# 3 week old chi babies



## mybug (Apr 19, 2011)

On Sept 14th we got a call asking if we could take in a very emaciated pregnant chihuahua. She was 6 yrs old and in horrible condition. She gave birth on Oct 6th to three very healthy babies. One chocolate and 2 black with some tan/white markings. I have never had a pregnant dog before.. let alone puppies this small!! We have had a huge amount of support from our vet and staff but I have an odd ball question.

The puppies have very think hair on top of their heads and only on top of their head.. no where else. Is this common? I was thinking it could be from them pushing underneath each other so much when trying to nurse. There is no dry skin, no redness, no bumps, no pimples.. not a single mark on the skin other than the hair is really really thin to the point you see the skin very clearly. Their hair almost is like how human hair is after a shave and feels stubbly! 

Is this something we should get them to the vet for? They have an appointment to go in at 6 weeks old to start shots. We started wormer from the vet at 2 weeks old.. they just turned 3 weeks old yesterday.


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## MChis (Oct 13, 2009)

What was she bred with? It could be her sire of the puppies was a different breed with wirey/long coat? If they appear healthy otherwise I'd not rush to the vet. Just keep an eye on them which it sounds as though you're already doing. Do you have any photos of the pups?


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## Aquarius (May 8, 2009)

As Heather said it would be interesting to know what breed the father was - any chance he might have been a Chinese Crested?


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## NefariousCupcake (Jun 27, 2010)

That sounds interesting, can you post a pic?


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## mybug (Apr 19, 2011)

She was bred with another chihuahua.. a fawn male who was actually about 1/2lb smaller than she was. They had pretty much used her as a puppy factory and bred her every heat cycle over the last three years. From what they told me when I had picked her up was that most of the puppies in other litters had passed away after a few short weeks... I can understand why considering the condition the poor mother was in. The vet said he had never seen such an emaciated chihuahua in his life let alone one that was pregnant. We managed to get her to gain just under 2 lbs in 3 short weeks that we had her here prior to her giving birth. Since birth she has put back on just under a pound in weight. Her eye had a very bad bacterial infection.. so bad she had such extreme ocular pressure that her whole eye was pushing out. She has been on meds for that since Sept 15th. It is now much better but still not 100%. Her nails were so over grown.. they curled back into the pads of her feet and her coat was just awful. You barely touched it and clumps came out. She had been abused physically as well. They said the 1st owner of her had been witnessed kicking her and throwing her into walls.. so this is how they got her. They took her from the 1st family... but she went from one bad home right into another bad home. When she is ready we plan to have her spayed and her dental work done as her teeth are in need of dental work! We have a home lined up for her once she is ready who has had a full background check, vet check, to help insure she will have good placement.


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## mybug (Apr 19, 2011)

The black puppy on the far right has no signs of fur loss on his head.. the one on the left and the chocolate puppy are the ones with very thin hair.. but only on the tops of their heads.

Is it possible it is just from them rooting around under each other so much? They are the two that are more forceful when trying to nurse and really push up under each other to get to mom to nurse.


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## Aquarius (May 8, 2009)

Ah - sorry I thought you said they had very thick hair on the top of their heads and nowhere else  that's why I thought Chinese Cresteds.

Sorry I have no idea why they have little hair on their heads - but they are still so young, it probably isn't anything to worry about yet.

They are adorable, and I am glad to hear that the poor mum found a good home to have her pups in - well done to you


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## KrystalLeigh (Aug 17, 2011)

Aww so kind of you to help that poor Mom. I'm looking at the pic on my phone so I could be wrong, but their hair looks totally normal to me. 


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


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## NefariousCupcake (Jun 27, 2010)

They look pretty good actually. You said they've had their 2 week wormer from the vet, did the vet actually see them or did you administer it at home? I would think that if it were something serious the vet would have noticed it then. It could very well be from them their rooting around, but new puppies don't have the thickest coats anyway, so it could also be nothing at all. Is the mama dog obsessivley grooming them? She might be going overboard from the recent stresses, poor girl. She's a lucky pup to have you looking after her!


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## mybug (Apr 19, 2011)

Thanks! We picked up the wormer from the vet and gave it at home. The vet said for us to wait til 6 weeks of age to bring them in and we would start shots at that time. The picture makes them look better than they are as far as the hair issue goes lol In person.. the top of the head you can see the skin very clearly with stubbles of hair from where it has thinned out so much.. but again that is the only spot like that. Luckly mom does not over groom. She grooms them when they are nursing to stimulate them to go potty and that is it. I'll keep an eye on them and see if anything gets worse and if it does I will have them right up to the vet. (we only live 5 houses away from our vet clinic) =D


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## Barracuda51 (Oct 7, 2012)

mybug said:


> She was bred with another chihuahua.. a fawn male who was actually about 1/2lb smaller than she was. They had pretty much used her as a puppy factory and bred her every heat cycle over the last three years. From what they told me when I had picked her up was that most of the puppies in other litters had passed away after a few short weeks... I can understand why considering the condition the poor mother was in. The vet said he had never seen such an emaciated chihuahua in his life let alone one that was pregnant. We managed to get her to gain just under 2 lbs in 3 short weeks that we had her here prior to her giving birth. Since birth she has put back on just under a pound in weight. Her eye had a very bad bacterial infection.. so bad she had such extreme ocular pressure that her whole eye was pushing out. She has been on meds for that since Sept 15th. It is now much better but still not 100%. Her nails were so over grown.. they curled back into the pads of her feet and her coat was just awful. You barely touched it and clumps came out. She had been abused physically as well. They said the 1st owner of her had been witnessed kicking her and throwing her into walls.. so this is how they got her. They took her from the 1st family... but she went from one bad home right into another bad home. When she is ready we plan to have her spayed and her dental work done as her teeth are in need of dental work! We have a home lined up for her once she is ready who has had a full background check, vet check, to help insure she will have good placement.


Now thats what rescue is all about right there! :coolwink: CUDOS to you for rescuing her and her babies. I did alot of rescues like that back in the day when we ran the rescue.


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## gravymommy (Jan 4, 2012)

No expert here, but my little one has thin hair on her head. She's black and I can see skin. They are so cute - I want one!!! Praying they all (Mama included) find great homes.


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## mad dog woman (Oct 29, 2006)

they look quite normal to me x


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