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  • Dealing with a Shedding Chihuahua

    Whether your Chihuahua is a deer head or apple head, long coat or smooth coat, he’s going to shed. With the exception of certain hairless breeds like the Xoloitzcuintli or Chinese Crested, all dogs shed. It’s a natural and ongoing process that’s actual beneficial for our canine companions. As an owner, though, you may have…

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  • Top Reasons Why You Should Adopt From a Chihuahua Rescue

    Are you thinking about adding a new Chihuahua to your family? Before you start calling around breeders in your area, you should check into some of the local Chihuahua rescues. Many people seem to forget about these organizations and the loving, loyal and downright adorable Chihuahuas they offer. While they may not offer as many…

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  • Help! My Chihuahua is Eating Grass!

    Grass eating is a common behavior in dogs, including Chihuahuas. In fact, a survey of 72 dog owners conducted in 2008 found that 79% of dogs ate grass. While this study is relatively small, it reveals just how common this behavior is among man’s best friend. From an owner’s perspective, seeing your Chihuahua eat grass…

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  • How To Identify and Treat Ear Infections In Chihuahuas

    An ear infection can make a Chihuahua’s life miserable. You might notice your Chihuahua aggressively shaking their head like there’s water stuck in their ear, or they may scratch the affected ear until it’s raw. It’s disheartening for owners to see their beloved canine companion in a state of such distress, but thankfully this is…

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  • Common Plants That Are Toxic and Dangerous To Chihuahuas

    Most owners are fully aware of the dangers presented by toxic chemicals like bleach, anti-freeze, medicine and cleaning agents. However, a lesser-known threat comes from common houseplants that are toxic when ingested by a small Chihuahua. These plants may look nice and decorative when used in your home, but they could pose a serious risk…

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  • Chihuahua Car Travel Safety

    Does your Chihuahua pace frantically around your feet when he hears the metal-on-metal jingle of your car keys? Most Chihuahuas will literally jump at the opportunity to ride in a car, and with an average weight of just 3 to 6 pounds, they are the perfect size for road trips. Before allowing your Chihuahua to…

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  • Patellar Luxation in Chihuahuas – What You Should Know

    If you’ve noticed your Chihuahua hopping while holding one of their back legs up, chances are they are suffering from a knee condition known as “patellar luxation.” This is one of the breed’s most common health problems, as Chihuahua experts and health professionally estimate roughly 10% of the population suffers from it. At first glance,…

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  • Patellar Luxation in Chihuahuas – What You Should Know

    If you’ve noticed your Chihuahua hopping while holding one of their back legs up, chances are they are suffering from a knee condition known as “patellar luxation.” This is one of the breed’s most common health problems, as Chihuahua experts and health professionally estimate roughly 10% of the population suffers from it. At first glance,…

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  • Patellar Luxation in Chihuahuas – What You Should Know

    If you’ve noticed your Chihuahua hopping while holding one of their back legs up, chances are they are suffering from a knee condition known as “patellar luxation.” This is one of the breed’s most common health problems, as Chihuahua experts and health professionally estimate roughly 10% of the population suffers from it. At first glance,…

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    Read More

  • Patellar Luxation in Chihuahuas – What You Should Know

    If you’ve noticed your Chihuahua hopping while holding one of their back legs up, chances are they are suffering from a knee condition known as “patellar luxation.” This is one of the breed’s most common health problems, as Chihuahua experts and health professionally estimate roughly 10% of the population suffers from it. At first glance,…

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A lot of owners seem to overlook the importance of having their Chihuahuas spayed or neutered. When you are busy looking at puppies trying to find the one that's right for your family, it's easy to forget about future issues like spaying and neutering. Unfortunately, this results in a large number of Chihuahuas growing up without getting fixed. The fact is that there are countless reasons why you should spay or neuter your Chihuahua.

Fixed Chihuahua

Some owners are still stuck in the mentality that spaying and neutering is bad because it causes pain and unneeded stress on Chihuahuas. While there have been incidents of infections taking setting in after the surgery, they are few and far between. The American Humane Society states that fixing your dog is one of the best decisions you can make regarding their health and well-being. Most professional veterinarians will also agree that spaying and neutering is a safe, healthy procedure that owners should have performed on their canines.

