# Muzzles for a Chi



## peenutts mom (Mar 9, 2006)

I'm still a little ticked (well alot) at the emergency vet for wanting me to put this hard leather muzzle on my Peenutt - she was scared enough as it was but...

When your chi's go to the vet - do you put a muzzle on them?

If so, the hard leather or the soft material ones? 



( i'm a bad mommy...i would love to get one of those nice soft ones just to get a pix of her as a joke) lol
Therese :x


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## Clek1430 (Mar 7, 2006)

Did your dog bite while at the vet? My vet does not muzzle unless the dog REALLY needs it. I think the vet should be a good experience not one that they will hate. If your dog is nippy etc. I would not be upset at them being muzzled no one wants to get bit.


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## holly&peanut (Feb 18, 2006)

i didnt know u could get them that small lol :lol:


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## Bubblymintyaero (Jan 18, 2006)

holly&peanut said:


> i didnt know u could get them that small lol :lol:


I think a thimble would do the same job as a muzzle, no? :lol: :mrgreen: :lol:


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## Mexibeach (Oct 20, 2005)

My vet uses a small cloth-type muzzle (a very small cloth-type muzzle  . Best to be safe than sorry. It's not too awfully dramatic for the dog and they all seem fine when they are leaving the office...


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## holly&peanut (Feb 18, 2006)

i might try the thimble for when im trying to wipe peanuts eyes!! lol he turned into a pure evil dog snarling and growling when my dad tried to do it yesterday!!!


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## Jayne (Jul 8, 2005)

My vet puts a vetwrap bandage on tysons nose   must to my disgust but they sont have a muzzle small enough and the vet wont touch him without one


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## dolly'sgrandma (Nov 8, 2005)

I am the only one who holds Dolly at the vet, so no mention of muzzling. I will say that Dolly cries like a real baby over her shots. But she doesn't need muzzling, she needs NUZZLING! Poor little thing.


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## peenutts mom (Mar 9, 2006)

Hi All, 
My Peenutt didn't nip, she was just scared. The dr just started to check her out without even trying to get her to know him ...just oh - put a muzzle on her she was on her best behaviour 
I think the dr. was scared of her - she never acts that way with people. 

Our vet sold his practice and the new vet petted her, and made her feel comfortable. the emergency vet was just like "next" ....

Peenutt's my princess...

Therese


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## dolly'sgrandma (Nov 8, 2005)

I had a vet like that once...she was terrified of all the animals. She was a mobile vet and I guess when they are in their own home, dogs can be intimidating. She wanted to put muzzles on everyone right away.

Also, I took Dolly to Petsmart to get her nails clipped and the first girl to see her told another girl to take her because she was "terrified of chihuahuas"! I was so surprised. Dolly is such a puppy and puts her ears back and wags her tale so happily when she meets ANYONE, but that girl was terrified. Maybe chis have a "rep".

Just think, human ER doctors don't always have the best bedside manner!! :lol:


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## SCRAPPY (Sep 4, 2005)

i never have to put a muzzle on any of my babies. The vet has me hold them all the time, so therefore they don't need one. I have never heard a chi havinf one. :shock:


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## Bri (Feb 1, 2005)

our vet uses one on cujo, but not the other 3. cujo always trys to bite :roll:


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## Gypsy (Feb 13, 2006)

I once had to have my vet put a muzzle on Deedlit because she had to draw blood and I knew Deedlit would try to bite her or the vet tech. I felt really bad but it didn't really hurt her and it was better than her biting them and/or possibly causing her to have to be stuck again.


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## kenya (Dec 19, 2005)

Mi chi's do bite. So when I trim their nails I put a mesh material muzzle on them. 

Even when I have friends over at our home. The chi's have tried to bite them. So i tell people when they come over how to say hi to them.

I think chi's do have a reputation.. :shock:


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## Kristin (Nov 12, 2004)

I've never had to put a muzzle on my 2. Anytime I've taken them to the vet he just let me hold them (or Dave) while he did what he needed to. I always liked that. Lets me know that he's more concerned about the dog than getting it over with, ya know? My 2 don't bite though..at least they haven't as of yet.


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## princess_ella (Jun 4, 2005)

i went to a vet that would charge you if your dog needs to be muzzled by them.i never went there again i think my chi Princess hated the vet tech luckly i wasn't charged.Princess gave her a snap and told me no animal has ever biten her.she wanted to report us i taught how stupid that is .i tell the groomers or vet they usually let me hold her she only had to be muzzled just twice.i really think muzzling makes them more vigious and scared.


