A lot of owners seem to overlook the importance of having their Chihuahuas spayed or neutered. When you are busy looking at puppies trying to find the one that’s right for your family, it’s easy to forget about future issues like spaying and neutering. Unfortunately, this results in a large number of Chihuahuas growing up without getting fixed. The fact is that there are countless reasons why you should spay or neuter your Chihuahua.
Some owners are still stuck in the mentality that spaying and neutering is bad because it causes pain and unneeded stress on Chihuahuas. While there have been incidents of infections taking setting in after the surgery, they are few and far between. The American Humane Society states that fixing your dog is one of the best decisions you can make regarding their health and well-being. Most professional veterinarians will also agree that spaying and neutering is a safe, healthy procedure that owners should have performed on their canines.
Is Spaying and Neutering Really Necessary?
The benefits of having your Chihuahua spayed or neutered far outweigh the disadvantages. With that said, there are a few special circumstances when you may want to avoid having the procedure done. If you plan on breeding your Chihuahua at a later date, then you obviously wouldn’t want to have them fixed. Of course, this is a big decision that shouldn’t be made lightly. Breeding a Chihuahua will require a great deal of time and money, both of which are difficult to come by in today’s fast-paced world.
Another instance where you might want to avoid spaying or neutering your Chihuahua is if your veterinarian advises against it. If your Chihuahua has a compromised immune system, is too young or old, or if they have some other underlying health condition, a veterinarian may advise against spaying or neutering. However, contrary to what some people may believe, there’s no such thing as a dog that’s too small to fix. Always follow the advice of your veterinarian to ensure the safety and well-being of your Chihuahua.
Spaying and Neutering Saves Lives
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), approximately 5-7 million animals enter animal shelters each year, and a staggering 60% of these animals are euthanized (3-4 million annually). It’s a grim statistic that’s only made worse when owners neglect to fix their pets. As a Chihuahua owner, you can do your part to lower these numbers by having your Chihuahua spayed or neutered.
Having your Chihuahua spayed or neutered will prevent them from breeding, which in turn will help deal with overpopulation. Even if you don’t plan on breeding your Chihuahua, the hormones set off by a female in heat is a powerful attractant to unfixed males. It’s all too common for family Chihuahuas to run away from home in search of a mate, which is why you need to have your’s spayed or neutered.
Neutering Helps To Prevent Males From Running Away
If you’ve owned unfixed male Chihuahuas or other dogs in the past, you are probably well aware of how eager they are to run off, especially if there’s a female in heat nearby. I guess you could call it mother nature’s dating service, as it brings the male and female together to propagate the species. Unfortunately, though, shelters and rescues throughout the country are overrun with far more puppies than they can handle. Neutering your male Chihuahua will eliminate their instinctual desire to roam the neighborhood in search of a mate.
With the desire to roam now gone from your male Chihuahua, there’s less chance of them becoming injured from other cars, dogs, people or getting into poisonous chemicals. This alone should be reason enough for you to get them neutered.
Neutering Reduces The Chance of Prostate Cancer
A lesser-known benefit of having a neutered Chihuahua is the reduced risk of developing prostate cancers. Each year, thousands of male dogs die from this horrible disease. While having them fixed doesn’t completely eliminate their risk of developing prostate cancer is does significantly lower it.
Studies have shown that prostate growth is directly linked to the amount of testosterone a Chihuahua produces; therefore, the more testosterone a Chihuahua has, the higher the risk of developing prostate cancer. Having them neutered removes the testosterone-producing testicles, which lowers their chance of developing this cancer.
No More “Territory Marking” On Your Furniture
One of the biggest complaints owners have about male Chihuahuas is their instinctual behavior that results in them lifting their back leg and peeing on the sides of furniture. Even if they are potty-trained, they may still have the desire to mark their territory on your furniture. Behavior such as this simply can’t be tolerated in the house, especially if you want a clean home without the dreaded smell of pee.
