Chihuahua Health: Teeth, Aggression, and a Popularity Boom
UK Chihuahua births rose fivefold in a decade. Vet records show gum disease, baby teeth that don't fall out, and aggression among the top problems.
Written by thecanineledger
Chihuahuas made up 1.01% of puppies born in the UK in 2005. By 2016 the figure was 5.35%. A study of UK vet records from that year warns that “veterinarians need to be watchful for welfare issues related to impulse purchase of Chihuahua puppies by owners with limited experience of dog care.” (O’Neill et al., Canine Genetics and Epidemiology 2020).
While most of the problems recorded were minor, a few stand out for a dog this small. Teeth top the list.
1. The study
The dogs. Researchers used VetCompass, a database of anonymised UK primary-care records. “Chihuahuas comprised 11,647/336,865 (3.46%) dogs under veterinary care during 2016.” The team reviewed records from a random sample.
A young population. The median age of the Chihuahuas was just 2.8 years.
Size. The median adult weight was 3.4 kg.
Funding. The Kennel Club Charitable Trust supported the work. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
2. The most common diagnoses
| Disorder | Share of Chihuahuas |
|---|---|
| Periodontal (gum) disease | 13.5% |
| Obesity | 5.9% |
| Retained baby teeth | 5.7% |
| Anal sac impaction | 4.9% |
| Aggression | 4.2% |
Baby teeth. Retained deciduous teeth are baby teeth that don’t fall out when the adult teeth come in. The median age of dogs with this problem was 1.6 years.
Our note: Asking about retained baby teeth at early checks is our suggestion, not the study’s.
→ Dental Disease in Dogs: What Brushing Can and Can’t Do · → Anal Glands: Which Dogs Have Problems, and Should They Be Expressed?
3. How long Chihuahuas lived
Median age at death: 8.2 years. Females lived longer, at 10.2 years against 6.9 for males.
Why that figure is too low. The authors warn that the result “should be interpreted cautiously to avoid confusion with breed-specific estimated lifespan.” Because most Chihuahuas in the study were young, deaths in the data were weighted towards young dogs.
Causes of death. Of 80 deaths with a cause recorded, the most common were heart disease (18.8%), lower airway disease (16.3%) and injury (13.8%).
Our note: “Lower respiratory tract disorder” may include tracheal collapse and pneumonia. The paper doesn’t break it down.
4. Aggression
Aggression was recorded in 4.2% of Chihuahuas, more often in males (4.9%) than females (3.5%). The authors note it didn’t feature among the most common problems in similar studies of Pugs, Border Terriers or Miniature Schnauzers.
They add a caution. “Aggression is a complex topic and can be highly context-dependent in dogs”. The records don’t say what triggered it.
→ Resource Guarding · → When Behaviour Change Is Really Pain
5. If you have, or want, a Chihuahua
- Think before an impulse buy. Ask yourself if you can meet a dog’s needs for 15 years or more.
- Start tooth care early, and ask about baby teeth at puppy checks.
- Keep your dog lean. Small amounts of extra food matter at 3 kg.
- Find a trainer who uses reward-based methods if your dog growls or snaps.
Our note: These points are ours, including “15 years or more”, which isn’t from this study.
→ Choosing a Breed or a Mix: The Health Data Breeders Don’t Lead With · → Puppy Farms and Pet-Store Puppies: What the Behaviour Studies Found
6. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “Chihuahuas live 15 to 20 years” | Not shown here. The study’s age at death is biased low by young dogs. |
| “Chihuahuas are aggressive” | Aggression was recorded in 4.2%, more than in some other small breeds. Most dogs had none recorded. |
| “Small dogs don’t need tooth care” | No. Gum disease was the most common problem. |
Sources
- O’Neill DG, Packer RMA, Lobb M, Church DB, Brodbelt DC, Pegram C. Demography and commonly recorded clinical conditions of Chihuahuas under primary veterinary care in the UK in 2016. Canine Genet Epidemiol 2020: VetCompass study, 11,647 Chihuahuas, 2016. Supported by the Kennel Club Charitable Trust
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.