I was recently given a 1 year old chic. He has a terrible...

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Answer by chimama
Submitted on 10/3/2003
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1) Did the vet give you any timeline as to how long it would take to clear up the problem? How often does the vet see puppy? Is puppy in pain at all, and if so has vet given you anything to help the pain? 2) Puppy should be seeing vet anyway as part of new pet visits. It is essential that puppy has all his shots and a full medical exam to rule out any other problems. I go to Banfield pet hospitals, they are scattered all over the country. I like them because they have a plan where you pay a set amount at the start of the year, all shots are covered, two comprehensive exams per year covered, unlimited office visits covered, etc. It turns out to be about 1/2 as much as if you paid for each service as you got it, and it's comforting to know that you can take him to the vet as often as you want without racking up a huge bill. If you have confidence in your vet, stay with him/her. This is just an option if you might be looking for a regular vet. 3) I don't know the circumstances under which you acquired him, but the odds are that puppy has been very neglected. Anyone who loved their dog would not have given him up, and he would have been under a vet's care. 4) Love him. Love him up lots. Hold him, pet him, cuddle him, talk to him, take care of him. Chihuahuas bond very strongly to one or two people, their job in life is to love 'their human'. You become the center of their universe, they want to make you happy. 5) The practical side. Get him started on a good quality food, Waltham, Science Diet, etc. Chi's need to eat more than once a day, they are very high energy but have tiny tummies. I leave dry kibble out all day, my girls both self-regulate, they will not overeat and get fat, especially once they come to realize that food is always available if they want it. Since your puppy might have been food deprived, use your own judgment at first, if he gulps it down you'll have to put out small meals a few times a day. This is getting really long, I recommend you get the book Chihuahuas for Dummies before I type the whole thing in. Good sections on food, shelter, potty-training, chihuahua traits, etc. It is the best book by far on the care and joys of these adorable little creatures. Write back and let us know how he is, some of us like to follow up.

Answer by itsaboutpets
Submitted on 5/7/2004
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Apr. 30 — Each year thousands of animals get so-called pet microchips -- tiny transmitters that identify the dog or cat in the event they are lost or stolen. Until recently, there was only one basic choice of chips. Now there's a new chip on the market and a controversy to go along with it. Thousands of dogs and cats end up at San Francisco's Animal Control Shelter. Most don't have chips but those that do are usually returned to their owners. Dr. Bing Diltz, SF Animal Control: "We've had a couple over the years that came from England. That took a little while to figure out where they came from." All chips used today broadcast on one frequency, 125 megahertz, and more than 9 out of 10 pet hospitals, shelters, and veterinarians use a scanner that reads only those chips. But recently, Banfield Pet Hospitals, which is partially owned by the Pet Smart chain, started implanting a new chip that broadcasts on a different frequency, 134 megahertz. What that means is that vets using standard scanners won't be able to read those chips. Dr. Bing Diltz: "The whole point of a microchip is to get the animal back to the owner. If you can't find the microchip it's sort of worthless to put it in there." And that could mean your dog stays lost, gets a new owner, or at some shelter. But Banfield defends its new chip saying it's the standard in the rest of the world and the United States will soon fall in line. Dr. Karen Tancuan, Banfield vet: "We want to assure our clients that if they go to Canada or Japan, their microchip will be read there." Dr. Tancuan also says the Banfield chip is much more user-friendly. Dr. Karen Tancuan, Banfield vet: "If you have a dog, like a dog who is scared, you can scan it at a larger distance." Banfield has distributed more than a thousand free scanners throughout the United States, including several here in the Bay Area. But still, most hospitals, shelters, and vets either don't have them or if they do have the scanners, may not use them all the time. That means you should do your homework before putting a microchip in your pet. Dr. Bing Diltz: "Call up your local shelter where you live and ask them which chips they scan for and then get your animal chipped with one of those chips." California law requires that shelters scan all abandoned animals. More than 8,000 lost or stolen animals are returned to their owners each week.

Answer by chimama
Submitted on 7/2/2004
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I have both my dogs micro-chipped, yes it was at Banfield. You are very correct that it is important to make sure the chip you have implanted is likely going to be found by a scan. I'm part of a group that is lobbying for all shelters, etc. to have scanners for both frequencies of chips, and for the US to adopt the standard used in the rest of the world. For those who want an extra level of protection, your animal can also be tattooed with a number that is associated with a national registry, so that they can be reunited with you as long as your contact information is current. Your vet should be able to set you up with that if you want. And of course, first line of defense, a good fitting collar and tags. It's shameful the number of animals destroyed or re-adopted because their owners didn't go to the bother of getting their animal a collar and making sure up to date tags were on it. It's not fool-proof, but without that, it's like turning on your home security system and leaving your doors unlocked.

Answer by ExPat Pet Owner
Submitted on 6/13/2005
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We recently had our pet dog implanted, since it is mandatory for animals crossing European borders (we live in the Balkans). Since the chip we had implanted adhered to ISO standards, we didn't give it much more thought - surely the good old USA would be on the forefront of International Standards, no? HA! As was (and largely is still) the case with cell phone technology, unfortunately our homeland is lagging far behind the rest of the world. (Anyone remember Sprint Spectrum and its first attempt to introduce GSM digital cell networks?) The resistance to adopting ISO standards for implants in the USA seems largely due to the AVID company's desire to retain the lion's share of the market in America. They appear to be aggressively advertising all of the "scare stories" designed to play upon the fears of pet owners - currently well founded though they may be - in order to suppress any competitors who are offering an actual world-class product. Granted - as Americans we are probably the least traveling folks around. US pet owners planning on taking their pets abroad have nothing to fear, since scanners in use elsewhere can interrogate both frequencies (125 kHz and 134.2 kHz). However, for any tourist who brings their pet to the USA this will be something they will probably never consider but really should. (As a native of Florida, I can say that tourists are pretty important in keeping our state income tax free...) To bring this home, what if 30 years ago Ma Bell had stubbornly refused to explore tone dialing, and instead remained cemented to pulse dialing? Many of the conveniences (or banes, depending on your view) we take for granted today such as voice mail, telephone banking, voice menus, etc, would be exclusively in use elsewhere. Frankly, I'll be happy if I never see another rotary dial Princess phone again in my life...

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Question by J.B.
Submitted on 10/2/2003
Related FAQ: rec.pets.dogs: Chihuahuas Breed-FAQ
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I was recently given a 1 year old chic. He has a terrible looking fungus on his legs and his tail, at least that is what his Dr. told me it was. He gave me some fungicidal spray to spray on him once a day. It is not as red as it first was, but it still looks terrible. I feel so bad for him, because I believe that he has been very neglected!! His Dr. also gave him a steroid shot in case it is allergies. I need some advise on what else to do that I may not be doing for him.

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