Important Health Information Here are a few of the ailments that can trouble a Chihuahua.  Most Chihuahuas go through life without ever experiencing any of these ailments but we've put them here for you so you can be ready just in case.   Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia means low blood sugar and is a common problem in toy breeds. Most of them grow out of it before they are old enough to leave the breeder, but for a few, it's a danger throughout their lives.  Symptoms of low blood sugar are a staggering gait, glassy eyes, and sometimes either limpness or rigidity.  If the dog doesn't receive immediate help, he can suffer seizures, unconsciousness, and finally, death.    Treatment This involves putting some type of sugar in your dog's mouth, (corn syrup, sugar water or pancake syrup can be used in teaspoon amounts) calling your veterinarian, and heading for the clinic.  Once you know your dog has a tendency toward hypoglycemia, you can prevent further attacks by changing his feeding schedule to small amounts several times a day and avoiding sugary treats (check the ingredients before buying dog treats).  To much sugar in your pups food can put them on a roller coaster ride of major sugar highs and lows rather than keeping his blood sugar nice and level. NutriCal is provided with your puppy and is also available at your local pet store. If you find your Chihuahua in a stiff position, do not give up hope, GET THEM SUGAR QUICKLY! Then give them 3 or 4 minutes and if you do not see any improvement, go to the vet.  If you see improvement, which is what I expect, then your next step is to get them to eat.  Boiled chicken, hamburger or a high quality lunch meat, once they are mobile again but still look a bit tired, you may want to offer them their regular meal.   Reversed Sneezing A fit of sneezing, snorting, honking and wheezing are not necessarily a collapsed trachea.  Pulling on a leash (a harness should always be used not a collar), drinking to fast or excitement can cause reversed sneezing. Reversed sneezing is usually caused by an elongated soft palate that is thought to become temporarily misaligned.  It is a common trait in toy breeds.  Although this may appear to be scary, it only lasts a few short seconds and can be ended by massaging the dog's neck and throat an encouraging the dog to swallow.  Other ways to slow the reverse sneeze is to clap your hands, distract the dog or close off the dog's nostrils with your fingers, simply forcing them to breathe through their mouths and to swallow.   Collapsing Trachea Collapsing trachea is a problem for toy dogs of many breeds.  The symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, and exhaustion.  Although it appears more often in dogs older than 5 years, an occasional puppy has it from birth.  To understand the condition, think of the trachea as a straw made of cartilage that carries air from the neck to the chest.  When the cartilage collapses, breathing becomes difficult, kind of like sipping soda through a flattened straw.  Your Vet can treat the condition with medication, but if you smoke, your Chi's prognosis may be poor.  Secondhand smoke is a proven contributing factor to the problem...and smoke tends to settle low, where a little dog's nose is.   Subluxation of the Patella In dog lingo, subluxation of the patella is called slipped stifles or loose kneecaps.  When it occurs, the kneecap (we're talking about the rear legs) slips out of its groove - sometimes often and sometimes rarely - depending on the severity of the problem.  If your dog is one of the unlucky few whose kneecaps slip often, surgery may be the solution.  A dog with a mild case can live a normal life, kind of like a person with a trick knee. Subluxation of the patella is a relatively common problem in small breeds and some large ones as well.   Molera The Chihuahua's molera (a.k.a. fontanel) is considered a breed characteristic and not a defect.  Most Chihuahuas (80 to 90 percent) have a molera - a soft spot on the top of their head similar to a human baby's soft spot.  But unlike babies, most Chihuahuas don't outgrow it.  The Molera usually shrinks as the dog matures and ends up between nickel and dime size.  It will not be a problem as long as you're gentle when petting or handling his head.  In rare cases, the molera remains quite large and can be a sign of a serious problem called hydrocephalus.   Hydrocephalus A dog with hydrocephalus (a.k.a. water on the brain) may have an unusually large head for his size caused by swelling.  Other signs of this fatal condition are frequent falling, seizures, a lot of white showing in the eyes, east-west eyes (the opposite of crossed eyes), and an unsteady gait.  A dog with hydrocephalus can be in pain and won't live long, so euthanasia is the humane solution.  Euthanasia is the medical term for a humane, vet-assisted death. There are medications that can be used to help limit the amount of water build up in the brain   Heart Murmur Heart murmurs are relatively uncommon in Chihuahuas and even those that have one usually have the functional type.  As in people, that means they can be as active and athletic as they want and live long, normal lives   The Teacup Myth There is no such thing as a Teacup, Micro, Mini, Pipsqueak, or any other term used by some uneducated breeders to describe the size of a Chihuahua.  Please visit the Chihuahua Club website for information pertaining to the term "Teacup"