Dogs have a lot of health problems similar to humans- arthritis, diabetes, stroke, and cancer. They also have conditions unique to dogs such as kennel cough and heartworm. Caring for your pet involves knowing what health problems are common to the breed, recognizing the symptoms and getting immediate treatment. Some days your dog may just be having a bad day, or it could be something more serious, such as Parvo, sugar shock or worse. Puppies need to be watched very carefully at the first sign that they are not themselves. Toy breeds and especially puppies go down fast.

The sedentary lifestyle of the Japanese chin results in very few muscle problems. Ligament damage is often caused by running and turning sharply in another direction, a common problem with athletes and working dogs. Hip dysplasia is a degenerative joint disease commonly found in large and giant breed dogs and very rarely small breed.

Obesity is getting to be a more common health problem in dogs. This can cause a wealth of other problems in your canine, and needs to be taken seriously. Overweight dogs have skeletal problems and higher risk of diabetes. Stroke is another health problem dogs face, although it is not very common. Most Japanese chins have respiratory problems, their short noses are the cause of this. Hair loss and a dull coat can become a problem if the skin is not taken care of properly.

Other than respiratory problems and sugar shock, Japanese chins are not very susceptible to health problems. They can have any of the normal health problems of a dog, but a well bred, well taken care of chin is a low maintenance dog when it comes to health problems.