We just brought home a 7 1/2 week old chi/JRT mix pup. Wasn’t the best situation to get a pup, no shots, had some fleas,ticks on his ear etc…but there was just no way I could not take him. Knock on wood he seems healthy. My GSD eats Blue Buffalo, I tried soaking that and feeding to pup-wasn’t very interested- I got a can of ProPlan or something, he gobbles that up-so I think I need a wet food to help introduce the kibble. I don’t want to feed a pup Blue Buffalo (adult food) though, do I? I feed the fish and sweet potato. I would like to keep the same food if possible, I like it alot and it would be much more convenient.
I’m pretty sure he needs wormed-haven’t seen any, but he scooched his butt outside this morning. Vet will take care of that tomorrow I’d imagine.
Is he too little to get shots? I’m still not convinced that my old JRT’s last set of vaccine didn’t set off his liver failure (started 3 days after he got his shots)-so now I’m worried about this itty bitty thing getting a whole puppy dose-would vets give a half dose and just double his visits for the other half? (get a half dose, 2 weeks later get the other half- 4 weeks later- get a half dose, 2 weeks late the other half)? And he’s so tiny, do I even want him to get wormed and any shots the same day? My vet is pretty “old school” I have no doubt that they’d worm him and then give all the normal puppy shots same day if I was comfortable with that.
How much does he weigh? Where did you get him from/any known history?
Haven’t weighed him, I’m guessing in the area of 2lbs…? No known history, just his birthdate-Sept 1 and he has no shots. Saw the mom and a full brother, both looked healthy. Litter of 5 looked healthy…that’s it.
As you know, I have that little chi mix pup that was the runt of the litter.
I gave her her shots at 8 weeks though it did worry me. Our area has a lot of Parvo and I opted to worry about the shots instead of the disease. I gave mine a five way-distemper/adenovirus/parvo/lepto/ictero.
It’s my understanding of vaccines that they aren’t necessarily done by dosage, like food. It’s the same amount needed for any immune system, no matter what size the dog, if that makes sense. And if I understand it correctly.
My pup did fine, she wasn’t even tired from the shots and I expected that at least.
Worming is fairly easy on them and if you don’t think he got his 3 week worming I would not hesitate to worm him now.
I fed my pup canned Blue for a long time. The large dog kibble was too big for her but as you know Blue has a small bite formula that might work for you. I do feed her puppy food and will do that until she’s about six months old.
Glad you got that pup-he’s a cutie and sounds like he deserved better than he was getting!
No helpful info just have to say - THAT PUP IS ADORABLE! :winkgrin:
He’s adorable!!!
I’d phone the vet and ask them what they think. 
My vet is very rural and very old school. I’m picking up wormer tonight and when I talked they were like “bring em on in and we’ll shoot em up” lol. Not quite those words but zero concern about size/age versus vaccinations. I put off his shots till next Monday, will keep him away from all other dogs. My GSD doesn’t come into contact with other dogs and has all his vaccs so I’m not too concerned about him. I’ll do some more research on my own and see if I should be worried about them at all 
Probably a non issue but I’ve never dealt with a dog this tiny!
He’s already taken over the household. The 100+ lb Shepherd backs up as quickly as he can while the little Chi is snipping and barking at his nose…the hubby tells the daughter to go get her shower now so he can hold the puppy…lol
I have four small dogs and they all coped fine with their vacs.
Take lots of photos- you’ll be amazed by how quick they grow!
I just wanted to add also that he is just adorable.
One of my toy poodles had trouble handling his first round of shots. Kept us up all night yipping every few seconds. He was really uncomfortable. To the point that I called the emergency vet. (of course, since then we’ve discovered he is a total diva!).
Vet now gives him some kind of steroid shot (cortisone?) prior to getting his other shots. It has made a big difference.
Of course, that only addresses discomfort from the shots; as far as more serious consequences, I have no idea.
My daughter’s chihuahua, who is about half the poodle’s size, on the other hand, has always handled her shots like a trooper.
And yes, she does rule the house when she comes to visit. Doesn’t take much to scare my poodles though. When daughter goes to visit her boyfriend’s parents, she also petrifies their vizsla.
Many people do split up the vaccines, rather than give the five way. And often give them at eight, twelve, and sixteen weeks…But it is recommended to give the full dose of the vaccine.
Definitely worm, put on heart worm preventative, and probably a topical like Advantix, Frontline, etc. maybe a Capstar pill to kill whatever fleas are on him.
And once he has been vaccinated, definitely begin socializing him in low-risk disease situations to unfamiliar people, places, and other dogs. Until then, invite friends over, and take him for car rides.
Vaccines can begin at 8 weeks.
I would be hesitant about giving heartworm meds and flea/tick products at such a young age though.
I’m not giving heartworm yet. I bathed him in baby shampoo and have a flea comb for the fleas that might be left- I will keep on them that way for awhile. I think wormer and his vaccines will be enough for his system for a bit and I’m staggering them a few days apart at that.
If I didn’t have the niggling feeling vaccines triggered my old JRT’s failure, I wouldn’t be worried. I’ve never stressed over simple shots before.
[QUOTE=kasjordan;6623606]
I’m not giving heartworm yet. I bathed him in baby shampoo and have a flea comb for the fleas that might be left- I will keep on them that way for awhile. I think wormer and his vaccines will be enough for his system for a bit and I’m staggering them a few days apart at that.
If I didn’t have the niggling feeling vaccines triggered my old JRT’s failure, I wouldn’t be worried. I’ve never stressed over simple shots before.[/QUOTE]
I know…someone else mentioned the HW so I thought I’d give my .02
The shampoo and flea comb are a good idea for now.
Giving vaccines to an older pet who most likely has high enough titers from being vaccinated his entire life is a whole other story from vaccinating a baby puppy.
I don’t vaccinate adult dogs without titering first but I would NEVER not vaccinate a pup.
Yes, there’s no question he’s getting his shots. I’m just a tad nervous cuz of how small he is and the whole thing with my old dog just happened in August. I’m sure he will be fine. Thanks for the input
He’ll be fine
Oh, and I’d definitely start him on puppy food. Blue Buffalo would be fine…just not the adult version.
Luckily your pup is only part chi.
Chihuahua 101:
Usually shots are given when they are older than most larger breed puppies.
As a breed, they have a tendency to have beef allergies.
Trachea collapse where they sound like they’re throwing up is quite common. Don’t be alarmed, just let the dog stay calm and they resolve it themselves. It generally starts to show up when they’re around 6 months.
They need to be VERY socialized. Think of German shepards in little itty bitty bodies. You have to make the entire world family or they’ll have a tendency to be a little anxious or aggressive towards strangers.
At 2 lbs, play pens work well as play areas.
Chi’s are not particularly smart, just be patient.
chi’s are true lapdogs, they have a tendency to go limp if they are cradled with pressure on the underside of their body. They are perpetual motion machines the instant they are put down.
Chi’s are paw sensory based pee’ers. not smell DON"T USE WEE WEE PADS. they go by “feel” to determine where to pee. Always pee them somewhere that is a distinct feel to train them. (Sand indoor footing is great and you can eventually even transition to indoor cat pans with sand. A nice side benefit when it’s cold or snowy.)
Good luck with your pup and enjoy. It sounds like it’s a great mix.
My chihuahua mix was a stray until he was ‘found’ (he would dispute this term) as a young adult.
When I first brought him home, he was a mess of matted fur and relentless sex drive. His diet appeared to consist mostly of insects eaten off shrubs/ground followed by a helping of newspaper. This regime – he made an insect-eating circuit of my yard each morning, then went inside to the newspaper basket – was supplemented by whatever organic matter he encountered.
The vet remarked on how healthy he was for a stray. He did have a broken foreleg that had already healed but didn’t make much difference in a 6 pound dog.
He went on to live for another 16.5 years, dying of natural causes, probably in his 18th year. Along the way, he accidentally jumped off a second-floor roof and also got trampled by a Trakehner. He was utterly lawless, ate all kinds of garbage, hunted moles and mice, and even flushed a (surprised) bobcat once.
My dog’s other half was Papillon. Yours is Jack Russell. If mine was that tough, I imagine yours will be even tougher. I’d look for some small-breed puppy food (there’s a chihuahua food that someone – Royal Canin? – makes, which even the cats will want to eat) but I wouldn’t be worried about him having adult food in the meantime.
Do try to keep the tyranny in check, however. Your family and other pets will appreciate it. When my dog died, you could hear Ding Dong the Witch is Dead playing throughout my house for months.
Good luck.
OMG…what an adorable puppy…i would have been elbowing you out of the way to grab him…lol…
where is the rest of the litter located??
good luck with him…never has small breed dogs as pups, always adopted as older dogs, so the info about shots, etc is very interesting
He’s doing really great. I wormed him Tuesday night and he’s getting his shots Monday night- we will see what the vet says as far as staggering shots or just doing all the regular puppy ones.
He’s a land shark! If it’s in front of him, he will bite it lol. So we need to start some bite inhibition training soon. He’s the lovingest little thing though. No accidents in his crate whatsoever either. My daughter is doing a great job with him, she’s doing 95% of all the work like she promised she would-proud of her! I hear her getting up two times a night to let him out, then she thinks she sneaks him into her bed rather than his crate the last time, but mom knows all :yes:
Getting along great with my big Shepherd, he already bosses him all around. Funny to see how gentle my big dog is and how easy he gives way to this little devil!
Taken this morning:
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/kasjordan/grizzandsid.jpg
he’s very very cute.