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## SunnyFLMum (Apr 21, 2005)

My vet uses a soft muzzle on Gizmo...it is sooo tiny, it's made out of that rain jacket material...soft yet sturdy. He doesn't put it on tight either, enough where he can move his little tongue around, but not so tight his eyes are bulging out :shock: 

I tell them to put it on him from the get go, that way by the time the vet comes he has relaxed and usually the vet takes it off....I don't mind it one bit...with lawsuits flying left and right over here I'd rather be cautious. He has never bit anyone but he did snap once...


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## luvmyprince (Oct 27, 2005)

Our vet has muzzles that are a soft material. Not so bad, actually. Prince only has to be muzzled when his favorite tech isn't on staff...he loves only her, otherwise the muzzle goes on. It doesn't bother him because it's only for a minute, and they let me put it on him, so I know it's not too tight.


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

I've never had my dogs muzzled at the vet. I don't agree with the use of muzzles- I think that I would argue if my vet even tried to put a muzzle on my dogs.


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## Bubblymintyaero (Jan 18, 2006)

Personally, I find the idea of a muzzle for a chi rather extreme. 

Jessie, do you really disagree with the use of muzzles totally? :shock: 

Personally, there's very little more frightening than a large dog lunching towards you. One of our vets required stitches after a huge dog bite to the arm from a dog that flew at him as he entered the front door of a house. That was without even doing anything to that dog. Vets need to get quite close to dogs to examine them properly, often at face level - it's just not fair on the dog to put him in a situation where he gets frightened, and feels the need to bite. It's just dangerous with the bigger dogs if they're really growling and snarling to wade in there without precautions. 

It's also more dangerous from a big dog's point of view because much more often with big dogs than with small, if they bite someone, they can be euthanased because of it. 

It's different with chis though because they're so small and will fit on the consulting room table. They're also more likely to have owners that can hold them - we get big dogs in sometimes that even the owner can't handle! When a dog's on a table, you don't need to bend down so close to examine it properly - you're always standing, never crouching, so you're never looking submissive and vulnerable to that dog. It's also quicker to jump back from a standing position than a crouching one if anything does go awry!


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## my3angels (Apr 15, 2004)

My vet is wonderful and isnt scared of my girls. Really though the only one who might bite would be Ginger LOL and the vet sure isnt scared of her tiny mouth. 

My previous vet did muzzle her when they did her spay only because she would not be nice at all...jumping and biting the techs while they tried to put this tiny cathater into her tiny vein. They used gause....tied it around her mouth and then back behind her ears and then wrapped her up like a little borreto in a blanket. They never used real muzzles.

My mom's dog needs a muzzle...but she is 15lbs and will do damage if she bit so I tell the vets to muzzle her....after she bit me while I tried to restrain her. 

These thick leather ones I have not seen. I have only seen the cloth ones, and then there are plastic "cat" muzzles that cone's over the face...I have seen those used for small dogs. 

I never liked muzzles until I started working as a tech....and after being bit and watching others being bit I will not think twice of putting one on a dog if they will not stop trying to bite. Little dogs I wont put muzzles on only because I know how to hold them where they cannot bite me or the doctor. Larger dogs are much harder because most are stronger then I am :shock: I have noticed that muzzles will sometimes calm the dogs down too...I just dont think they are all that horrible anymore, although if I can get away with it I wont use them. 

Maybe ask if you can restrain your pup, or maybe if you dont like the vet I would look for another. It took me 3 different clinics to find the right one for me. Right now I work for a vet hospital, and even though I get discounts there I will still bring my girls to the other clinic for shots and medical stuff. (meds I buy where i work :wink: )


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## Bubblymintyaero (Jan 18, 2006)

my3angels said:


> I have noticed that muzzles will sometimes calm the dogs down too...


Have you heard of the TTellingtonTouch? 
It's a form of massage, but connected with that is the use of bodywraps to calm animals down.
I would imagine a muzzle works in a very similar way to the wrapping of a bandage round a dog's body, or the wearing of a t-shirt... 


My major peeve is vets who say they need to muzzle a dog because it's wriggling...?! I can't see how a muzzle will stop a dog wriggling about, apart from the calming idea. I would only ever use one on a growling dog with the potential to bite.


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## poppy (Mar 23, 2006)

I would happily muzzle Poppy if it meant the vet was going to concentrate on her well being rather than worrying about his ...in my opinion.. it doesn't hurt .. its for a very short space of time .. so .. no problem..However it is insulting that all small dogs are considered viscious and snappy, especially if you know that yours would not hurt a fly.. 
Poppy


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