chihuahua life expectancy

Chihuahua is a special breed of dog, whose name originated from Mexico. Chihuahua like all dogs needs a lot of care and attention. The Chihuahua is a beautiful breed of dog that celebrities and socialites love so much. Chihuahua life expectancy depends on many factors. Some of these factors are beyond our control while others depend solely on the owners.

The average lifespan of the Chihuahua is between 15 – 20 years, which depends on the care given to the Chihuahua. The lifespan of dogs differs according to the breeds, and it is noticed that smaller dog breeds live longer than the bigger ones. For example, chihuahua and Yorkshire live longer than Labrador Retriever and Mastiff. Because the average life expectancy of medium-to-large breeds is 10 to 13 years.

In this section we will discuss:

The average chihuahua life cycle
Factors That Will Determine the Lifespan of the Chihuahua

source: pexels

The Average Chihuahua Life Cycle

Newborns

When a chihuahua comes to this world, she comes without her senses and weighs 5 ounces or less. During the following days, the dog gains roughly 7% of her body weight in mass per day. This happens until the chihuahua is around two weeks old.

By the age of 7 weeks, a chihuahua must be capable of moving around on her own, because at this age the dog has all her senses. But, chihuahuas at this age prefer to sleep most of their time, with the rest being dedicated to nursing and eating.

Chihuahua Puppies

When the chihuahua reaches the age of two months, the dog will be more active, curious, and growing. The puppy then will be 30-40% of its full adult size and weight by the end of three months.

During this period it is very important to expose your chihuahua to the word because chihuahua and due to their small size have the tendency to be shy and fearful, for this reason, chihuahua needs more socialization.

Adults

You can consider your chihuahua and adult dog when he reaches the age of one year. However, the dog will still be young until he has passed the age of 3 years, by this point in time chihuahuas show their personality traits and preferred levels of exercise and affection.

During this period of time, the dog loves activities such as snuggling and performing tricks. You should also note that it is advisable to take care of your chihuahua’s teeth, as dental hygiene is so crucial for adults.

Senior Dogs

We can consider a chihuahua a senior dog when he is 7-8 years old. Senior chihuahuas are easily prone to a lot of health issues compared to larger dogs. They can face health conditions such as Arthritis and poor dental health.

There are things to take into consideration if you are the owner of a senior dog. Firstly, you should always keep your senior chihuahua warm and comfortable. Secondly, you have to decrease their activity level and avoid introducing them to children.

THIS ARTICLE MAY HELP: Senior chihuahua care tips

Factors That Will Determine the Lifespan of the Chihuahua

source: pexels

As we said earlier, some of the factors are beyond our control, such as accidents or an epidemic. The Lifespan of the Chihuahua in a very high percentage depends on the owners; their knowledge about dogs, their commitment to taking care of the dog, and the care they provide for the dog.

Feeding on a Proper Diet

The diet of the Chihuahua will go a long way to determine if the Chihuahua will live its natural lifespan length. This is one of the factors that we can control, as one should be aware of the kind of feed to give the Chihuahua. You should feed the Chihuahua with high-quality dog food, with essential food supplements. These feeds have been processed, tested, and approved. They as well provide supplements to keep the dog in good health condition.

You should avoid feeding the Chihuahua with leftovers and make sure they do not go savaging due to hunger.

YOU CAN ALSO READ: Keys to an Excellent chihuahua Diet

Weight Issue

Weight is another important factor in the health of the chihuahua. Dogs that are overweight are prone to develop sickness and their muscles are weaker. The case with overweight is just like in humans, the Chihuahua becomes prone to heart disease and the inability to move properly.

Spaying and Neutering of the Chihuahua

Neutering is for a male Chihuahua. This is the situation when you remove their testicles for the males. On the other hand, spaying is when you have the ovaries of the female Chihuahua removed. There are a lot of health benefits in carrying out this procedure, as it reduces the risk of infection or diseases.

For the male Chihuahua, removing the testicles will reduce the risk of cancer and constipation. While for female Chihuahua, this procedure reduces the risk of ovarian cancer. You should get this procedure done by a veterinarian to avoid cases of infections.

YOU MAU ALS WANT TO READ: chihuahua Spaying/Neutering

Genetics of the Chihuahua

The genetics of the Chihuahua also play an important role in its lifespan. The kind of gene the parents pass over to their offspring will determine their lifespan; a good gene will produce a healthy Chihuahua. This is a factor we cannot control; however, we can pay close attention to the parent Chihuahua and determine if they should be adopted.

Proper Vaccination of the Chihuahua

This is a factor that we can control and it comes down to the ability of the owner to care for the Chihuahua. The owner should endeavor to take the Chihuahua to get the necessary Vaccination shots, especially at an early age to prevent some sickness. Vaccination will help build the immune system stronger to fight against infection.

THIS ARTICLE MAY HELP: Chihuahua Vaccines

Better Healthcare for the Chihuahua

This also depends on the ability to care properly for the Chihuahua. You should book an appointment at least once in five months to visit the veterinarian, for a regular check-up even when the Chihuahua doesn’t show a sign of illness.

In going for a check-up, some kind of infection or disease can be diagnosed and treated. This might prevent the case from advancing to a fatal condition.

Exercising to Increase Energy Level

Regular exercise increases the heartbeat and, thus, is good for metabolism. Increased metabolism helps in so many ways such as improvement in the digestive system, increasing the energy level, and building up the immune system. Regular exercise also helps to prevent heart and cardiovascular diseases.

You should take your Chihuahua to work at least once a day. If you cannot do that you can get someone or pay a dog walker to do that for you.

Gender of the Chihuahua

It had been gathered from statistics that female Chihuahuas do live longer than male Chihuahuas. There is no scientific explanation for this as on average the female chihuahua lives at least two years more than the male Chihuahua.

This is another factor that is beyond the control of the owner. On a short note, as an owner, you should dedicate time to taking proper care of Chihuahua.

Oral care

As we discussed before chihuahuas are easily prone to dental issues such as tooth decay, tooth toss, and gum disease. 9 out of 10 chihuahuas will face dental problems. You should note that poor oral health can affect other organs in the body such as the heart and kidneys Because bacteria enter the bloodstream through bleeding gums and go to those organs.