Health concerns:

These dogs are quite healthy compared to other breeds. being a toy breed, daily walk are not a necessary requirement. Feeding too much can result in obesity. Patella luxation is another common health concern.

Patellar luxation:

 It is common knee problem that affects many toy breeds like Chihuahuas, Yorkshire terriers, Boston terriers and others. Patella is a small bone which is located above the knee joint and connects the femur to the tibia. it protects the knee from injury. Furthermore, the under-side of the patella and the ends of the femur have a cartilage attached to it. This cartilage is called the articular cartilage which facilitates easy movement of the knee allowing the bones to glide smoothly. Sometimes, the patella gets fractured and can result in patellar luxation. in this case, the patella gets dislocated from the femoral groove either laterally or towards the medial region when the leg is flexed. this causes instant lameness which can last for varied periods. Though it is largely found to occur in smaller breeds, large dog victims have also increased in the recent years. It could take place because of an accident or a skeletal abnormality previously existing. Hence breeding dogs with such a disease is not advisable.

Patellar luxation in dogs