This is not always an easy task. I, for one, do not want medicine. Especially if I don’t feel well. Keep those pills and ear drops away from me.
On the occasion when I do need medicine, my daddy thinks he’s cleverer than I am. He tries to hide pills or liquid medicine in tasty food treats. I know better. If it’s a nasty liquid I won’t eat the treat. If it’s a pill, I can often detect it and spit it out. Especially if it’s bitter. Once in a while I would give in and eat the whole treat, just to please my daddy. But it has to be a premium treat, like meat or ice cream.
Pills
The easy way to give a pill is to hide it in a premium treat. There’s peanut butter, cheese, pieces of meat, canned (really!) dog food, and my favorite, ice cream.
The hard way is to gently open your Chihuahua’s little mouth and stick the pill at the back of their throat. Then close their mouth and wait for them to swallow. If you’re Chi is like me, that will never happen. I’d just as soon bite you rather than let you put your hand down my throat.
Check out How to Administer Pill Medication to Your Dog by Dr. Dawn Ruben for more information.
Topical Medication
This could be anything from ointment for bites to flea medicine. I hate anyone touching my feet. Especially the front ones. But I do enjoy biting and licking them myself.
The trick is to get me when I’m really tired and too sleepy to resist. I may let my daddy put ointment on my feet but he must be quick before I wake into the biting stage.
I hate flea medicine. It’s cold and yucky and smells. How would you like somebody to squeeze a smelly liquid onto your back and feeling it drip down. Can you blame me for hiding after that ordeal?!
Wait a few days after a bath before using flea medicine. Give the skin’s oils a chance to come back to normal levels so that they can absorb the medicine. Plus your pet will not enjoy ruining that fresh, clean after bath feeling with yucky flea medicine.
How to Apply Topical Medication to Your Dog from PetPlace.com
Ear Medication
Worse than flea medicine, when I had an ear infection my daddies had to put COLD liquid medicine in my ears. Why that medicine needs to be refrigerated is beyond me. But it’s the worst. It takes two daddies. One to hold me and one to annoy me with the drops in my ears. I know, I know. It’s for my own good. But I still reserve the right to bite.
How to Administer Ear Medication to Your Dog by Dr. Dawn Ruben
Eye Medication
Try to get your Chihuahua still so you can put the drops in their eye(s). Good luck with that. I have not needed eye drops but I’m sure I would not like it.
How to Administer Eye Medication to Your Dog from PetPlace.com
Human Medication Not Good for Your Chihuahua
Do not give your Chi human medicine unless your vet says it’s okay. Remember, we are little dogs and human medicine is for big people. Don’t ever overdose your little Chi. Even a bit of aspirin can be dangerous if not given properly.
3 Medications You Should Never Give Your Dog By Dr. Jon
Leave a commentI’m not proud of it, but I do find flies fascinating. I love to chase them if they happen to get in my house.
I don’t feel that they are welcome and it is my job to get rid of them. Nobody else seems to care.
Fly Adventure
So the other day I chased a fly all around the office where my daddy works. I believe the fly was on getting old because he wasn’t flying very high.
I persevered and eventually won. I caught that fly in my mouth. In hindsight I should have spit him out but no. Being a creature of instincts I ate the fly and it tasted funny.
Freakout
The experience sort of freaked me out. So I ran under my daddy’s bed and hid there for a few hours. Then I ran under the blankets of my own bed and hid there for a while.
Finally daddy came to take me for a walk and I snapped out of it.
If another fly comes into my house I’m afraid I will try to get him too. What can I say. Flies belong outside.
Is swallowing a fly safe for your dog?
Your dog is probably okay. Daddy researched this interesting topic online and found some people say nothing will happen. Others say they could get a disease or tapeworms. And still others say you get tapeworms from eating fleas, not flies.
Do you know the answer? Let us know.
1 CommentFirst a Bath, then Flea Medication
A flea is an ugly creature.
I freaked out when my daddy put Advantage on me. I had just had a pleasant bath. Okay, maybe it wasn’t exactly pleasant. But it was okay.
After I was dried off and played fetch for a while, I was corralled by my daddies. While one held me, the other poured a liquid on my back. I could smell it and I could feel it and I was not pleased.
I tried to escape by running around like a crazy Chihuahua but that did not help. I hid under a table but that seemed silly and useless.
The only thing I could think to do next was to run to my bed and hide under the covers. By the next day I was dry and as good as new. Several days later my little flea companions seemed to disappear. Good riddance, I say.
Controlling Fleas
Advantage is one of several available topical flea treatments. Some of these products are actually pesticides with the same ingredients used to kill ants, roaches and the like. They attack the central nervous system of the insect which kills them. Ugh.