Is Spaying and Neutering Really Necessary?

The benefits of having your Chihuahua spayed or neutered far outweigh the disadvantages. With that said, there are a few special circumstances when you may want to avoid having the procedure done. If you plan on breeding your Chihuahua at a later date, then you obviously wouldn't want to have them fixed. Of course, this is a big decision that shouldn't be made lightly. Breeding a Chihuahua will require a great deal of time and money, both of which are difficult to come by in today's fast-paced world.

Another instance where you might want to avoid spaying or neutering your Chihuahua is if your veterinarian advises against it. If your Chihuahua has a compromised immune system, is too young or old, or if they have some other underlying health condition, a veterinarian may advise against spaying or neutering. However, contrary to what some people may believe, there's no such thing as a dog that's too small to fix. Always follow the advice of your veterinarian to ensure the safety and well-being of your Chihuahua.

Spaying and Neutering

Spaying and Neutering Saves Lives

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 5-7 million animals enter animal shelters each year, and a staggering 60% of these animals are euthanized (3-4 million annually). It's a grim statistic that's only made worse when owners neglect to fix their pets. As a Chihuahua owner, you can do your part to lower these numbers by having your Chihuahua spayed or neutered.

Having your Chihuahua spayed or neutered will prevent them from breeding, which in turn will help deal with overpopulation. Even if you don't plan on breeding your Chihuahua, the hormones set off by a female in heat is a powerful attractant to unfixed males. It's all too common for family Chihuahuas to away from home in search of a mate, which is why you need have yours spayed or neutered.

Neutering Helps To Prevent Males From Running Away

If you've owned unfixed male Chihuahuas or other dogs in the past, you are probably well aware of how eager they are to run off, especially if there's a female in heat nearby. I guess you could call it mother nature's dating service, as it brings the male and female together to propagate the species. Unfortunately, though, shelters and rescues throughout the country are overrun with far more puppies than they can handle. Neutering your male Chihuahua will eliminate their instinctual desire to roam the neighborhood in search of a mate.

With the desire to roam now gone from your male Chihuahua, there's less chance of them becoming injured from other cars, dogs, people or getting into poisonous chemicals. This alone should be reason enough for you to get them neutered.

Neutering Reduces The Chance of Prostate Cancer

As lesser-known benefits of having a neutered Chihuahua is the reduced risk of developing prostate cancers. Each year, thousands of male dogs die from this horrible disease. While having them fixed doesn't completely eliminate their risk of developing prostate cancer is does significantly lower it.

Studies have shown that prostate growth is directly linked to the amount of testosterone a Chihuahua produces; therefore, the more testosterone a Chihuahua has, the higher the risk of developing prostate cancer. Having them neutered removes the testosterone-producing testicles, which lowers their chance of developing this cancer.

Chihuahua Run Away

No More "Territory Marking" On Your Furniture

One of the biggest complaints owners have about male Chihuahuas is their instinctual behavior that results in them lifting their back leg and and peeing on the sides of furniture. Even if they are potty-trained, they may still have the desire to mark their territory on your furniture. Behavior such as this simply can't be tolerated in the house, especially if you want a clean home without the dreaded smell of pee.

You must understand that male Chihuahuas, or all male dogs for that matter, have the instinctual desire to mark their territory because of the testosterone hormone. By neutering them, their testosterone levels decrease significantly, which should curb their desire to pee on the sides of your furniture, walls and other areas inside the house.

Spaying Eliminates Heat Cycles

Female Chihuahuas go into their heat cycle about once or twice a year. During this time, they will be more sensitive, territorial, and they will bleed. Caring for a Chihuahua in heat requires extra care and attention. By spaying your female Chihuahua, however, you will eliminate their heat cycles altogether.

The truth is that these are just a few of the many benefits of having your Chihuahua spayed or neutered. If there's one reason that draws you to fix your Chihuahua, it should be to help control the population of Chihuahuas that end up in shelters.

*In the words of the famous Price is Right host Bob Barker "Help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered."

References:

https://www.avma.org/Pages/home.aspx

http://www.americanhumane.org/animals/adoption-pet-care/caring-for-your-pet/spaying-neutering.html

http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/why_spay_neuter.html

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/spayneuter-your-pet

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