Chihuahua Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Chihuahuas are one of the smallest dog breeds. Named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua, they&rsquo;re known for being a lap dog and make great companions. If you&rsquo;re thinking of buying a Chihuahua, this dog breed guide will help you decide if this breed is the right one for you.

Type

14 - 16 years

Lifespan

Small

Size

1.8 - 2.7 kg

Weight

12 - 20 cm

Height

Sensitive, confident and alert

Temperament

30 mins per day

Exercise

Medium maintenance

Grooming

That’s All You Need to Know About Chihuahuas

This affectionate <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Breed Guides">dog breed</a> needs an owner who can devote lots of time to them. They don&rsquo;t need much <a href="/all-things-pet/the-dog-exercise-guide" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Exercise Guide">exercise</a> and would rather be carried around. They love lots of attention and cuddles and don&rsquo;t like being left alone for long. Fortunately, their small size means you can take them with you to most places. Chihuahuas are generally a healthy breed so there aren&rsquo;t many health issues that you&rsquo;ll need to worry about.

This affectionate breed needs an owner who can devote lots of time to them. They don&rsquo;t need much <a href="/all-things-pet/the-dog-exercise-guide" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Exercise Guide">exercise</a> and would rather be carried around. They love lots of attention and cuddles and don&rsquo;t like being left alone for long.

Fortunately, their small size means you can take them with you to most places. Chihuahuas are generally a healthy breed so there aren&rsquo;t many health issues that you&rsquo;ll need to worry about.

<ul>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Chihuahua &ndash; Long Coat. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/canis/breeds-pages/chihuahua-long-coat" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Chihuahua Long Coat page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/canis/breeds-pages/chihuahua-long-coat</a></li>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Chihuahua &ndash; Smooth Coat. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/canis/breeds-pages/chihuahua-smooth-coat" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Chihuahua Short Coat page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/canis/breeds-pages/chihuahua-smooth-coat</a></li>
	<li>Joseph Harari, Gareth Arthurs (online) Patella: medial luxation. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/diseases/Patella-medial-luxation" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog patella medial luxation page">https://www.vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/diseases/Patella-medial-luxation</a></li>
	<li>Daniel Smeak (online) Testicle: cryptorchidism. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/cryptorchidism-(retained-testicles)" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog cryptorchidism retained testicles page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/cryptorchidism-(retained-testicles)</a></li>
	<li>Rodney Bagley, Laurent Garosi (online) Hydrocephalus: congenital. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/diseases/hydrocephalus-congenital" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog congenital hydrocephalus page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/diseases/hydrocephalus-congenital</a></li>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Luxating patella. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/luxating-patella" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog luxating patella page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/luxating-patella</a></li>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Cryptorchidism (retained testicles). In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/owner-factsheets/cryptorchidism-(retained-testicles)" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog cryptorchidism retained testicles factsheet page">https://www.vetstream.com/clinical-reference/canis/owner-factsheets/cryptorchidism-(retained-testicles)</a></li>
	<li>Richard B Ford, Simon Tappin (online) Trachea: collapse. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/diseases/trachea-collapse" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog trachea collapse page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/diseases/trachea-collapse</a></li>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd, Simon Tappin (online) Collapsing trachea. In: Vetlexicon Canis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/collapsing-trachea" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's dog collapsing trachea client information page">https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/canis/client-information/collapsing-trachea</a></li>
</ul>

Content provided from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/canis" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Link to vet experts Vetstream's website">Vetstream&#39;s Vetlexicon Canis</a>

Vetlexicon is the world&rsquo;s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world&rsquo;s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

Chihuahuas may be tiny dogs but don&rsquo;t underestimate them. There&rsquo;s a big personality despite their small size. These confident dogs will stand up for themselves and can rule the house if they&rsquo;re not well-trained.

They can get lonely if left alone all day so they may need another dog (ideally a sibling) to keep them company. They&rsquo;re the ideal city companion pet but may not be suitable if there are small children are in the household.

Chihuahuas may be tiny dogs but don&rsquo;t underestimate them. There&rsquo;s a big personality despite their small size. This confident <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Breed Guides">dog breed</a> will stand up for themselves and can rule the house if they&rsquo;re not well-trained.

They can get lonely if left alone all day so they may need another dog (ideally a sibling) to keep them company. They&rsquo;re the ideal city companion pet but may not be suitable if there are small children are in the household.

A cute Chihuahua lying on the floor with its tongue out

Everyone will fall in love with a Chihuahua puppy. As the breed has become very popular in recent times, make sure you get your pup from a reputable breeder &ndash; visit the breeder&rsquo;s home and see the mother of the litter and father if possible. Make sure they&rsquo;re well-socialised by introducing them to other dogs, cats, people, noises and new situations from an early age.