Fleas can be a nuisance, and some dogs are allergic to fleas, which causes many problems. But methods used to kill fleas can also cause problems. Especially on little dogs, who may be extra sensitive. Be sure to consult with your vet before using a flea fighting substance. Some kill just fleas, some also kill ticks and other parasites such as heartworms. Check the ingredients and side effects. Make sure you have the right size for your pet.
Do your research. Check out this EPA Evaluation of Pet Spot-On Products: Analysis and Mitigation Plan. Fascinating reading.
You might also want to look into natural methods of killing fleas.
Keep in mind that fleas can occur year-round, especially in warmer climates with mild winters.
This is such an important topic that I feel I must cover it again.
Occasionally your Chihuahua may get sick and need to take a pill. There are many ways to accomplish this task. Basically it comes down to hard vs. easy.
The Easy Way
The easy way is to hide the pill in a treat. This could be a bit of cheese, peanut butter, meat, cream cheese. Even a little ice cream can work. Whatever kind of mushy food your Chi loves.
You can even try hiding the pill in your dog’s food. But we Chihuahua’s have a keen sense of smell. And sometimes that little pill can be bitter. We can be very clever in eating the treat and/or food and spitting out the pill so be careful.
Don’t forget your pill cutter. This little gizmo makes cutting a pill so much easier than with a knife.
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The Hard Way
Check out this video on “How to Give Your Dog a Pill” from PetPlace.com. It makes the hard way to give a pill to your dog look almost easy. Just open the mouth and place the pill in the back of the throat. Then all you have to do is inject a little water in your Chi’s mouth and watch them swallow the pill.
Uh huh. That’ll work just fine with most Chihuahuas. You know how much we enjoy having our mouths opened and something stuck down our throats.
Or you could try a pill popper, that blows the pill down your Chihuahau’s throat. That sounds easy-peasy too.
You never know what you may catch in a social situation.
I was just given a reprieve today from my vet and I will opt out of getting a bordetella vaccination. The question is, is this vaccine really necessary? Opinions differ. My opinion is no.
The bordetella vaccine prevents kennel cough, a bacteria that is spread through the air (yikes). It is recommended if your dog socializes with other dogs whose histories are questionable. But if your dog mostly stays at home and avoids dog parks, kennels and the groomer, this vaccine is probably unnecessary (consult your own vet, don’t take my biased opinion).
As an aside, I don’t see any reason for boarding your dog in a kennel. It’s lonely, uncomfortable and scary. You’re usually placed in a small, enclosed space without any of your familiar smells and belongings. No toys, no blankie, no chewy. And lots of strangers and other dogs who bark and whine. Ah, but I digress.
Keep in mind that the bordetella vaccine has side effects which could be worse than the kennel cough itself. This includes hives, nausea, diarrhea or even death! Can you imagine dying from a vaccine. I shudder at the thought. Also the vaccine only lasts about 6 months and may not cover every strain. So you could get the vaccine and still get kennel cough. My daddy’s Chihuahua before me got really sick from the bordetella nasal spray. Ugh.
Check out “Information on Bordetella Vaccination for Dogs” from eHow for much more information on this vaccine. And don’t forget to ask your vet what they recommend for your own particular dog.
Update (1/18/11): Are pets being over vaccinated? Be informed before you visit your vet.
What’s your opinion?
2 Comments
Recovering from my knee "procedure".
Mostly because it has come out of place. I’ve recently recovered from my knee surgery to fix my Luxating Patella. This is a common problem for little dogs like myself, where your kneecap pops out and makes walking difficult. So I had the surgery and everything was fine. It had something to do with fixing the groove so the kneecap stays in place.
Except after a while the pin that was used in surgery to help keep the kneecap in place came loose. My vet assured me this was not a problem.
Then I started limping and hip hopping so it became a bit of a problem. The answer was to remove the pin. It was no longer needed and served its purpose. Lucky for me this was a simple outpatient procedure that just required a local anesthetic. In less than 10 minutes the pin was out. I didn’t even require stitches.
Daddy was told not to let me lick the area where the pin was removed. So of course the first thing I did when I got home was to lick that area. What? It required my attention. I had to clean it and help it to heal. Don’t even think of putting that ugly cone around my neck.
Check out Complications from Luxating Patella Surgery from eHow for more technical information on this issue.
This has happened a few times. Everything is fine, I’m playing, acting my normal, cheerful self. Then it suddenly strikes. I freak and start running around the room with my tail between my legs. I have that scared look in my eyes. My ears are down. Then comes the shivers.
