Archive for the ‘Helpful Info’ Category

Lucy and her toy.

Chihuahuas, like most dogs, love to chew. It’s what we live for. Because we don’t have thumbs, it’s hard for us to use our “hands” to do things with, such as typing this blog, knitting or playing video games.

So most things are done using our mouths. As puppies it is the way we explore the world. We see, we grab, we taste and we chew. It is best to give your Chihuahua an appropriate toy or chewy substance. This helps relieve boredom and it’s fun.

But if you don’t give us a “dog-friendly” bone or stuffed squeaky toy, we will take what we can get. This includes every piece of paper, material, rug, wall, sock, shoe and most things non-editable.

Please make sure if you must leave your dog home alone that there is nothing he/she can get a hold of that may cause damage to their insides. I’m lucky. My daddy works from home and is almost always around. This makes it difficult to get away with things.

Here’s an excerpt from an article called Why Good Dogs Eat Bad Things… Should You Worry? by Dr. Jon at PetPlace.com:

Chewing on things is a normal part of “puppyhood”, and many times the things our dogs eat are not dangerous. Still, you can expect to see some vomiting and maybe even a little diarrhea when your dog eats something that is not “food”.

So, before you rush your pooch to the vet, check out this list of non-toxic items that dogs often eat.

If your dog eats any of the items on this list, you do NOT have to worry unless the object becomes lodged in the stomach or intestines, causing an obstruction.

Acrylic paint
Ballpoint pens
Bath oil
Bubble bath soaps
Candles
Chalk
Citronella candles
Cosmetics
Crayons
Deodorants
Elmer’s glue
Fabric softeners
Glow jewelry
Hair conditioner
Hand lotion
Incense
Indelible markers
Ink
Lipstick
Magic markers
Mineral oil
Modeling clay
Newspaper – (non-colored/black ink only)
Pencils (nontoxic since they are no longer made of lead)
Petroleum jelly
Play-Doh
Putty
Rubber cement
Shampoo
Shaving cream
Silica gel packets
Soap
Spackle
Suntan lotion
Superglue
Teething rings
Thermometers
Toothpaste
Water colors

If you have any doubt, always call your vet or local emergency clinic.

I exercise and eat right daily.

Do you wonder how much you should feed your little Chihuahua? If he/she is overweight, then you should be very concerned. Overweight dogs do not live as long as normal weight dogs. They need lots of exercise and the right kind of quality food.

The folks at TrainPetDog.com have developed a unique calorie calculator for dogs. Give it a try. (Caution, you will be given the opportunity to buy a Canine Cuisine ebook. If you do, I get a little commission.)

Anticipating my medicine.

This actually applies to all dogs but since I am a Chihuahua I tend to be self-centered. Medicine is not tasty. Therefore, trying to give your Chi a pill is going to be a problem, unless, of course, your Chihuahua (or dog) loves pills.

So the trick is to hide the pill in something your pet loves. Here are some great ideas I recommend.

1. Peanut Butter (just enough to disguise the pill, not half a jar)
2. A piece of meat (chicken or turkey). Make sure the pill doesn’t fall out.
3. Cheese. Not too much, just enough to hide the pill so it isn’t visible. If it’s too big your dog may decide to chew the cheese and potentially spit out the pill.
4. Mashed potatoes (or a bit of unmashed potato). Make sure it’s cooked.
5. Canned dog food. If your dog is picky this might not work.

Liquid medicine is also a challenge. I absolutely hate having a dropper full of yucky medicine forced into my mouth. So I bite. Daddy tried gloves. I fought back. Two daddies tried holding me and opening my mouth at the same time. I won.

Then came a brilliant idea. Hide the liquid medicine in ice cream. Just a bit of lactose free vanilla. I loved this. Now I look forward to my medicine every day. Ice cream is probably not the best choice for your dog, but it works great. You might want to consider vanilla yogurt or natural apple sauce.

So don’t get stressed over giving your Chi medication. Make it a game of hide and go treat.

It could mean a lot of things. A Chihuahua’s legs are tiny and delicate as well as cute. So never ignore a limping Chi and take your beloved companion to the dreaded vet as soon as possible.

One possibility is a common hereditary problem in small dogs. It’s called “Luxation of the Patella” and means the dislocation of the kneecap. When the attached ligaments of your dog’s leg get stretched over time the patella can easily pop in and out of place. This has happened to me. If I bend my back leg a certain way or my daddy picks me up and holds me, my kneecap sometimes pops out of it’s proper place.

Stretching my leg carefully and massaging it puts my little kneecap back in place. Unfortunately this can’t go on indefinitely since it could worsen over time and cause other leg problems as I get older. So surgery is required. And can you believe both back legs have this issue?! Talk about bad genes. I blame my biological parents.

In general it’s also best to keep your Chihuahua lean and healthy by feeding a good balanced diet and not overfeeding. It’s never good for tiny legs to hold up lots of fat. And now I am about to go on my daily two mile hike with daddy.

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Sad but true. Even Chihuahuas. And I am unfortunately a living example. It turns out what seemed to be a lump on my belly is instead an “Umbilical Hernia”. There is an opening where my belly button would be if I had one, and through that opening has passed either part of my intestine or fat. Ugh. Can you imagine?