Chihuahuas are the ultimate lap dog. They don&rsquo;t need much exercise but can be sensitive. Make sure you have time to give them the attention and tender care they need, and don&rsquo;t leave them on their own for long periods. As Chihuahuas love to investigate and can fit in small spaces, make sure your garden is secure so they don&rsquo;t escape or get stuck somewhere they shouldn&rsquo;t!

They form a strong bond to one person and will become protective of them. This can make some dogs aggressive to other people if they haven&rsquo;t been <a href="/all-things-pet/puppy-socialisation-helping-your-pooch-make-pals" title="Link to Everypaw's guide on puppy socialisation">well-socialised as a puppy</a>.

Chihuahuas have small appetites and can be fussy with their food. Feed them at regular times, twice a day, to get them into a regular eating routine. Puppies need to be fed 3-4 times a day.

If you&rsquo;re unsure how much you should feed your dog, you can find guidelines on the food packaging.&nbsp; Weigh your dog&rsquo;s food so you give them the correct daily amount. If you decide to change your dog&rsquo;s food, do it slowly to prevent an upset tummy.

You can add new dog food to the original food, gradually increasing the amount over the course of a week. Your vet will also be happy to advise you on the best food for the breed.

Chihuahuas are either smooth coated or have a long coat. The short-haired variety is more common. Long-haired Chihuahuas <a href="/all-things-pet/dog-grooming-101" title="Link to Everypaw's Guide to Dog Grooming">require more grooming</a> to stop the fur from matting. They should be brushed twice a week while those with short coats only need to be brushed once a week.

Chihuahua clothes and coats will keep them warm and clean - and looking cute. A coat worn when outside during the winter will protect them from the cold. And, because they&rsquo;re low to the ground, they can get dirty especially when the ground is wet and muddy.

Baths may be needed to keep them clean after a messy day out. Some owners also like to take their long-haired dogs to professional dog groomers to try out different grooming styles!

Chihuahuas are highly intelligent which makes them easy to train. They can quickly learn commands with positive, reward-based training. But they probably won&rsquo;t be interested in playing fetch. Your puppy may have started house training with the breeder, if not, puppy toilet training should be taught first.

Training classes are a great way of getting tips on training while allowing your puppy to socialise with other dogs and people.

Chihuahuas don&rsquo;t require much exercise, and some would rather be carried, especially if they&rsquo;re not used to walking far. They should have up to 30 minutes exercise a day, but exercise doesn&rsquo;t just mean walking.

Getting them to run around by playing with them, is another way to get them active. However, these small dogs are usually happy with a short, slow walk. They enjoy playing with toys as well so have a selection of these to keep them occupied when you&rsquo;re busy.

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Dinky they may be, but sometimes these little rascals bite off more than they can chew, and their small dog syndrome gets them into trouble. For times like this, it can be a good idea to think about Chihuahua insurance. <a href="/Home/dog-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">Everypaw&rsquo;s Dog Insurance</a> can be there to help look after your Chihuahua against illness or injury, and all our policies come with a range of additional benefits to help keep them in tip-top shape.

Dinky they may be, but sometimes these little rascals bite off more than they can chew, and their small dog syndrome gets them into trouble. For times like this, it can be a good idea to think about Chihuahua insurance.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/dog-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">Everypaw&rsquo;s Dog Insurance</a>&nbsp;can be there to help look after your Chihuahua against illness or injury, and all our policies come with a range of additional benefits to help keep them in tip-top shape.

Patella luxation is a condition where the kneecap becomes unstable and slips out of place. The condition often affects small-breed dogs. Dogs with a luxating patella will hop rather than use the affected leg.

The kneecap can often slip back in place without any treatment, but surgery may be needed to correct the position of the kneecap. The degree of patella instability is graded in a scale of 1-4. Your vet will be able to advise you on the best treatment for your dog.

The Chihuahua is predisposed to Congenital Hydrocephalus. This is a condition where there is build-up of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on the brain. Signs usually appear when a puppy is a few weeks old when they may appear to have a deformed head. The increased pressure causes weakness of the muscles, blindness and seizures.

It can be life-threatening if it&rsquo;s not treated. Treatment involves surgery to remove the fluid to another part of the body. Medication may be given to stop seizures and steroids given to reduce the build-up of CSF around the brain.

