I have a chihuahua and would like to know what I can do or...

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Answer by chimama
Submitted on 4/12/2004
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Does she do this when she gets excited? She may also do this when she is on lead. What I do, which is recommended by many knowledgeable sources, is pick her up and put your fingers over her nose. This will force her to breathe through her mouth, and usually stops the gasping. Seriously, what's happened is that her throat is collapsing/spasming, by forcing her to breathe through her mouth, she opens the trachea again. If there doesn't seem to be anything that sets her off, she may have a weak trachea. Chihuahuas can be susceptible to this. Think of her trachea as a drinking straw, the paper ones get sort of stuck together when they get too wet, and don't work as well. In that case, I most especially recommend having her spayed ASAP, since this is genetic and also would make pregnancy and labor more dangerous than usual. Weak tracheas happen to some toy dogs, not just chihuahuas. They should only be walked in a halter, which I recommend anyway, it's just easier because they can't pull on their tiny necks. Your vet should be able to check her trachea for you, and I do recommend the book Chihuahuas for Dummies, which is the best book I have on the care and maintenance of these adorable little creatures.

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Question by irma
Submitted on 4/11/2004
Related FAQ: rec.pets.dogs: Chihuahuas Breed-FAQ
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I have a chihuahua and would like to know what I can do or give her when she gets these asthma like attacks (what I mean is she will start gasping for air like a snoring sound and her whole body contracts)and these attacks last for about one to two minutes. why does this happen and what can I do?

Answer by new proud owner
Submitted on 5/20/2004
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The first week I brought my baby chi home, he was having similar problems. I had asked my vet to check his trachea to see if he was okay, he was...! The vet told me it was probably allergies. Make sure you keep your house very clean. If you're training your pup to go to the bathroom in the litter, try and buy a litter that has baking soda instead of other strong scents, also that dust reduced... Some pups are more sensitive than others.

Answer by chihuahua lover
Submitted on 6/12/2004
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what you can do also is hold him/her upside down and that drop the flap back and she should stop gasping.I too have a chi with collapsing trachea

Answer by MS
Submitted on 6/12/2005
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Both of my two chihuahuas have flattened tracheas. The vet recommended getting a harness, which rests more on the shoulders. A collar aggravates the problem, but a harness puts the pressure on the whole body rather than the neck. I have harnesses on both of my dogs and they hardly ever have these attacks. The vet told me that with a flattened trachea, the horseshoe-shaped trachea is wider than normal. Therefore, when the dog gets excited or pulls on the leash, the trachea flattens out, causing the choking sound.

Answer by Tina
Submitted on 3/18/2006
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This seems to be common w chihuahuas our vet says its something like a cough or sneeze and nothing to worry about.

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