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As your Partner in Pet Health, the team at Hillside Animal Hospital would like to provide you with as much information as possible regarding your role in keeping your dog happy and healthy. With this in mind, we have developed new Breed-Specific Wellness Programs. These programs are intended to increase your awareness on health conditions that have been found to be commonly associated with your dog's breed. While many dogs live a long, healthy life without facing major health issues, we feel that educating pet owners about possible health conditions is the best way to be proactive in detecting health issues before they become a problem. You'll find important recommendations for scheduling physical exams and diagnostic tests which we encourage you to discuss with the doctor throughout your pet's care. Please contact us at 480-391-7297 if you would like further information or to schedule an appointment.
Chihuahua - Specific Wellness Program
Cardiovascular Conditions
 Endocardiosis (Chronic Valvular Disease)
About the condition:
- This condition is the most common cause of heart disease in a dog. The heart valves become deformed leading to abnormal heart function and heart failure.
How to detect this condition:
- Annual exam - your doctor will provide a thorough physical examination and can listen for any heart murmur, which may indicate this condition.
- If a heart murmur is detected an ultrasound, a type of non-invasive imaging, is recommended.
Dermatological Conditions
Malassezia Dermatitis
About the condition:
- This is a yeast that commonly causes pruritus and a greasy, scaly skin disease.
How to detect this condition:
- It is important to check skin thoroughly during an annual exam. your doctor would recommend a skin scraping if any abnormalities are seen.
Musculoskeletal Conditions
Medial Patella Luxation
About the condition:
- This condition occurs when the Òknee capÓ moves in a direction that resembles a side-to-side motion rather than the normal up and down.
How to detect this condition:
- This may cause intermittent lameness where your pet may hold one leg up.
- Our doctors recommend checking for this condition, which involves feeling the joint movement, during annual exams.
Ocular Conditions
Lens Luxation
About the condition:
- The lens of the eye is normally supported by ligaments which keep the lens in place. In some breeds, including Chihuahuas, these ligaments have a tendency to weaken or break, causing the lens to move from its normal location.
- This problem can be very painful and may cause blindness.
How to detect this condition:
- Please call us if any changes in appearance of the eye or signs of discomfort are noticed.
Respiratory Conditions
Tracheal Collapse
About the condition:
- Many small-breed dogs have insufficient rigidity in the tracheal rings. This can cause the trachea to have difficulty remaining open.
How to detect this condition:
- If you notice that your pet is coughing excessively, then we recommend that x-rays be taken to determine if they are at risk for tracheal collapse.
This list is not intended to cover all possible diseases and/or conditions found in Chihuahuas, but instead lists those that we have found to be most common at Hillside Animal Hospital. Please let your doctor know if you have further questions regarding these or any other conditions.
Wellness Recommendations
An annual physical exam is recommended for the life of your pet so that any problems can be detected. In addition, we recommend the following diagnostic evaluations in order to provide more thorough veterinary prevention and care:
| Age 6 |
40 |
Full blood profile |
| Age 8 |
48 |
Full blood profile |
| Age 10 |
56 |
Full blood profile, urinalysis, x-rays of chest, abdomen and hips if needed |
| Age 12 |
64 |
Full blood profile, urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 14 |
72 |
Full blood profile, urinalysis, x-rays |
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