Teething Phase
Tearing is a pretty common sight for Chi puppies during the teething phase. This reaction is not a cause of concern. But you may seek the help of a veterinarian in case you notice excess pain and uncontrollable tears from the puppy.
Infections
Chihuahuas are also susceptible to eye and ear infections. Attacks by parasites, bacteria, and viruses can cause eye problems. Another probable cause can be infections due to the choice of dog shampoo. If you notice the dog’s eye turning reddish after a bath, verify if the shampoo brand is the causal factor.
Similarly, the presence of ear infections can lead to tears in the eye, which is on the same side of the dog’s head.
Size of Eye Sockets
An average Chi’s eye sockets are large enough to hold their normal tear drain. If your dog’s eye sockets are smaller in size due to genetics, this situation will cause the tears to pour out of their eye sockets.
Conjunctivitis
This eye condition is easy to recognize. Conjunctivitis makes the eyeballs red in color and itchy. Some of the primary signs include swollen eyelids, eye discharge, and rubbing of eyes against the floor or using paws. Chihuahuas are known to get affected by this issue due to infections in the respiratory tract as well. Some of the other reasons are:
- Entropion
- Airborne allergens
- Dry eyes
Blockage of Tear Duct
When your dog’s tear ducts get blocked due to some reason, this scenario causes the blocked tear to pour out.
Some of the primary symptoms to identify this issue are:
- Red and wet eyes at all times
- Puffiness and staining of the eyes
- Pawing of the eyes
- Excessive release of tears and tear stains
Tear duct block can be caused by multiple reasons like eye injuries, infection to the duct, breed/genetics-related issues, or ulcers to the cornea.
If you notice a foul odor around the Chihuahua’s eyes, they are most likely suffering from an eye infection and tear duct blockage. We strongly advise you to get it validated with your trusted vet right away.
Sinus Infection
Sinus-related illness not only affects humans, but canines can be its victims too. Here also, external parasites like bacteria and viruses bring about this medical condition.
Some of the signs that your pup has a Sinus infection are as follows:
- Loss of appetite
- Excessive snoring
- Sneezing and running nose
- Breathing troubles due to airflow blockage
- Eye discharge
Glaucoma
This is a dangerous medical condition if it’s not taken care of. Glaucoma leads to an increase in pressure of the eyes and fluid build-up. This issue eventually leads to blindness.
A timely checkup of your puppy’s eyes is critical in this case. The last thing you desire is for your beloved pet to lose the precious gift of eyesight.
Its symptoms include the following:
- Vision difficulties
- Redness and pain in the eyes
- Intolerance to illumination
- Cornea gets hazy
- Pupil’s size gets varied
There are two basic categories of Glaucoma – Primary and Secondary
The former is genetically inherited. It is diagnosed in a dog anywhere between the ages of 4-7 years. The secondary one appears during the dog’s middle period. This category is deadly, and the symptoms can include eye cancer, tumors, retina detachment, cataracts, etc.
In the next section, let’s look at a few ways to control Chihuahuas’ crying behavior.