Chihuahua Birth Defects - Congenital or Womb Related?

Our response to the following question on Yahoo Answers...

I am looking into adopting a puppy with a malformed front left paw. The breeder so far seems to be ethical although I have not been able to visit her home yet. She is "giving" the dog to me under condition that I sign a contract to have her spayed as soon as she is old enough, and if at any time I cannot take care of her, I must return her to the breeder to be re-homed. I am reimbursing her for veterinary expenses such as vaccinations.

This is what the breeder has told me about the puppy - she is the runt of a 10 pup litter with 7 surviving. There were many difficulties in the birth of this litter. The dog is from champion lines (I will research this to make sure) and is capable of being AKC registered. The breeder is of the opinion that she simply did not have enough room in the womb to grow, and as a result she has the defect as well as the extremely small size.

A question for Chihuahua breeders: Is this common in large litters, or should I watch out for other defects as well?

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I agree with you that the breeder "seems to be ethical", based on the questions she has asked and the conditions she is setting. However, I would be very concerned about future health problems with this pup. I would say that it is very likely that she will have issues.

I would absolutely recommend a comprehensive evaluation by a vet. Make sure you explain the entire situation to the vet so they can check for many common health issues.

I would also ask the breeder these types of questions:
- is she a member of the Chihuahua Club of America? If she says yes then check here to be sure: http://www.chihuahuaclubofamerica.com/al...
- how many litters has the dam had before this one?
- how many pups in each of those litters?
- how many deaths/deformities?
- how big/small were those pups?
- have the dam or sire had any medical issues?
- have any of the offspring had medical issues?
- ask to see the medical history of the dam and the sire
- ask to see medical evaluation documentation for prior offspring
- ask for a list of people who have bought/adopted prior offspring, especially any that were extra small or have deformities. Then call some of the owners on the list and ask them about their experiences with medical or other issues with their dogs.

If the breeder seems defensive or guarded about answering any of the questions or can't produce thorough documentation on the dam/sire or pups, then those are big red flags.

If the dam has a history of large litters (more than 5 pups) then another red flag - a breeder more concerned about making money than about the health of the dam or the offspring.

Also, lookup other breeders in your area from the Chihuahua Club of America site and ask them their opinion of this breeder. Explain the situation to them and ask their advice.

If you still want the pup after all of this, then at least you are going into the relationship with eyes wide open. I'd advise doing some soul searching to be sure that you are willing to love and care for the dog no matter what happens in the future.

Good luck and God bless,
Gregg Dickson
http://www.chihuahuafanatics.com/...

Source(s):
http://www.chihuahuaclubofamerica.com/...

http://www.akc.org/

Do you Wonder if Commercial Dog Food is Killing your Chihuahua?

If You Care about Your Chihuahua's Health, Read this Before you Buy Commercial Dog Food.

If you knew the truth about how commercial dog food is made, it would be the LAST thing you ever fed to your Chihuahua. Don't be fooled by the slick packaging and meaningless marketing terms like "premium" or "natural". It's the ingredients that actually go into the package that matter, and those can be quite appalling...even shocking! Therefore, choose the food that your Chihuahua will be eating every day with extreme care.

Like most Chihuahua owners, I'm sure you care deeply about the health and well being of your precious Chi. Therefore, you need to be aware of the appalling state of affairs in the commercial pet food industry. Many of the brand names that you know and trust are quite simply using ingredients that can harm your dog.

An analysis of these ingredients can be alarming, even downright disgusting! They take a lot of stuff that is not fit for human consumption, including animal "by-products", things like hooves, organs, stomachs and bowels...with the contents still in them, sick and diseased animals, even road kill and euthanized dogs and cats in some documented cases. Then they mix in the refuse from vegetable and grain processing. Stuff like ground corncobs, stalks and husks, rotten and spoiled vegetables and moldy, fungus riddled grains. Then they mix it together, package it up, stick fancy labeling on it and sell it as dog food.

