Veterinary Exams
As a dog ages, her need to see a veterinarian for regular wellness exams increases. This is not a ploy by the veterinary community to make more money Rather it is an effort to help spot illnesses quickly and find remedies or solutions to potentially lethal ailments. Here's why more regular exams are necessary. A twelve-year-old dog that weighs less than twenty pounds is roughly equivalent in age to a sixty-four-year-old man. At thirteen years of age, the Chihuahua is now the equivalent of a seventy-two-year-old man.
Now ask yourself, “If I were sixty-four years old, would I wait four years between visits to my doctor?” Of course not! But this is exactly what we are doing when we take our senior dogs to the veterinarian once a year. The recommendation to up your visits to twice a year with an elderly Chi is a minimum. Quarterly visits would be even better.
Does my geriatric Chi still need vaccinations?
She will be required by law to continue receiving a rabies vaccination (yearly or every three years, depending on the state). However, because of the Chihuahua's higher risk of suffering a reaction to a vaccination, coupled with the fact that vaccinations temporarily lower a dog's immune system, your veterinarian may recommend to withhold booster shots if your Chihuahua is already in frail health.
Of course, your aging Chihuahuas first line of defense is you. If you are observant, you will be the first to notice if something is out of the ordinary. Even if you can't put your finger on it but know something is wrong with your Chi (for instance, a change in temperament or some more general malaise), call your veterinarian. It's always better to err on the side of being too safe than ignore a problem until the condition becomes serious.