You must understand that male Chihuahuas, or all male dogs for that matter, have the instinctual desire to mark their territory because of the testosterone hormone. By neutering them, their testosterone levels decrease significantly, which should curb their desire to pee on the sides of your furniture, walls and other areas inside the house.
Spaying Eliminates Heat Cycles
Female Chihuahuas go into their heat cycle about once or twice a year. During this time, they will be more sensitive, territorial, and they will bleed. Caring for a Chihuahua in heat requires extra care and attention. By spaying your female Chihuahua, however, you will eliminate their heat cycles altogether.
The truth is that these are just a few of the many benefits of having your Chihuahua spayed or neutered. If there’s one reason that draws you to fix your Chihuahua, it should be to help control the population of Chihuahuas that end up in shelters.
*In the words of the famous Price is Right host Bob Barker “Help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered.”
References:
https://www.avma.org/resources/pet-owners/petcare/spaying-and-neutering
https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/why-you-should-spayneuter-your-pet
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/spayneuter-your-pet
I have a 20 week old male chihuahua is it to soon to have him fix or what is the appropriate age for him to get fixed I’m scared to have him fixed his soo tiny last month his weight was 5.80lbs
They are NEVER too small!
Darlene, it is recommended to spay & neuter dogs when they are puppies. They have a lot of resilience & stamina at that age. He isn’t that small either. According to the AKC a true pure breed Chihuahua when grown should not weigh over 6 pounds. Your puppy may be over 6lbs. He definitely isnt too small for the operation. Remember his risk of prostate cancer goes down with neutering. Any other questions
… I’m sure a seasoned Chihuahua owner would be glad to help. I’ve owned this precious breed since I was a little girl, over 50 yrs so I’m a Chihuahua expert!
It is not such a good thing to spay and neuter, in fact l now believe it to be daft and selfish.
Neutered dogs get fat and are constantly hungry and made to diet; the surgery can cause bitches to lose control of their bladder; the risk of illness is equal on both sides of the fence.
I now have two entire chihuahua bitches and a gorgeous huge rottweiler dog. No trouble – ever. All well behaved.
I cannot justify the surgery just for my convenience – it’s totally unfair.
It’s great to know that there are so many advantages to spaying your pet. We have some small dogs that we are thinking of spaying for these kinds of reasons. We’ll have to look more into it before we totally decide and possibly meet with a vet clinic that can tell us what they think about it.
I have a 15 year old chihuahua, is he too old to have him neutered?
Yes
A very important reason to spay a female is to prevent a severe infection that nearly killed my little Yorkie. Her uterus was a mass of blue dot tissue by the time she started having issues. Strong antibiotics saved her life but the vet said, even though she could not breed, (partly because she has a bb lodged in her spine from her first family at 5 months old and second, because she is a total house dog and our male is neutered), she still needs it done for other health reasons. Needless to say, I just had my new white chihuahua spayed at 6 months to prevent this from happening again.
The only reason anyone is encouraged to have your dog spayed or neutered by a veterinarian is because they want to cut down on the amount of dogs that are being born. That is not to say it is the best thing for the dog Being spayed or neutered. Those two words mean the same thing but most people don’t know it.
We have a 1 yr old Chihuahua and he is leaving white spots on our couch how do u get him to spot it is gross
I have a female chihuahua and she is 2. Everytime she gets excited she pees it seems like. She hasn’t been fixed yet. I git her from a lady which she said she had 5 puppies. I’m wondering if i get her fixed will it lessen the chance she pees like this
Will my 9 year old Chihuahua stop peeing in the house after being sprayed. When I can afford it , she will be fixed.
Did she stop???
I have a boy and girl dog and didn’t know if I should get them fixed or not. I’ve seen the boy going to the bathroom on things which after reading your article, I can now link the two together. I didn’t know that they can have prostate problems if the boys aren’t neutered. Can females have any problems in the future?
Yes hun female Chihuahua’s can! They can get ovarian cancer, uterin infections that if not found can cause kidney failure. Getting them fixed can make healthier for a longer time of having that love and keep heart disease down. Hope that answers your?. I’m 49 and had Chihuahuas in my life since a year old due to asthma. I found my parents had Chihuahuas way before I was born! My male just turned a year old and he goes Monday! This will be my first time neautering! The health risks just ate not worth my babies life! I have a female that is 6.you have a wonderful holiday week! Happy 4th.
Do you know what could cause my 4year old male Chiaua to just loose all control of his back legs and acts like he is in so much pain?
My chihuahua developed that. Was seen by an excellent Veterinarian Hospital in S.FL. Her Doctor said it was a neurologist disease, called GME.
She was given 4 doses of Chemo once a month for the 4 months.
She also was put on meds, after 6 months of getting her better, she was off all meds and lived a happy healthy life for another 6 years.
I have an 7 year old female Chihuahua and i never had her spayed because she never has bled at all…. but she does get the call of the wild when in heat but i cant see getting her spayed when she does not have a period… What are your thoughts on this????
I am thinking of having my Chihuahua spayed , is it absolutely necessary to have this done I have no intention of mating her
I have been given a quote of £200 is this the going rate she is three years old what benefit would she get from this .
£200 is Way To Much To Spend On Getting A Dog Fixed I Paid Only $50 US Which Would Be About £41 the best Thing To Do Is Shop Around A Bit!
where did u get your dog spayed for 50 where i am its 200
Here in S. C. It’s according to one’s income mine is $15:00 to have neutered
i have both a male and a female both are fixed ! We had to fix the male when he was little hes 5 now due to a hernia, have had no problems, the female is 2 and we just spayed her about a month ago its the best decision we made!the one we just had spayed we got the laser done after the surgery she was healed extremly fast they say it takes 7 days off the recovery and it does it was only 15 bucks more to add it on!
I’m having to pay over $400
I have a Chihuahua puppy (female). I’m having g some issue with her. She isn’t friendly with everyone. She will run after children back of their legs. We do correct her. But she has a mind of her own. Will getting her spaced help this problem. She gets exercise every day. She is a pickie eater. She will not each dry dog food at all. The lady I got here from raise them all the time. I don’t know what to do. Please help.Thank you
find a dog behaviorist.
hi, i have a 3 month female chihuahua and just today i have her neutered, i was reading all the comments and you said the earliest this shoukd be done is 6month, now i am kind of worry since she is 3 months only. please tell me what could happen. i will apreciate you feed back.
I have 1.9years female chihuahua.what happens if I won’t spay my chihuahua
Hi, My dog just died from pyometra. That is a disease that stems from not spaying a female.
Pyometra is a disease mainly of middle-aged female dogs that have not been spayed. In the past, we thought pyometra was simply a uterine infection, but today, we know that it is a hormonal abnormality, and a secondary bacterial infection may or may not be present. Pyometra follows a heat cycle in which fertilization did not occur. Typically, within two to four months after the cycle, the female starts showing signs of the disease.
What causes pyometra?
The two main hormones produced by the ovaries are estrogen and progesterone. An excessive quantity of progesterone, or the uterus becoming oversensitive to it, causes pyometra. In either case, cysts form in the lining of the uterus. These cysts contain numerous secretory cells, and large quantities of fluids are produced and released into the interior of the uterus.
Female Reproductive TractThis fluid, along with a thickening of the walls of the uterus, brings about a dramatic increase in the overall size of this organ. The uterus is made up of a body with two horns. In the unaffected dog or cat, the horns are smaller than a common pencil. However, in cases of pyometra, they become large, sac-like pouches the circumference of cucumbers and 12 to 18 inches long. Normally, the entire uterus in a 40-pound dog will weigh two to four ounces, but in cases of pyometra, this typically ranges from one to four pounds.
As the disease continues, fluid spills out of the vagina causing the animal to lick this area in an attempt to keep itself clean. Bacteria commonly colonize the uterus by entering through the cervix. This produces an even greater response by the body, as it showers additional fluid and white blood cells into the affected organ.
After a while, the cervix closes. This effectively traps all of the fluid within the uterus. Still, the body continues to transfer more fluid and white blood cells into the organ, causing even further dilatation and growth. The uterus can rupture, spilling its contents into the abdominal cavity. If this occurs, the dog or cat usually dies in less than 48 hours. In most cases, this does not happen.
The body will attempt to eliminate the problem by carrying the wastes and excess fluid through the bloodstream to the kidneys. However, the amount of material in a dog with pyometra is too great to be eliminated in this fashion, overloading the kidney system. The normal toxins that should be excreted from the body build up, and the animal goes into uremic poisoning. Untreated, she will die from kidney failure.
Symptoms
As the body attempts to flush out the build-up of waste products through the kidneys, the animal will drink excessive quantities of water (polydipsia) and urinate large amounts frequently (polyuria). She will lick at her vaginal area while the cervix is still open and the uterus is discharging a white fluid. She may run a low-grade fever and if blood work is done, she will show an elevated white blood cell count. As the uterus increases in size and weight, the dog shows weakness in the rear legs, often to the point where she cannot rise without help. As the dog enters kidney failure, she stops eating and becomes very lethargic.
Treatment
Since toxicity may develop very quickly in dogs with pyometra, it needs to be treated promptly. Dogs will receive intravenous fluids, usually for several days, and antibiotics. In most cases, the preferred treatment is a complete ovariohysterectomy (spay). This removes the ovaries, oviducts, uterus, and all associated blood vessels. These animals can be a surgical challenge because of their poor overall condition. In some females valued for breeding, prostaglandin and antibiotic therapy may be tried instead of surgery. The prostaglandin is given for 5-7 days and causes the uterus to contract and expel the fluid. In mild cases, when the cervix is still open and the fluid is draining, the success rate is excellent. This therapy should only be used in dogs 6 years of age or younger, who are in stable condition, and have an open cervix. Prostaglandins can have side effects, especially after the first dose, including restlessness, panting, vomiting, increased heart rate, fever, and defecation.
Prevention
The best prevention is to have all female animals spayed at or before six months of age. Pyometra is defined as an infection in the uterus. Pyometra is considered a serious and life-threatening condition that must be treated quickly and aggressively. Pyometra is a secondary infection that occurs as a result of hormonal changes in the female’s reproductive tract. It is a painful and horrific death. If you catch it in enough time, the surgery will probably cost you over $1,500 (quote from a vet friend).
I don’t think I will ever forgive myself for not having her spayed.
Very good information about Pyometra, however there is one statement I must correct. You stated that Pyometra is a disease “mainly of middle-aged female dogs that have not been spayed.” NOT SO. Any female animal that has not been spayed and goes through a heat cycle (even if it’s their first) is at risk for Pyometra. I had a cat that was not even a year old, and when I took her to be spayed the vet called me and told me that she could have died if I hadn’t brought her in, because the Pyometra had already started filling her up. Of course I told him to go ahead and do whatever he had to do, I wanted her healthy!!
My point is though, don’t go thinking it’s only dogs and if you have cats they don’t need to be spayed! They most certainly do!
Now I have a year old male chihuahua who is not neutered, as well as a 5 year old chihuahua mix who is spayed. I didn’t think with her being spayed I would have a problem with him, but he’s going through a time when all he wants to do is trail behind her, sniffing at her butt, sniffing wherever she’s sat on the carpet, or (ewww) licking her butt!! Could she be giving off something that is reacting with his state of ‘unneutered ness’, and will neutering him solve the issue?
I hope there’s someone who can give me some advice on this. I see most of these posts are really old; I’m really desperate though to stop this behavior so I’m trying everything!!
I have a 3 year old chihuahua X jack Russell she was a rescue dog. She hasn’t been spayed yet but I would like her done. She is in season and she goes crazy at times. She has ripped her blanket and the smell was outrageous.I had to throw it away. She is now doing it to her cushion.
Also she is very snappy, just missed my 2 year old face, and her nippels hang very low. I was told by the vets she thinks she had a phantom pregnancy recently. Could it all be linked.. can’t take much more. All I really know about her is that she was locked in the house daily with one 20minute walk a day. She now has at least a 2 hour walk throughout the day and trips to the toilet..
Could it just be her lifestyle change or do I need to be concerned about her behaviour.
I have 4 female chihuahua mixes and a aussie male. All spayed and neutered. My 5.5 lb chihuahua coco that turned 7 in may and was spayed as a puppy as soon as she was old enough is moving her tail over liking in the air and standing like she in in heat. She isn’t bleeding and it started over the last few weeks since getting the make aussie. Is this normal. She’s eating and acting normal other than the air licking tail moving and standing.
Hi,
Thank you for this extremely helpful site. I am a little stressed because I had to leave town for a job and left my pups with my mom. She didn’t notice the pups were all out and within seconds my little one and her brother got tied. My little one was in heat, she is currently 1 year and a 1/2. She tied with her brother for about ten minutes. She was on her 10th day of heat, and now I am looking to spay her to avoid having to breed her and put her through all that stress. The tying took place on the 4th. She is 7 pounds and very healthy, but I am still concerned. I have set her operation day for the 18th of this month (which would make it a total of 2weeks after the bleeding from her cycle). But i know she’s still in heat and definitely has some internal swelling. Do you have any recommendations?
My chihuahua is stuck in heat, she is 10 years old and obviously I never had her spayed because when the vet put her under for the procedure she almost died! She has been bleeding for nearly 3 months, what wpuld cause this?
My wife is getting an 8 week old male Chihuahua for Christmas. He already has had his first shots and we are getting the shots for his second round. When do we need to administer these? When is a good time to get him neutered? What kind of diet is best for him? I’ve always owned mutts and I am going into this one blind, but at least I am trying to please the wife. Thanks.
Hello I have male Chihuahua 8 years old he hikes his leg on all of my furniture and everything new that comes into house. Is he to old to be fixed and since he’s done this for awhile obviously will it even help at this time?
Hi, we have a 6 months old chihuahua boy. I read about the benefits of spaying him but also read that dogs tend to gain weight after being spayed, and some other health issues may arise from that. I’m not sure what to do? Thank you!
I have American chihuahua and his 11 years old and never been neutered should i do it or no
My chihuahua Teddy is 14 months old. I have no behaviour problems at all, he is calm , loving. Do I really need to neuter him?he does wee on everything on walks but never in the house- will this stop if he is neutered?
I have two chihuahua puppies (brother And sister)both 6 months old, who should I have spayed/neutered first?
Hey Vicky was just reading what you wrote on this forum, you have a brother and sister chihuahua, how are they together? Ever any problems like fighting? My family have two chi puppys, a brother and sister but we’ve been told to seperate then due to sibling rivalry.
I have a 3 month old male chihuahua. It is my 3rd chihuahua but my first male. He is so different than my girls were. He seems nuts but am taking into consideration that he is now in a new environment. Potty training is not going as well as my girls. He is nearly 4 lbs. we have been told that it is best to have him neutered BEFORE he starts hiking his leg. Is 3 months to early to have him neutered and how many days should I stay with him 24/7 after the procedure. My husband and I work different shifts so the pup is never alone more than a couple hours and loves his crate when we are gone as we never use the crate for punishment yet we have not quite figured out how to punish him as he bites hard and breaks skin and we have never had this problem before. it may well be normal but it is new to us. Possibly males are more aggressive. will he be more teachable when we get him neutered? He is a beautiful Blue Chihuahua. He also has a sweet cuddley loving side but it only when he gets sleep and loves to be held. He does not lack attention. We are really trying hard. So my question is…WILL NEUTERING HELP?…AND HOW SOON CAN IT BE DONE SAFELY? Thanks.
Hey Annie,
Neutering your Chihuahua should make potty-training easier, but 3 months is still too young. As far as the biting concerned, he’s probably still teething at this age. Give him time and divert his attention to chew toys rather than you and your husband’s fingers! And the minimum neutering age recommended by most veterinarians is 6 months.
I have a 4 yr old, 3 lb Chihuahua female who is not spayed. I’m afraid because of her size, she ranges between 2 1/2 – 3 lbs, that the anesthesia may be too much for her. The Vet keeps insisting that I spayed her to avoid possible cancer later on. Isn’t the period to avoid cancer past already. I’ve read that to avoid cancer she should have been spayed before her first heat cycle. Is it too late? I’ve scheduled her neutering for this Thursday.
Hey Marilyn,
You’re right — spaying before a female Chihuahua’s first heat cycle nearly eliminates the chance of breast cancer. At 4 years old, spaying isn’t going to offer much (if any) benefits in terms of reducing their chance for cancer. But a skilled veterinarian can still safely perform the procedure with minimal risk for complications, so don’t worry about her age/size. Just listen to your vet and don’t be afraid to seek a second opinion if you’re concerned.
I’m fostering a four-year-old Chihuahua. Friday she got spayed. I got her Saturday, Sunday Lily is in the ER because of bleeding severely from her rectum. I am waiting on the Dr.I hope Lily can stay alive please PRAY for my little 5 lb angle that has been neglected and severely abused. Thank You, C.j.
Hi I am getting my 1 year old chihuahua neutered tomorrow. I have a 4 year old also that is not neutered but he is very calm and loving. The 1 year old is very protective and starts fights with the older one when he is near me. I am hoping the neuter will help calm him down. Is the 4 year old too old to get neutered?
Hey Mandy,
A 4-year-old Chihuahua is not too old to get neutered. The veterinarian should perform a physical examination of your Chihuahua to make sure there are no underlying health problems that could complicate the surgery. As long as everything looks good, you can go ahead and schedule an appointment for the surgery. Neutering is a simple procedure with minimal risks, and a 4-year-old Chihuahua is still considered “young.”
before i got my chihuahua junior fixed he was messing with my cat spooky and so he was tearing hair out , riding her and smelling her butt. was it really a good decision to get him fixed ?
thanks,
🙂 =)
savannah
Absolutely, it’s always a good idea to spay/neuter your Chihuahua. And it’s completely normal for Chihuahuas to calm down some once they’re fixed.
I have a chihuahua named Junior too who keeps messing with our cat Dude! I’m debating whether or not to get him neutered. I’ve never had a dog before and I love him so much I don’t have this to hurt him.
Hi I have to male chihuahuas thats haven’t been neutered yet there are getting me down coz I don’t know wot to do they r fighting and howling constant for the last few days as I have a staffi x jackets sell and she’s on heat I’ve had to crate them all but it’s getting worse I rang the vet and he advised me to get the less dominant one done first so we wouldn’t have two trying to rule x
My Chihuahua Lady Bell is 11 months old. Her food is Science Diet, but she’s chewing parts of her body. Also how long I have to wait for spay surgery.
Which food will be good for her?
Spaying ?
Thanks
Sonia
Hey Sonia,
It sounds like your Chihuahua is ready to be spayed. Most veterinarians recommend owners spay their Chihuahua before their first heat to avoid unwanted pregnancies, but it’s perfectly fine if she’s already gone through her first heat cycle as well.
You can read more about choosing food for your Chihuahua here.
My Zorro eats Royal Canin dog food for small, indoor breeds. He loves it and I top it with organic chicken that has been cooked in unsalted chicken broth. He loves to eat what I eat. Now he has an allergy of some sort. Not sure if it’s food-related or environmental. Are there symptoms that define one or the other?