Retained testicles are a relatively common occurrence in male puppies, particularly in certain breeds. This is when the testicles haven&rsquo;t descended from inside the abdomen into the pouch of skin that the testicles sit in (so are retained).

If a testicle remains inside the body for many years, it&rsquo;s more likely to become cancerous. If your puppy has retained testicles your vet will recommend an operation to remove them (castration).

Tracheal Collapse is a condition that is mostly seen in toy breeds. Initially, dogs with tracheal collapse develop a cough that sounds like a goose honking. This often happens when the dog is excited or has been pulling on the lead.

The condition can be controlled with simple changes such as changing from a lead to a harness, exercise reduction and weight loss, but medical treatment may also be required. If severe, surgery may be necessary to prevent the trachea from collapsing by either inserting artificial rings around the trachea to hold it open or by inserting a tracheal stent.

Common Chihuahua Health Problems by Vetstream

The good news is that Chihuahuas don’t suffer from many hereditary health problems. However, there are still a few health issues that you should be aware of. Everypaw has teamed up with veterinary experts Vetstream to help you spot any signs of these.

Chihuahuas are temperature sensitive and will shiver in the slightest breeze! They can also quiver and shake when they&rsquo;re alert or anxious.

Chihuahuas were bred for companionship. Being small, they make the perfect lap dog. The breed originated in Mexico, although their exact origins are a bit of a mystery.

Yes, both smooth and long-haired Chihuahuas will shed, especially in spring and autumn.

Chihuahuas have a lifespan of 14-16 years which means that they&rsquo;ll outlive most dog breeds. Some have been known to live longer &ndash; even to the grand old age of 20. Some health conditions can shorten your dog&rsquo;s lifespan if left untreated. Smaller varieties of the breed, like the tea-cup or micro Chihuahuas, tend to have more health issues and can impact how long chihuahuas live, typically making their lifespan shorter.

Chihuahua Insurance, Care, and Health Advice | Everypaw

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The benefit values featured in the table may vary across the different levels of cover and will depend on the cover you choose. Please check your cover before purchasing. Be aware, for some breeds of dogs we do not provide our &pound;8k and &pound;10k Lifetime cover. 
 
All policies and features are subject to special conditions and exclusions of the insurers, please click the link to read about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Insurance Exclusions page">our policy exclusions.</a> 
 
Excess is applicable to all vet fees claims. When your pet reaches a certain age, the excess payable may change. The excess will be your set excess plus a percentage of your claim amount.

Getting your furry friend covered shouldn&#39;t just come down to cost. There&#39;s a lot more to it than that, so take the time to do a pet insurance comparison. Think about their breed, the level of cover they might need, and what would be important to you. After all, insurance is there for both of you.

One of the best ways to do that is to compare cover levels. This will give you an idea of how much your pet insurance will cost, how much you can claim against vet bills, as well as the policy benefits. It&#39;s all about finding the Lifetime Pet Insurance that works best for you and your pet.

*Based on Everypaw claims data from February 2024 to March 2025

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As our furry companions age, they&#39;re more likely to suffer from ailments and illnesses here and there. And we want you to be able to look after your pet well into retirement. That&#39;s why we don&#39;t have age limits on our policies. Our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-for-older-pets.html">pet insurance for older pets</a> can help you do the most important thing &ndash; looking after your pet.

What about younger pets? We also offer <a href="/cat-insurance/kitten-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Kitten Insurance page">kitten</a> and <a href="/dog-insurance/puppy-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Puppy Insurance page">puppy insurance</a>, covered by our cat and dog insurance. No matter how old or young your purr-fect pet is, our pet insurance can give you all-important peace of mind.&nbsp;

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Whether you are looking for a playmate for your pet or if your house is more like a <a href="/dog-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">dog</a>, <a href="/cat-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Insurance page">cat</a> and <a href="/rabbit-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Rabbit Insurance page">rabbit</a> smallholding, you need multi-pet insurance that works for you. Everypaw&#39;s policies are just that and give you a discount on every pet too. No matter how many pets you have, from glorious <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides/golden-retriever-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Golden Retriever Dog Breed Guide page">Golden Retrievers</a> and majestic <a href="/cat-insurance/cat-breed-guides/maine-coon-cat-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Maine Coon Cat Breed Guide page">Maine Coons</a> to lovely <a href="/rabbit-insurance/rabbit-breed-guides/lionhead-rabbit-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Lionhead Rabbit Breed Guide page">Lionheads</a>, it&#39;s there for every single paw.