A hernia is “an abnormal opening in a muscle through which other tissues of the body pass.” These openings, or hernias, are under the skin so you don’t actually see them. There are two primary kinds of hernias in dogs. One is in the groin area and another in the “belly button” area.

I blame my mother. According to my vet, it may be hereditary or my mommy dearest may have bitten off my umbilical cord too close and left a little hole. Then I grew up and that hole did too. Because it’s under the skin you can’t see it. Except now there’s an unsightly bulge in my belly. No bikinis for me right now.

So if you notice a lump on your Chi, take them to the vet and have it examined because there can be complications with blood supply and such and can be fatal. Yikes! Having part of your intestine ooze out of your stomach is yucky. Surgery is needed to close the hole after placing back the stuff that escaped.

For more information read Inguinal, Umbilical and Diaphragmatic Hernias in Dogs from Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc., Race Foster, DVM or do a search online. Or visit your friendly vet.

First of all, don’t panic. Chances are it’s a lipoma. Lipoma is a benign fatty tumor. Most likely this lump is not serious and can be removed if it gets too big or if your dog needs to be put out for teeth cleaning or some such thing.

It is best to see your vet to get it checked out. Then you will know for sure and can rest easy.

Unfortunately I’m headed to the vet tomorrow morning because my daddy found a lump where I was spayed. It developed gradually over the past month or so and is about an inch in diameter. I’m not too worried because I’m only 15 months old and in good health. I’ll let you all know how my ordeal at the vet works out. (I do hate going there).

For more information on Lipoma check out Veterinary Q & A: Lipomas (Fatty Tumors) or see what DogChannel.com has this to say about Lipoma in a young dog.

Lucy in a pensive mood.

PetSnap is a neat little app for the iPhone. What it does is allow you to choose from a variety of sounds to get your pet’s attention before you snap the picture. There are all kinds of animal sounds, from cats in various states (angry, hungry, annoying, spoiled), dogs, birds, zoo animals, miscellaneous sounds like a door bell, knocking, paper tearing, crumbling paper or plastic bottle, squeeze toy or even a Space Lama (really?).

You can also choose from several frames to enhance your photo. They’re okay but not great. Hopefully there will be a better variety with the next update.

So if you want to get your Chi’s attention (or any pet, though I’m not sure it would work with a turtle) without having to take a picture of the back of their head, this is an easy way to go.

It costs only $1.99. I get no commission for this one. Pity.

Have you decorated your home for the holidays? Have you considered how fascinated your little Chihuahua is with all things chewable? Imagine their reaction to trees, lights, ornaments, tinsel, pine needles, gifts, flocking and more.

This is my second Xmas. I don’t remember the first one as I was only a few months old. But this year Papa Lee went all out. I love that fake white flocked old tree. Lots and lots of white stuff falling all over the floor. Daddy Charlie rushed out with the vacuum but I was clever and quicker. I managed to grab a mouthful of white fluffies to play with under the safety of the coffee table.

Just so you know, though, here are some things the ASPCA wants you to keep in mind for your pet’s safety.

1. No holiday sweets, especially chocolate. Unsweetened baking chocolate is particularly toxic to your dog. It wouldn’t take much for a little Chihuahua to have tummy issues or worse.
2. Hard to believe, but dogs are better off keeping to their normal, everyday diet, assuming that consists of high quality dog food and not table scraps.
3. Never give your dog poultry bones or greasy, spicy and fatty foods. The results could be very, very bad.
4. Alcohol is a definite no no. There’s nothing worse than a drunk Chi and it could prove fatal.
5. We do love those fancy cellophane wrappers as well as aluminum foil. But keep them away from us.
6. Holiday flowers and plants could be poisonous. Lilies can cause kidney failure, mistletoe and holly berries can be toxic. Poinsettias can cause vomiting or nausea. Oh my.
7. Xmas tree water can look enticing to a little Chi. But the bacteria and fertilizers can prove to cause unpleasant stomach upsets.
8. Ornaments and other decorations look like toys. We want them. Don’t give them to us. Avoid decorating those low hanging branches. Or else use doggie treats. (That’s my idea. Yum.)

Also check out these DogAge Holiday Tips.

That depends on who you ask. I personally enjoy eating vegetables. I even like lettuce. In fact, I pretty much like anything that falls to the floor, including scraps of paper and stuff in the street.

Be that as it may, according Kristie Leong MD in an article in therealowner.com, the following vegetables are good for dogs: “…green beans, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, squash, and most other green, leafy vegetables. Not only do these vegetables add healthy antioxidants to your dog’s diet, they also are a significant source of soluble fiber and roughage which can promote intestinal health in your dog.”

As in everything you feed your dogs, don’t overdo it. It’s always best to feed a quality dog food. And of course lots of treats, in my opinion.

Here’s a list of food harmful to dogs, from peteducation.com

I love to chew. After all, I’m only one year old and there’s so much fun stuff out there to chew on. Unfortunately my daddies frown on me chewing things they consider theirs. As if.

Anyway, I’ve been given giant rawhide bones, nylabones and RedBarn Naturals, among other things. While I do enjoy my rawhide and nylabone, I prefer the RedBarn Naturals. In particular, I like the “Small Bully Ring” but there are many varieties.

According to the RedBarn people, these treats boast the following: