Why is my Chihuahua suddenly biting when I pet her or go outside?

Any continued abnormal symptoms (longer than 24 hours) warrants a vet exam. I cannot tell you what is wrong with him just by your description. I can tell you that you need to be diligent about getting weird behavior changes checked out . Behavior changes could be due to an underlying medical issue (pain somewhere in his body, vision problem, etc) or a behavioral issue. It is always best to rule out an underlying medical issue first before just assuming it is behavioral. I suggest you get him to a vet for an exam.

I would make sure the dog that has become aggressive isn't having any other issues like pain or discomfort. Also, has anything change in your schedule or house that could have made her feel more insecure or anxious? You could talk to your vet about starting her on an anti-anxiety medicine like fluoxetine as this may help. I would also make sure they aren't becoming aggressive over any treats, bones, toys, etc. I hope this helps and she starts to act like herself soon.

She is in pain. That is why she is growling. She is communicating to you that she doesn't want you to touch that area because it hurts. It has nothing to do with trusting you. Just because she acts like it doesn't hurt when she is getting around doesn't mean she is not in pain. Animals don't outwardly manifest pain like we do. They usually don't continuously whine and/or cry out like we would. I suggest you get her to your vet for an exam so you can talk about medications/supplements you can use to keep her comfortable. I'm sure you don't want her in pain.

Hi there. Thank you for using PetCoach. I'm sorry to hear that Cocoa is having this issue. She sure is adorable! Unfortunately, we cannot recommend that you give any over the counter medications to Cocoa. We are not allowed to do that by law since we haven't examined her in-person. Dogs are actually very sensitive to over the counter medications and if she has any conditions underlying (like kidney disease for example) those medications can make it worse. I suggest you get her to your vet for an exam. It is not common for small breed dogs to have hip problems so it would be best to get her examined to figure out what is causing the problem. Then you can discuss the options for treatment with your vet. In the meantime all I can recommend is that you use a natural joint supplement like the Missing Link Plus but you are not likely to see an immediate effect. http://www.allivet.com/p-1647-missing-link-vet-canine-plus.aspx Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Chihuahuas commonly get neck and back pain from bulging intervertebral discs. They are painful and don't want to move. That sounds like what Darcir experiencing. You should keep her quiet, carry her outdoors to go to the bathroom and no other exercise. Absolutely no jumping. Massaging her back to relieve the muscle spasms will help. This is a serious problem as they can become paralyzed. I recommend taking Darcir to your veterinarian for an exam, X-rays, pain medication and muscle relaxers. They will get a diagnosis and then they can treat her properly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Darcir.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely due to some degree of pain or discomfort. I highly recommend that you have Sassy evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to investigate what could be the source pain and treat accordingly. At the very least, they could prescribe pain control medications. Good luck!

It is very likely she has a condition called patellar luxation. This is where the ligament in the knee goes in an out of the socket. She can have this surgically repaired if it becomes a chronic issue and impedes on her quality of life. Otherwise joint supplements (i.e. Dasuquin) may be able to help reduce some inflammation and pain in the joint itself. Have your vet do a simple physical exam and check the knees. Patellar luxation is detectable by a physical exam and doesn't require radiographs to diagnose. I wish you well at the vet. Best wishes with Mindy and take care.