Starsen Chihuahuas

*Please see the Links section for detailed information on why you shouldn't blindly follow your vet's advice regarding vaccines and the dangers of over-vaccinating. Here is an informative article on revaccination.

**I use and recommend the following vaccination schedule:

(For more information see this article)

8 weeks high titer parvo, such as Neopar

10 weeks Galaxy-D single Distemper

12 weeks high titer parvo, such as Neopar (opt)

20 weeks or older (6 months is best): Rabies

1 year: Distemper. Two weeks later: Parvo- no revaccination necessary after this set.

1 year + 4 weeks: Rabies- could provide lifetime immunity.**

**If possible, try to get exemption from any additional rabies vaccines by getting a titer level instead, letting the vet know of any adverse reactions your puppy had to the first vaccine, etc.

I do NOT recommend the Lyme disease vaccine puppies or adults. It may actually cause an untreatable form of the disease and only offers short-lived protection at the expense of your dog's immune system health.

Coronavirus and Leptospirosis are also NOT recommended because the vaccines are more harmful than the diseases themselves, which are uncommon, short-lived and non life-threatening. Combination vaccines such as DHLPP can wreak havoc on the immune system. Please stick to the above guidelines for vaccination.

Kennel Cough vaccine is NOT recommended- there are many, many strains of kennel cough and the vaccine only prevents a few of them. Vaccines directly affect the immune system and the less you fool around with a dog's immune system- the better! Kennel cough is treatable and non life-threatening.

De-worming

I de-worm my puppies, along with their dam, with a 3 day treatment of Panacur at 6 and 9 weeks of age. Panacur not only kills roundworms, but also hookworms, whipworms, taenia species of tapeworms and even giardia. Panacur is safe and is a better all-around dewormer than Pyrantel (Nemex, etc).

After the initial puppy de-worming, future treatments should be done if a fecal exam has detected parasites, not as a routine. The less chemicals, medicines, antibiotics, etc that you give your dog, the better! Every dog should have a yearly fecal exam performed, as well as a giardia antigen test. Any worms or parasites should be treated with medication specific for that type of worm/parasite. Coccidia are found in most healthy dogs' stool, so they don't need to be treated unless the stool sample shows abnormally large numbers and/or your puppy has been having diarrhea.

About Fleas and ticks:

Frontline, Advantix and other topical flea treatments should not be used regularly as a preventative. These are only acceptable if you have a severe infestation, which generally only occurs with sick or neglected animals. Revolution topical and Program pills are not recommended at all unless there is a difficult case of sarcoptic mange which Revolution is effective at treating. To prevent fleas, use a safe, all natural flea repellant spray with neem extract in it starting in spring and continuing throughout the season or year round if you live in a warm climate. I use Best Shot Bug Spray and Ark Naturals "Neem Protect Shampoo" and I don't have a a need for harsher chemical treatments. The spray must be used every few days and reapplied if your dog gets wet. It smells nice and does an excellent job to not only repel fleas, but also ticks, lice, mites and mosquitoes. See this article for more tips on holistic flea prevention.

About heartworm:

In areas that have large numbers of mosquitoes and a serious threat of pets developing heartworm disease, you will need to use a preventative. Interceptor pills can be prescribed by your vet and are safer than "Heartguard". The instructions will say to give one every 30 days. If you mark your calendar and are good about remembering to give the pill, they can safely be given only every 45 days- remember, the less chemicals you give your dog, the better. If you live in an area where winters are cold, there is no need to give the preventative during the winter months. Your dog should be tested for heartworms each spring before you start giving the preventative.

About antibiotics and steroids:

Antibiotics not only kill bad bacteria, they also kill good bacteria that your dog needs for healthy digestion, vitamin synthesis and even immunity. Overuse of antibiotics also leads to antibiotic resistant bacteria. Antibiotics should only be used when there is a specific, clear need for them! The same goes for steroids, which can cause both long and short term damage to your dog's health. Antibiotics should NOT be used for skin problems unless the skin is infected and is presenting a danger to the dog's health. This applies to steroids like cortisone as well.

Many skin and ear irritations can be highly successfully treated with allergy elimination diets and all natural topical treatments with ingredients like colloidal silver, tea tree, emu oil, etc. Loose stools can be cleared up by mixing canned pumpkin in with your dog's food- please note, however, that diarrhea in a chihuahua puppy should be taken very seriously and if it continues, see a vet right away. A cough in a chihuahua might be a "reverse sneeze" that is common and not harmful with this breed, a collapsed trachea or it could be from inhaling dust from being so close to the ground. Either way, antibiotics and/or steroids probably aren't necessary in most of these cases.

Sometimes antibiotics are truly necessary, as in the case of a urinary tract infection, infestation of coccidia, giardia, Lyme disease, abscess, etc. When an antibiotic is prescribed, it should be given as directed and not stopped early. Any time you must give your dog antibiotics, you should also feed yogurt every day and even better, supplement with probiotics. Wysong Pet Innoculant is an excellent choice. Another option is to go to your local health food store and look in the refrigerator case or ask for assistance. Any powdered form is fine. If it says to take 1 teaspoon for a human, obviously a chihuahua should have much less- maybe 1/16 tsp. Email me for assistance if you are having trouble with the dosing, finding a product, etc. Probiotic supplementation is very important when antibiotics are used, because it restores the good bacteria that has been killed off.

For your pet's sake, please be extremely selective about situations where you will allow treatment with steroids and if necessary, use the lowest dose for the shortest period of time.

Please go to the Links section for information you NEED to know about your chihuahua's health care!