The Shih Tzu: Common Health Issues

Although disease affects all different breeds of dog, certainbreeds are more prone to certain ailments than others, due totheir particular anatomical structure, genetic make-up, or otherfactors. In this article, we will briefly describe some of themost common ailments that affect the Shih Tzu.Eyes and Ears: Because of the anatomical structure of the ShihTzu's head, their eyes are especially vulnerable to beinginjured. This can be caused by collisions with foreign objects,encounters with other animals, rough play, etc. Eye injuries areprobably the most avoidable of all ailments that affect the ShihTzu and can be prevented to a large degree by providing a safeenvironment for the dog to play in, with special care taken toremoval of potentially injurious objects. Shih Tzu should alwaysbe supervised when interacting with other animals and shoulddiscouraged from rough play. Another important preventivemeasure is to keep the eyes and eye area as clean as possible.Avoid allowing crustiness or dirt to accumulate. When grooming,it is recommended that the hair covering the eye area be left ata reasonable length as it protects the eyes from dirt and debris.A genetically linked disease that often affects the Shih Tzu isProgressive Retinal Atrophy, or PRA. PRA is basically the degeneration of the retina and retinal tissue over time and canlead to blindness at an early age. If a dog is suspected ofhaving PRA, veterinary care should be provided. As PRA is aninheritable disease, dogs that suffer from the affliction shouldnot be bred.Shih Tzu are also very susceptible to ear infections. Earinfections are generally not serious and can be treated easilyby a veterinarian. Some preventive methods include keeping theinside of the ears immaculately clean and free of hair and otherdebris.Bones, Joints, and Internal Organs: Another genetically linkeddisease that affects ShihTzu is Hip Dysplasia. Hip Dysplasia isa degenerative disease that affects the function of theball-and-socket joint of the hip. This can be an extremelydebilitating disease and cannot always be corrected by surgery.Dogs suffering from Hip Dysplasia should not be bred.Renal Dysplasia is an inherited disease that affects normalkidney function which, in turn, affects the overall health ofthe dog. Although Renal Dysplasia is more prevalent in olderdogs, it can also affect young puppies and in some cases, can befatal. Dog with Renal Dysplasia should not be part of anybreeding program.Other Concerns: Just as in humans, some Shih Tzu suffer fromabnormal thyroid function. This can be treated with medicationprescribed by a veterinarian, although the dog may have need ofthe medication for the entirety of their lives.Shih Tzu also seem to be prone to certain types of allergiesincluding food allergies, flea allergies, and hypersensitivityto environmental substances. This can lead to any number ofsecondary ailments, such as irritated skin, hair loss, andoverall poor health. Allergy testing can be performed by aveterinarian and can be treated with medication.