Just last night I was having a good time. I had a nice walk. Ate my dinner and was playing catch with my stuffed racoon and my two daddies. When I tore the foot partly off my racoon my daddy took it away before I had a chance to eat the tempting stuffing. I waited patiently while my daddy sewed my racoon’s foot back on and we played some more. Both daddies were on the floor so I had all the attention I could want. Except for that distracting television on the wall, of course.
I even enjoyed a crumb or two that fell on the floor from a cookie. Then I freaked. Eventually I ended up on my daddy’s lap under a blankie, shivering. This is so not like me. Usually nighttime is play time until I wear my daddies out.
From there I went to my other daddy on the couch and perched myself on his neck while leaning against the sofa back. I could not find a good place to rest. I did not want any snacks. I ignored the chex-mix my daddy was eating and eventually ran into my bed and hid under my blankies. In the middle of the night I went into the bedroom and hid under the blankies in my other bed.
Come morning I was back to normal as if nothing had happened. There was no barfing, no diarrhea, no loud noises, no earthquake, no explanation. I did get lots of worried attention, though. Not much helpful info online.
Has this ever happened to you, or your Chihuahua?
12 Comments
Please leave me alone.
Chihuahuas, like most dogs and people too, sometimes get upset stomachs. You can tell when we vomit all over the floor, sofa and even in our beds. Sometimes we give you a warning with a heaving, yucky sound. That’s your chance to move us gently to a better spot or grab a paper towel or two.
Most likely your little Chi ate something “bad”. A few nights ago one of my daddies tossed a foam pillow on the floor and left it there. Of course I had to inspect it with my mouth. By the time I was discovered by my other daddy I had chewed up a nice little hole in the pillow. He tried to get the pieces from me but I showed him. I ate them. Yumm. Except a few hours later I got the shivers. Then I proceeded to hurl my dinner, lunch and breakfast at once. After decorating the carpet in several places I took to my sickbed and hid under the covers until the shivering went away. I was not hungry that night.
The best thing to do is leave your little dog alone if that’s what they want. They need time to recuperate. Make sure they are warm and comfortable. Keep a watchful eye out for any signs of serious distress.
The next day I was back to normal and ate as usual. But you may want to consult your vet as to what to feed your Chi with an upset tummy. You may want to try boiled ground beef, turkey or chicken mixed with plain white rice with a little extra water to prevent dehydration.
You can find lots of advice and remedies online for Chihuahuas who have upset stomachs, like Chihuahua Vomiting (ugh) from Caring For Chihuahuas. You can also find great info on “Homecare for the Vomiting Dog” from PetPlace.com.
Again, if your little Chi is up-chucking all over the place all day long you should consult your vet immediately.
4 Comments
That bone is mine! Let me at it.
Hard as it is to believe, your Chihuahua is a dog and dogs love bones. They smell good and we absolutely love to chew them.
I seem to be finding bones wherever I walk lately. Are people throwing their chicken bones out the window?
My daddy won’t let me keep the bones I find and I let him know that I am not happy with him stealing my bones from me. He says genuine animal bones can be dangerous. They chip and can damage your dog’s interior organs. They can also harm your dog’s digestive track.
Sounds dreadful. But still I can’t resist. That’s why daddy recommends a safe rawhide or nylon bone instead. Not as good, but better than nothing, I guess.
The morale of this story is think twice before giving or allowing your dog to have a bone. Read “Bone Fragments Cause Canine Gastrointestinal Problems” by Joy Butler to get the real scoop.
Checking out hydrants relieves my stress.
Lots of things can stress your Chihuahua.
We take our cue from our human companions as well as the environment. We Chihuahuas are very intuitive and we know when something is up with our parents. Also stressful situations like thunderstorms, fireworks, sirens, strangers at the door, strange company, noisy children, people putting their hands in front of our faces, being left alone, arguing parents, any change in our routines. Ay, the list goes on.
Because Chihuahuas tend to be nervous types, a little bit of stress can cause unwanted behavior. Don’t ask.
There’s a great article called “Our Stress, Depression, Joy…Can Dogs Tell” by Dr. Nicholas Dodman. Dogs really know when something is wrong and whether they should hide or attack. I have lots of hiding places and know just where to go where I can’t be caught.
Depending on our personality, we can either act out in an aggressive or annoying way or just take to our beds and nap. Nice soothing classical music helps us relax. Just make sure it’s not the 1812 Overture.
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Music My Pet is one of several CDs made especially to help your dog relax. It makes a perfect gift for that hyper dog, and their human caretakers.
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