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About Jo Ann
Expertise
I can answer most questions as they relate to health, behavior, new home adjustment, litter box training, new puppy care, fear aggression, separation anxiety, new vaccination protocols, medications to avoid, the latest developments in veterinary medicine, the most common medical problems seen in this breed and the effects of bad and irresponsible breeding. I can also speak to common personality traits of this breed due to vast experience with a great number of Chihuahuas and Chihuahua owners. I am not, however, a breeder of Chihuahuas and claim no experience in that area and do not answer questions that have to do with breeding - you need to check with a qualified veterinarian if you plan to breed your Chihuahua or if your Chihuahua is having problems with a pregnancy - this is not the proper forum to address those issues and a delay in seeking proper medical treatment can have grave consequences for your dog.

Experience
Owner/Moderator for Chihuahua_Health_Behavior (since 8/04), Owner/Moderator for Chihuahualovers (since 4/04), Owner/Moderator for Chis-and-ToyDogs (since 2/07), Chihuahua owner for 10 years, current owner of three Chihuahuas, have done Chihuahua rescue and transport and have a deep love & respect for the breed. I also have dealt with allergies, broken legs, liver problems and other medical problems with this breed and have researched and consulted with some of the top experts in these areas. Additionally, I have done dog and cat rescue for 20 years which has exposed me to a variety of health and behavioral conditions which have become a part of my extensive knowledge.

Organizations
I ran the local Chihuahua Meetup group locally for a number of years. I run Chihuahua_Health_Behavior@yahoogroups.com

Education/Credentials
Just my combined experience and research. I don't pretend to be something I'm not and will be honest and recommend veterinary care and proper diagnosis for medical conditions as needed and aid in the research for good, qualified veterinarians or holistic practioners who are familiar with this breed and the medical problems that are common to Chihuahuas.

Past/Present Clients
Too numerous to mention - all members of my Yahoo groups over the past five years

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Dog Breeds > Chihuahuas > Dizziness and Wobbling

Chihuahuas - Dizziness and Wobbling

Expert: Jo Ann - 11/7/2009

Question
Hi, My Chihuahua is 5 1/2 months old and this is the third time she has had these same symptoms. She get noticeably dizzy. When she stands up she falls over does not have any balance and her head wobbles all over. The first time it happened I took her to the emergency vet and they didn't really do anything she had been like that for most of the day so they gave her some high protein food and it seemed to go away after having been like that all day. The second time it happened I took her to her normal vet and they said she could be hypoglycemic and to give her syrup or honey so I did that and it didn't seem to help. It is happening again and I don't know what to do. There is no pattern of when it happens. The 1st 2 times she was playing and it started and this last time she had been sleeping for about 2 hours. I need help I don't know what to do.

Answer
Hi Sarah....

There are three things that come to mind when you mention these symptoms:

The first is hypoglycemia. However, it's interesting that the symptoms went away with high protein food and that they don't get better with syrup. A good high protein food could act to resolve hypoglycemia though.... Do you recall what they gave her at the ER? I don't usually recommend honey, but Karo syrup is recommended for instances of hypoglycemia often. Usually, you see hypoglycemia with much younger pups. Is your pup extra small by any chance? Something that I prefer to use instead of syrup is Nutrical. You rub that or syrup on the gums. She should be fed several small meals per day.

The second thing that comes to mind is a liver shunt. You can often see a dog that has a shunt have a reaction to high protein food by becoming wobbly and losing balance. But, you said that your dog actually got better after they gave her a high protein food at the ER. You should definitely record when these things happen and note if she was just fed or when she had been fed prior to the "occurrence". You can take her to the vet and have blood work run and they can check to see if her liver enzymes are elevated. If they are, you will want to have what's called a Bile Acid Response Test done.

The last thing that crossed my mind is that she may be having what's called a focal seizure. It sounds like she could be having this type of seizure being that it has happened when she's been sleeping and when she's been playing (she may become excited when playing). Again, you need to record every single time this happens and record exactly what she was doing, how long it lasted, etc.

If I were you, I'd definitely take her to your regular vet (or another vet who is experienced with small breed dogs) and have blood work run.

I'm wondering what you're feeding her, how many times per day that she eats and when she was last vaccinated? I'd also like to know if you've been using any flea preventatives or heartworm preventatives or anything like that??

Jo Ann

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