With a few rare exceptions, the commercial dog food manufacturers seem to be more concerned about their profit margins than they are about the health of their customers' pets. This leads to a strong temptation to "cut corners" by using cheaper, less nutritious ingredients and unsafe or unhealthy chemicals to reduce the preparation time or increase the shelf-life of their products.


Understanding Dog Food Labels

A better understanding of the labeling of commercially prepared dog food probably won't make you feel any better about feeding it to your Chihuahua. Current regulations require a net quantity statement (minimum % of protein, fat, fiber and water) and a list of the ingredients - that's all. In other words, the government doesn't care what goes in the product as long as the manufacturer tells you what it is. And the terms used in the descriptions, like "animal by-products" for instance, don't even have to be clearly defined.

Some states have additional regulations, usually based on information from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). In fact, many commercially prepared dog foods will use the so-called "stringent" testing controls required by the AAFCO to validate their products. You may be interested to know however, that these controls are minimal. To meet AAFCO's requirements, a product either has to meet the nutritional guidelines it sets forth or pass a food trial.

These trials, however, are not nearly as scientific as one might expect. In fact, they only require that a minimum of 8 dogs be participants in the test and that the testing period run for a minimum of six months. A product is considered "safe" if the dogs don't lose more than 15% of their original body weight, don't die or aren't removed from the test because of nutritional causes and that at least 6 of 8 dogs complete the test.

Although the AAFCO does provide a little regulation over the industry, the truth of the matter is - commercially prepared dog food is not subject to quality control. According to the AAFCO guidelines, any product that lists a type of meat in its name must contain at least 95% of that particular type of meat minus the water needed for processing. This holds true for beef, chicken, fish and lamb. If a product is classified as a "dinner", "platter" or "entrée", the requirement for the percentage of that ingredient drops to a minimum of 25%. A product label that uses the word "with" on the other hand must contain only 3% of the named ingredient. "Flavored" products only have to contain enough of the ingredient to be detectable.

Widespread use of artificial preservatives is another red flag. Regulations only require that the preservatives be listed, not that they've been proven safe for your pet. Many of these ingredients including; BHA, BHT, ethoxyquin and other chemicals that have been linked to liver and kidney dysfunction as well as allergic reactions, organ failure and skin problems in dogs.

As a caring Chihuahua owner, the lesson is that you simply cannot blindly trust that a commercial dog food is a safe choice for your pet. Can you still feed commercially prepared foods? The answer is yes, but with extreme caution.


5 Keys to Choosing a Commercial Dog Food

1) Check the label carefully: since ingredients are listed on the label from the highest to the lowest percentage, choose a product that lists a quality protein source such as Chicken, Turkey, Lamb... as the first ingredient. Avoid generic terms like meat or poultry. The listing of an ingredient, however, does not take into account it's quality. Just because beef is the first ingredient, you should not assume that the beef is the type of beef you would consume. In fact, very few dog food products use human grade beef which must meet FDA standards.

2) Avoid "by-products": they can include parts that may or may not be digestible such as feet, hooves, blood, fatty tissue, intestines, claws, beaks and even feathers and fur.

3) Watch out for changing ingredients: most dog owners don't know that many commercial dog food manufacturers adjust their ingredients to take advantage of current prices. Many dogs do not tolerate sudden changes in their diets very well. Keeping a few labels to compare against each other will tell you if this is a practice of the manufacturer of your brand of dog food.

4) Be wary of Veterinary recommendations: Don't get me wrong, Vets are great people. It's just very difficult for them to be objective when the food manufacturers are throwing money and incentives at them on a grand scale.

5) Look for "whole" or "organic" foods: The best way to find top-notch foods is to visit Chihuahua owners forums and groups on the internet to ask for advice.

6) Make your own food: OK, I said 5 keys, so this one is a freebie, and it's something you should seriously consider. It is the only way you can be certain of exactly what you are feeding your dog. And it isn't nearly as daunting as you might have been lead to believe. Especially for Chihuahuas, since they eat such small quantities. Once again, the best place to start, if you want to pursue this option, is in the Chihuahua care groups and forums on the internet.