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Our pet insurance quote form takes just 3 minutes to fill out. Here&#39;s how it works:

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	<li>Select which type of pet you&#39;re looking to insure and enter their age, breed and sex</li>
	<li>Enter basic personal details about yourself including your email and home addresses</li>
	<li>Select your vet fees limit</li>
	<li>We&#39;ll give you a pet insurance price! And we&#39;ll show you what the cost is for the year, plus what your monthly instalments will look like if you choose to pay that way</li>
</ul>

Will my pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Ever found the urge to discover what the best dog breeds to train are or maybe you want to get to the bottom of your pet&#39;s worm problem.&nbsp;<a href="/Home/all-things-pet.html" title="Link to Everypaw's All Things Pet blog">Everypaw&#39;s All Things Pet blog</a>&nbsp;has the content to keep you informed.

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For that extra peace of mind when your pets get up to mischief, there&#39;s Everypaw. Our pet insurance is for cats, dogs and rabbits, and every policy comes with unlimited 24/7 access to vet nurses and vets. So, if you ever feel a bit &#39;for pet&#39;s sake&#39;, know Everypaw is here for you and your pet when you need us most!

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Choosing the right pet health insurance isn&#39;t always easy. We know that. And we also know that a key part of deciding is knowing what&#39;s not covered. That way, at least there are no nasty surprises in terms of coughing up for bills that you thought were going to be taken care of by your policy.

So, here are a few of the main exclusions on our pet insurances:

<ul>
	<li>Treatment for any pre-existing conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment for poisoning or any accidental injury that occurs in the first 3 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment for any illness that occurs in the first 14 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment related to vaccine-preventable conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment related to breeding, pregnancy or birthing</li>
	<li>Treatment on baby teeth if your pet is over 16 weeks when your policy starts</li>
</ul>

*Switching to Everypaw Pet Insurance? If you can prove your previous insurance runs up to the policy start date, we can waive this for you.

Please see our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Policy Exclusions page">exclusions page</a>&nbsp;for further details.

Fingers crossed, you never have to! We want to reassure you that claiming on your pet health insurance is as hassle-free as possible. That&rsquo;s why we have Vet Pawtal. A direct platform for vets so they can submit claims and leave you to care for your pet.

Vet Pawtal is the fastest and most efficient way to claim. There&rsquo;s no more paperwork for you, and we&rsquo;ll keep you updated every step of the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

If your vet can&rsquo;t submit the claim, don&rsquo;t worry; you can still submit it in the <a href="https://petportal.everypaw.com/register#login" target="_blank" title="Link to the Everypaw Pet Portal">Everypaw Pet Portal</a>. It&rsquo;s straightforward; just log in and follow the instructions. Alternatively,&nbsp;you can <a href="https://www.everypaw.com/downloads-2020/everypaw-claim-form.pdf" target="_blank" title="Link to download an Everypaw claim form">download a claim form</a>, but this can take longer.

Please refer to the guidance in your policy documents for Third Party Liability claims.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information, head to our <a href="/Home/claims.html">Pet Insurance Claims information page</a>.

We know pets are just as much a part of your family as any human. So, we know how important it is to you that they&#39;re protected. Choose Everypaw for pet insurance in the UK and give yourself that priceless peace of mind.

We know things can be tough right now, with many people facing money worries. If you have such concerns, please get in touch with us, as we may be able to offer some options to help, which could include reducing your cover or increasing your excess.

If you wish to find out more and your eligibility for any options, please call <a href="tel:03445431009" title="Call Everypaw Customer Services and Claims">0344 543 1009</a>.

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Deciding which pet insurance your furry bundle of fun needs can be tricky, especially if you&#39;re a new fur-parent. That&#39;s why here at Everypaw.com, we&#39;re trying to keep things simple, we&#39;re all about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/lifetime-pet-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Pet Insurance</a>.

Our Lifetime cover is available for your cats, dogs and rabbits. And if you&#39;re looking to cover your cat or dog, there&#39;s a range of cover levels to choose from. Lifetime covers your pet up to a set vet fee limit, and the limits reset for every year of cover.

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Chihuahua Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Chihuahua Facts

Is a Chihuahua Right for Me?

What are Chihuahua Puppies Like?

Life with a Chihuahua

Caring for Your Chihuahua

Dinner time

Grooming time

Training & exercise

Chihuahua Insurance

Common Chihuahua Health Problems by Vetstream

Luxating patella

Hydrocephalus

Cryptorchidism

Tracheal collapse

Quick Cavapoo Q&A

How long do Chihuahuas live?

Why do Chihuahuas shake?

Do Chihuahuas shed?

What were Chihuahuas bred for?

That’s All You Need to Know About Chihuahuas

References