Does your Chi still have their molera / soft spot?

[lisajazz]

Pixels was massive when she was a pup but it's shrunk down now to a small circle, bigger than a pin prick, maybe a bit bigger than a hole in a salt cellar (sorry can't think of another desription lmao!)

Rez has one that's pretty big too, but not as big as Pixels was.

I am guessing that Pixels wont get any smaller with her being 1 now?

Does your chi have one still?

Also - what's the UK term for it? I can't remember!

[mchis]

Fontanelle? LOL I know that's the name they use for babies.

But the only two of mine who don't have a molera are Milo & Matilda. Most are relatively small though. Lulus though is still a bit bigger than a finger tip but it's definitely gotten smaller. At first it was HUGE....

What is this I read on FB about the molera possibly being a d/q factor in Chi's at shows?? I think that is insane and I hope to goodness it doesn't go through...

[lisajazz]

disqualification? no way, i thought the molera was accepted for hundreds / thousands of years?

[Hollie]

Napoleons has closed just recently. Feo never had one. Eva, well IDK if she had one as a pup but she doesn't have one now.

I think it's abhorrent that any Kennel club would disqualify for Moleras! Imagine how much more pain a woman would have to go through giving birth, if a human baby had a solid round skull! Moleras are an adaptation that increased survival rate of the breed or they trait woild have died out naturally.

[mchis]

I dunno...someone (can't even remember where they were from) had a petition up about it. Hopefully it was just a bogus survey w/false info. I know though--that would be crazy if they did because I know a LOT of Chi's have it & I am guessing it would throw a lot of nice nice Chi's out of the ring...

[Sarah]

It was me the FCI are talking about it being a disqualification bloody joke if you ask me!!

Daisy has a seam and a pin sized hole
Lotus is the size of a finger... Her head is still maturing she's 14.5 months I expectit to close before 2 years
Leilani has a big molera... Her head is starting to pop I think she's gonna have a big ol head eventually!

[Paula]

Both of mine still have them. Roo's is very small, I can feel a seam and a very small hole. Pip's is bigger, but not huge or anything. I was reading this today (below) from the British Chihuahua club where they seem to think few adult chi's have molera's these days which doesn't really seem true.
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The original chi breed standard described a molera as being desirable. Our previous U.K. standard stated "with or without molera". The current U.K. standard omits all mention of it. Breeders do not breed for it and exhibitors certainly do not want judges poking at little dogs skulls. Because chis have brachycephalic skulls and large heads, the bones of the skull need to be able to give during the birth process. Like babies they have a fontanelle but in the chi it is called a molera. Chis are not particularly good whelpers. Quite often the molera does not fully close until the pup is several months old, sometimes this is seen and misdiagnosed by some vets as hydrocephalus. These days few chis have permanent moleras which persist into adulthood.

[Kristi]

Laurel, who isn't really a chi, doesn't have one. Trig is a nice, sturdy boy and he does not have one either. Oakley, Ivy, Bryco, Birdie, Leah ... they all have one. Bryco's was the ENTIRE top of his head when I got him, bigger than the bottom of a pop can. That was creepy. His is the smallest now out of the remaining 5 that have them.