Press Release - The Dog Food Poisoning Scandal

The Chihuahua Fanatics Club Founders, Irate Over Dog Food Poisoning Scandal, Take Matters into Their Own Hands

The founders of The Chihuahua Fanatics Club, an online community for people who care for Chihuahuas, are so upset over the latest episode in the dog food poisoning scandal, that they have begun a crusade to inform Chihuahua care givers everywhere of the dangers of feeding commercial dog food to their pets. They are also committed to providing in-depth nutritional guidelines and a collection of whole food recipes that meet the nutritional needs of the whole family, dogs and humans alike, at a low cost and a minimum of fuss.

Lawrenceville, GA (PRWEB) May 16, 2007 -- The Dickson family, founders of The Chihuahua Fanatics Club (www.chihuahuafanatics.com/), are fed up with the dismal state of affairs in the commercial dog food industry. In fact, they are so upset that they and their fellow Chihuahua Fanatics Club members have taken matters into their own hands. They have begun collecting, analyzing and publishing the ingredients, labeling and marketing literature of brand-name, gourmet dog foods to highlight the widespread lack of quality and safety of these commercially prepared foods. But they won’t stop there. They are also developing a complete set of Chihuahua nutritional guidelines, as well as an ever growing collection of whole food recipes that are good for the entire family, dogs as well as humans.

As we researched the nutritional requirements of our Chihuahuas, it became obvious that optimal nutrition for them is essentially the same combination of basic ingredients as are needed in the human diet. It’s just that their quantities are a lot smaller

“Like most Chihuahua owners, we care deeply about the health and well being of our Chihuahuas”, says Vicki Dickson, co-founder of The Chihuahua Fanatics Club.

“It was devastating to hear, yet again, about the loss of so many precious pets because of the poor quality of the food that is available for them,” she says.

"As we researched the nutritional requirements of our Chihuahuas, it became obvious that optimal nutrition for them is essentially the same combination of basic ingredients as are needed in the human diet. It’s just that their quantities are a lot smaller", stated Gregg Dickson, co-founder of the club.

“Most people don’t realize that dogs are omnivores, just as humans are. They don’t do well on a diet of mostly meat, but need a balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, in a slightly different ratio than is best for humans.

"We aren't talking about table scraps," states Mr. Dickson, "but a combination of lean meats, whole grains and easily digestible vegetables. The same types of foods that dogs and humans ate in the wild before we became civilized. This is the way we were designed to eat, and virtually all humans and canines ate this way until the last few hundred years.

"We believe that both our dogs and our human family members can benefit greatly by going back to the basics of a whole food diet and avoiding all of the refined, processed, man-made foods laden with unnatural and unhealthy substances like white flour, processed fats, refined sugars and a slew of undecipherable chemicals. These include foods like white bread, pasta, white rice and almost all packaged foods. For commercial dog food it’s much worse, even downright disgusting! They take all of the stuff that isn't fit for human consumption, including animal organs, stomachs and bowels ... with the contents still in them, sick and diseased animals, even road kill and euthanized dogs and cats in some documented cases. Then they mix in the refuse from vegetable and grain processing. Stuff like ground corn cobs and husks, rotten and spoiled vegetables and moldy, fungus laden grains. Then they mix it all together, package it up and sell it as dog food.

"The commercial food manufacturers, of both human and dog food, seem to be more concerned about their profit margins than they are about the health of their customers. This leads to a strong temptation to 'cut corners' by using cheaper, less nutritious ingredients, less than optimal processing techniques and unsafe or unhealthy chemicals to reduce the preparation time or increase the shelf-life of their products.

"But rather than crusade to try to change the commercial dog food industry, we want to provide solutions that will work for the average dog loving family today. We have gathered in-depth information on how to meet the nutritional needs of your Chihuahua with food that is far superior to anything you can get from a pet food manufacturer, all at a low cost and in a convenient manner."

The Chihuahua Fanatics Club (www.chihuahuafanatics.com/) is an online community for the free exchange of information and resources about how to care for Chihuahuas and friendship for Chihuahua lovers everywhere.

