Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how come my chiuaua shakes when she breathes?

shes doing it right now while shes sleeping on my lap

Jerome, the Chihuahua being a toy breed can have trachea problems most likely from being bred to be so small. Does she show any other signs of breathing difficulties or coughing? Does she tremble all of the time or just when she is sleeping?
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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

when she is sleeping she shakes when she inhales. sometimes when we are playing with her, her whole body shakes. i don't know if its from breathing or if shes nervous or cold. earlier today she was on top of me standing and she was having this weird hiccup like jerking. first time i've seen it happen.

>>when she is sleeping she shakes when she inhales. sometimes when we are playing with her, her whole body shakes.

Have you taken your Chi to a vet since you got her? I believe you mentioned she is 10 weeks old. I always take mine in after getting them for a general health exam and at this age you'd still have puppy shots to be given. If there is a health issue then he vet should be able to catch it.

Many Chi's can be nervous, especially when in new situations and still settling in to a new home. To me it sounds like this could be what's going on. As she settles in more I would expect to see this lessen.

>> earlier today she was on top of me standing and she was having this weird hiccup like jerking. first time i've seen it happen.

Any dog can get hiccups and with ours we've seen it more often when they are puppies, they seem to grow out of it. We call it "puppy hiccups" and it's really cute, as long as it doesn't get too excessive. It is considered normal but, as with everything else, use your judgement. If it every gets to where she's not breathing well you may need to get her to see a vet.
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tabitha
Kayo, Kahla, and Dante'

also when we play, she doesn't appear to haev any trouble breathing. she runs around everywhere and it seems like she has infinite stamina

You may not have anything to worry about. These dogs have such short snouts they can have a tendency to wheeze, snore, or hiccup. It could also be she is just cold. Chi's like to be warm... maybe you can get her a nice sweater to wear.
At best if you do think there may be a problem with her breathing do not hesitate to take her to your vet.
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If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

ah okay i think she is also fine. she runs around so much! she is too energetic lol. i love her though, but it's hard teaching her things when she runs around and jumps everywhere

Jerome,

She's an excited puppy. They are energetic and don't listen well at all. It takes time to form a realtionship with an animal and even longer to establish a communication system with that animal.

Be patient, be consistent in what you are trying to teach her. Don't train for long durations at a time. I get the best results training in 5 minute spurts throughout the day. Use times when she seems a bit more relaxed to train. WHen she's older those hyper excited times can be training times as well, but for now, she needs to concentrate to learn.

The shaking sounds a bit like "reverse sneezing" from your description. It's nothing really to worry about, but if it becomes very persistent, definately take her to a vet.

Also, a coat is a very good idea for a chi puppy.

Keep up the great work and post pictures if you can.
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PHReign
Email me: HReign@pethobbyist.com" target="_blank">PHReign@pethobbyist.com
Dear dog,
I can not buy anything larger than a king sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think that I will continue to sleep on the couch to ensure your comfort. Look at videos of dogs sleeping, they can actually curl up in a ball. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to your fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straigt out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space used is nothing more than doggy sarcasm.