SHIH TZU QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

SHIH TZU QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

This page was designed with you in mind. I get many emails from the public asking questions about their Shih Tzu. This is where I will post some of the questions and the answers. I do not mind helping you with your problem, I only ask you search this page first to make sure your question has not already been answered.

If you do not find your answer here please feel free to email to ask your question. I will happily answer it and post it here. If I do not know the answer, I will find it.

I strongly feel that your breeder is the first place you should go to ask a question about the dog they bred. Many Shih Tzu owners do not feel they can go to the breeder for answers due to the breeders lack of knowledge or lack of interest in the dog they bred after it is sold. This is another reason I strongly urge the public to do their research before they buy. If you buy from a reputable breeder who forms a relationship with you, you will have support for your baby forever.

QUESTION:

I found a lovely Shih Tzu in the street a year or so ago. She was in horrible condition...blood in eye, hernia, fur matted to her body, and crusty bumps all over her body. The bumps can be small or large and seem to eventually break into a crusty pimple. The bumps are primarily from her mid back down to running along the tail. Have you seen this in Shih Tzu and do you know what may be causing it? Ann

ANSWER:

Ann, I commend you for taking a chance on a stray and giving her a second shot at life. Some Shih Tzu get wart like cysts as they age. They are prone to having an excretion come out of them. Sounds like those are sebaceous cysts which are hair follicles filled with waxy stuff. Using Benzyol Peroxide shampoo made for dogs is very helpful. Won't make them disappear completely, but helps control them. They are usually slow- growing, painless, freely movable lumps beneath the skin. Occasionally, however, a cyst will become inflamed and tender. These are not dangerous, but you may want to have it checked out just to make sure, especially if it grows, bleeds, or changes shape.

If the bumps are more like a rash it could be caused from fleas or other allergens. Shih Tzu tend to be allergic to flea saliva, one flea bite can cause all kinds of problems.

As with any growth on the skin if rapid increase in size is noticed please see your vet immediately.

QUESTION:

My Shiz Shu is 11 years old and my vet. says she has dry eyes and just to use tears. Now everyday my dog has matted eyes and she is just miserable. What I can do to help relieve her? Vet has been no help. Sue K.

ANSWER:

I am so sorry your pet has dry eye. Below I have pasted a portion of an article from the Shih Tzu club of America explaining dry eye and treatments. You will possibly have to treat this dog for the rest of its life. Dry eye is a very painful condition if its not treated EVERYDAY. Your dog can lose its vision.

The normal tears of a dog consist of the aqueous (watery) portion secreted by the lacrimal glands, and the lipid (oily) portion secreted by the meibormian glands. When properly mixed, the tears form a thin coating, or film, that covers all of the exposed portion of the eyeball. When this film becomes insufficient to keep the eye moist, the cornea dries out. The eye then becomes uncomfortable and will eventually develop corneal damage, scarring, and finally blindness. The lipid portion of the tears continues to be secreted and forms a thick, pus-like substance which can "glue" the eyelids closed. In humans, dry eye is treated with artificial tears, applied in drop form whenever the patient feels the eye becoming dry, normally every hour or so. For most dogs, however, this type of schedule is impractical, unless the animal's caregiver is with the patient all during the day. In all other cases, the cornerstone of treatment for dry eye is a drug called cyclosporine, originally marketed as an anti-cancer agent. When it is diluted in oil and applied to the surface of the eye, it frequently stimulates the existing gland(s) to produce tears again.

Cyclosporine does not work for all patients with Dry eye (KSC), but when it does, it is a real miracle cure. Many dogs are then able to maintain vision for years with a single or twice daily application of cyclosporine. Other medications may also be prescribed, such as antibiotics, corticosteroids, or artificial tears to combat concurrent ocular conditions.

There have been some reports of adverse side effects to treatment with cyclosporine (many only after years of successful therapy) so if your dog is being treated with this agent and seems to develop health problems, contact your regular veterinarian as soon as possible. There are a few patients which simply cannot tolerate the prescription in any dosage.

QUESTION:

Hi Leslie,it is Carole from Montreal.I have just read your section on holistic food for dogs.I also read you feed your babies Wellness.The question I have for you is,do you just feed them the dry food or a combination of wet and dry or dry with a topper.I called up the site and saw all the food they have on hand

ANSWER:

I feed different dogs different things. The show dogs are all on fish oil I give them one capsule a day. I give it with a treat and they just swallow it. They get dry food, Wellness. The house dogs get Wellness or Merrick wilderness blend with a little a few tablespoons canned carrots or peas and about two tablespoons of canned chicken divided between six dogs. Sometimes I give them Ricotta cheese. Show dogs will mess up their faces.

QUESTION:

I can't find anything under your Grooming

category that might help tame the hair over the nose while it grows

out. I've tried the short-hedge look on the bridge and don't care for

it nor do I think it helps keep his eyes cleaner.

Now that the hair is growing out it is easier to get behind and clean

but more difficult for him to see as it stands up just under each

eye. Since the area is so close to his eyes I don't want to apply a

product that will bother him. I am hoping you might have a product

tip or some advice about this/growing out hair in the bridge/

moustache region that will help us.

ANSWER:

You can try a product by Vellus called satin cream or you can use Cholesterol. The kind we use for our hair. Both products will condition the hair without making it greasy and slick it down until it grows out.

QUESTION:

I have a 5 month old Shih Tzu boy and was wondering how young is too young to start trimming their hair? He gets a bath about once a week and combed out every day. His face has the most growth and I would love to just neaten it up some. One person has told me to wait until 6 months old and another said a year. You seem to be an expert so I thought to try your advice too! I certainly appreciate whatever comments you may have.

ANSWER:

You can start trimming puppies as young as 12 weeks. I trim all my pet puppies before they leave to buy the new owners time before the hair is in their eyes. You should start early to train the puppy, he needs to learn early about scissors and clippers. Everyday do something in the grooming department. This will make it easier for you or whoever trims him as he grows.

QUESTION: