Kinda worried about Izzie's size..

[Codi]

So at Izzie's pre-op check up the vet was concerned about how much smaller she was than her litter mate, Bella. If I didn't have Bella, I am sure the vet wouldn't blink an eye at her size, but since they are sisters and almost 3 lbs difference in size, it raises some eyebrows. The vet was concerned about her maybe having a liver shunt or something, (also Hydrocephalus, which I know she doesn't have) despite having normal blood work. But she has no signs of anything like that.

I talked to the "breeder" and found out the birth order size-
1.The smallest died, 2. Tinkerbell, 3. Izzie, 4. Junior, 5. Bronco, 6. Bella, then 7. Little Bear. (smallest to biggest)

Well I got in contact with the person that owns Tinkerbell because I thought if I could tell the vet and other ppl that the smallest of the litter is still smallest, they wouldn't be so concerned. But she is now at 4 lbs. Izzie is still 3.4 lbs, but she is pretty skinny. Is that okay? That the technical runt, or the 2nd runt, of the litter has now outgrown her? I don't know if Tinkerbell is overweight or anything though, so you never know about that. But the vet visit made me all freaked out, no one has ever raised concerns like that about Izzie.

I think that since the parents were just so different, dad was about 4 lbs and mom is about 6 lbs, that the pups in the litter are going to have a big variation in size. Since I got 2 opposite ends with the litter when it comes to size, the difference seems more drastic.

Mainly what I wanna know, is if this is okay and normal, how small Izzie is, and that the smallest of the litter is now bigger than her? Should I be testing for different things, or is there a good chance that she is fine?

[Kristi]

I wouldn't worry. Some puppies are just smaller. Some take longer to mature. Some will stay smaller and some will do some catching up. She is fine, if she seems healthy, don't borrow trouble, ya know?

[Sarah]

Codi the runt of the litter died..

Some grow slow, like you said she needs to put on weight and I wouldn't worry she will probably gain a pound or so up to 18 months and also she needs to gain some.

Size is genetics bella is just bigger I'm not sure if they are mixed either? So that could come into it neither have stopped growing and she is not small for her age by anymeans she's average sized. Every litter normally has a bigger puppy and a smaller one

[Codi]

K, just checking. I just figured the smallest in the litter should stay the smallest... and since the smallest has passed up Izzie, I was just kinda worried after everything the vet was saying.

[Kristi]

No generally the birth size/puppy size has almost nothing to do with indicating adult size. And unless you breed parents within 1 lb of each other for generations, within the same general proportions, you will get a huge variation in size.

[Sarah]

No belittling your vet but vets don't know much about certain breeds and growth patterns etc. My vet told me I was better off asking other breeders questions than him as he doesn't specialise in chihuahuas which I really respect him for!

Like Kristi said birth weight is rarely anything to do with adult size and the runt of the little doesn't always occur the run is normally the last out struggled to get going etc not just the smallest pup

[Lucy]

I agree with Sarah and Kristi. This doesn't apply so much to this situation but there were three in Kiki's litter. Her litter mate was born the smallest and by the time she left was the biggest so I wouldn't go too much on birth weight at all.

I think Izzie could do with putting on a lb but obviously with her LP, you need to be careful with the weight. But even if she did put on weight, remember that she wont necessarily be as tall as Bella.

I really wouldn't worry for now, for her age she's not tiny and still has plenty of growing left to do!

[Codi]

I don't think they are mixed.. but they don't have papers so you never really know. I just think they are badly bred, not the breed standard at all.

K, that makes me feel better. Izzie has always stayed on point with the chart, always just a tad under 4 lbs, so she has always gained correctly. The vet said her body condition is *just* perfect, if she lost any weight she'd be underweight, but she is perfect right now. I know she isn't small for her age. I know the vet wouldn't have even blinked an eye at her size if I didn't have her litter mate next to her who is like double her size. Not many vets ever get to see that comparison. But I just didn't know if she was small for her litter.

The vet just freaked me out. It seemed everything that could be wrong with Izzie she was concerned about, LP, Liver shunt, Hydrocephalus. I went into the visit thinking Izzie might just be a little underweight, and came out wondering WTH could be wrong with her!? After talking to Kristi I felt better, but still. I just wasn't sure if the smallest was supposed to stay the smallest, and if Izzie for some reason wasn't growing right. But now that I know that you never really know, I feel better. She did also get really sick before, where she lost a little weight. She gained it back, but not anything more since. That could have stunted her growth a little. Who knows. I won't worry about it tho.