Contact:
Gregg and Vicki Dickson, Founders
The Chihuahua Fanatics Club
http://www.chihuahuafanatics.com/

What Should I Feed My Chihuahua?

I stumbled across the following question, posed on recipezaar.com of all places, and have reposted it here along with my response for posterity...

I have a 1 yr old Teacup Chihuahua who has had a sensitive stomach since I got her, and I have continuously struggled with foods...Due to all the recalls, I started making my own. I have been giving her Minute Rice mixed with Campbell's Chicken Broth, & Canned white chicken. She seems to love it, and her stomach has not been acting up, but is this giving her all the nutrition she needs? Is there anything I need to add, while still keeping it simple? And also, my vet says she's a little overweight...what can I add/remove to keep her weight down?
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No, that diet is definitely not very healthy.

Firstly, white rice is TERRIBLE...for dogs as well as humans. It's nothing but pure starch. To the body, its basically the same as sugar.

Secondly, dogs are not carnivores, they are omnivores, just like us. They need a good mix of meats, vegetables, fruits and grains to achieve optimal health.

Thirdly, don't feed your Chihuahua the same meal every day. Vary the diet somewhat from day-to-day or week-to-week This will help make sure that your Chi isn't missing out on any essential nutrients. You'll want to go slowly on this with your Chi to make sure you aren't distressing her digestive system, but I think you'll be suprised at how well she will handle whole foods.

Here are my suggestions:
1) Switch to brown rice, you can cook up a small batch of it that will last all week.

2) Add in some steamed/boiled veggies. I recommend a varied mix of "colors", because the colors are produced by different combinations of phyto nutrients (this just means plant nutrients) so you can be sure that your Chihuahua is getting all of the vitamins & minerals that she needs to have optimal health. For example: broccoli, red/yellow bell peppers, carrots, squash, any kind of green leafy veggies like spinach, collard/turnip/mustard greens, etc. Use your imagination here. You probably want to introduce these slowly, and one at a time so you can make sure that she can stomach each new addition.

3) Use a quality protein source. The easiest are eggs and/or almost any type of quality meat: chicken, beef, lamb, bison, pork, etc. I recommend varying this over time too, but go slowly again.

4) Dogs need fats too. Like humans, they especially need to have the essential fatty acid, Omega 6, in their diet because their body cannot produce it on its own. Best sources are beans (great northern, kidney, navy & soybeans), fish, fish oils, flax seed or oil and borage oil. Fortunately, chicken fat and pork fat also contain some Omega 6.

It's really easy to get all this together and cook up enough to last all week (for a Chihuahua anyway). You can even make bigger batches and freeze some.

Cook and mix up the following (a chopper or food processor is great for this):
One cup rice, one cup veggies, one cup meat and 1/4 cup of Omega 6 fats (cooked beans, fish, or flax..etc)

We like to feed our Chihuahuas twice a day. Start with 1/4 - 1/2 cup at each feeding and adjust as necessary to maintain proper weight.

Hope this helps!
Gregg Dickson
How to care for Chihuahuas
http://www.ChihuahuaFanatics.com/

Welcome to our "How to Care for Chihuahuas" Blog

Hi! We are the Dickson Family from Lawrenceville, GA and we are Chihuahua Fanatics!! We created this blog about "How to Care for Chihuahuas" because we wanted to have a place to disseminate and discuss our latest ideas and approaches for taking care of Chihuahuas.

All five of us are constantly on the prowl, looking for new and innovative ways to provide the ultimate in care for Chihuahuas. New treatment approaches for Chihuahua health problems and diseases. Chihuahua pet care tips on grooming, feeding, teeth care and training, and of course Chihuahua puppy care too!

We want to use this as a journal to record our discoveries so that we can share them with all Chihuahua fanatics everywhere.

We Hope you, and your Chi, benefit from them as much as we do.

Sincerely,
The Dickson Family -- Gregg, Vicki, Whitney, Brantley & Jamie
http://www.chihuahuafanatics.com/