodic. It is caused by an enzyme deficiency and is not responsive to treatment.
*Taken from the Dog Owner’s Home Veterinary Handbook by the Authors,
Delbert G. Carlson, D.V.M. and James M. Giffin, M.D.
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REVERSE SNEEZE
Occasional bouts of sneezing, snorting, honking and wheezing are not unusual in chihuahuas, and is sometimes called a "reverse sneeze". This is usually caused by a elongated soft palate that is thought to become temporarily misaligned. It is a common trait in toy breeds. Pulling hard on a leash, drinking too fast or getting overly excited can lead to an episode of reverse sneezing. Reverse sneezing SHOULD NOT be confused with a different condition called "collapsed trachea".
Although reverse sneezing may appear to be scary, it only lasts a short time and can be ended by massaging the dog's neck and throat and encouraging the dog to swallow or lick. Another way to slow the reverse sneeze is to clap your hands to distract the dog, or pinch closed the dog's nostrils with your fingers, forcing it to breathe through its mouths and to swallow.
LUXATION OF THE PATELLA
Luxation of the patella, or dislocation of the kneecap, is a common hereditary problem with chihuahuas and other small breeds. Patellar luxation can occur in varying degrees from minimal to debilitating. Very young dogs may be able to compensate for this deformity, but the condition tends to worsen over time. Most of the time the chihuahua is older before symptoms of patellar luxation are obvious.
The dislocation is most commonly found on the inner side of the patella. The attached ligaments become stretched over time until the patella is rarely where it is supposed to be, and may "pop" in and out of place very easily.
Recent studies have shown that immediate treatment is recommended, rather then waiting until the dislocation has crippled the dog. The reasoning is that, while the knee is dislocated, the entire body of the dog is compensating for it, causing deformations of many other skeletal areas.
THE MOLERA
Sponsored by The Chihuahua Club of America
Historically, the Chihuahua as developed in Mexico and the United States has displayed a "soft spot" on the top of the head. In the Chihuahua, this spot, or fontanel, is know as a MOLERA, and is the same as that found in human babies. In the past, this molera was accepted as a mark of purity in the breed, and it is still mentioned in most Chihuahua breed standards the world over.
It is important to note that while many Chihuahua puppies are born without the molera, there are probably just as many born with one, and its presence is nothing to become alarmed over. The molera in a Chihuahua will occur on the top of the head and may vary in shape and size when present.
Unfortunately, many lay people (and some Veterinarians not familiar with the Chihuahua) have tried to link the mere presence of a molera with the condition known as hydrocephalus. This has caused many new comers to the breed serious concern and undo worry. The truth is that a domed head with a molera present does not predispose the Chihuahua to this condition.
Along with the observations of devoted breeders over the years, there is adequate medical evidence to support this statement:
* In "Diseases of the Brain"(1989), Green & Braund stated that many clinically normal toy breeds may have open fontanelles without associated hydrocephalus.
* Drs. Walters and Rivers, Veterinarians at the University of Minnesota, concluded that there did not appear to be any relationship between the presence or size of a fontanelle and the condition of hydrocephalus.
* Dr. Alexander de Lahunta of Cornell University in New York, one of the top neurologist in this country, stated that it would be wrong to conclude that any opening is abnormal.
While it would be impossible to list all the medical documentation in this paper, these few included here are perfectly clear: the presence of a molera does not mean the dog has a medical problem.
HYDROCEPHALUS
The presence of a molera in a puppy DOES NOT make the dog any more or less susceptible to brain injury, seizures or hydrocephalus.
The molera should not usually be any larger than the size of your thumb print, and there should be no swelling, bulging or throbbing. Check carefully on the sides of the head for normal bone there as well; make sure there is no more then one molera, on the top of the head only, as more than a single molera is not normal.
Hydrocephalus is the accumulation of excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain and is not normal for any breed, nor is it curable. Hydrocephalus is also known as "water on the brain" or "hydro". When fluid accumulates in the brain, it compresses the brain against the skull. A puppy can be born with this disorder, or it can be caused by a brain infection or head injury later in life. Chihuahuas born with "hydro" do not generally live more than a few months, and they do not grow normally, often staying extremely tiny.
Signs of hydro include wide-set or protruding eyeballs (often with a lot of "white" showing at the corners), blindness, abnormal behavior, walking in circles, slowness (mental and physical), seizures, abnormally slow growth and lack of coordination.
Concerns about chihuahua moleras and/or hydro should be addressed to a licensed veterinarian. Be aware, however, that many veterinarians not familiar with chihuahuas have WRONGLY told owners that thier puppy is unhealthy and/or hydrocephalic just because of the presence of a normal molera. Diagnosis is based on the signs in conjunction with techniques to image the brain. In dogs with a molera, ultrasound can be performed by scanning through the molera to detect the excessive accumulation of fluid within the brain.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for hydrocephalus. Mild cases can be treated with steroids and diuretics to reduce pressure, or with a surgically inserted shunt to divert fluid from the brain to the abdomen.