THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE SHIH TZU
The Shih Tzu breed is hundreds of years old and originates from China and the surrounding areas. They were highly regarded and bred as companions for people.
Over the centuries they have been bred to have flat faces and are one of the breeds of dog known as Brachycephalic. This means that they have been bred to have a compressed upper jaw and a shortened muzzle. Common Brachycephalic breeds include the Pug, Pekinese, Bulldog, Boxer, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Shih Tzu and many more. The consequence of this is as follows
As puppies, you may notice a lot of snuffling and snorting. This is due to their short nasal cavities and should improve greatly as the puppy grows. Some puppies have slightly pinched nostrils that open up with time. This can cause a bubbly discharge from the nose and as long as this is watery and clear and your puppy is feeding, playing and thriving, there is no cause for concern.
Reverse sneezing is a condition that occurs commonly in Brachycephalic breeds. If you are aware of it you will have no need to worry if it happens to your puppy.( I wish some one had told me about it before hand, I had to learn the hard way and initially I was quite worried) . When it happens, it sounds as though your dog is struggling to breathe and makes a kind of honking/snorting noise. They often stick their necks out and appear quite stiff. It can be due to an elongated soft palate that slightly obstructs the airway. It may be a bit alarming to witness, but is very common and not life threatening. To stop the episode, you need to place your finger and thumb over the nostrils of your dog, you can slightly open his mouth. Once he swallows it should stop. If it does happen again, just repeat the same steps again.
In hot weather your shih tzu can easily overheat. It is important not to over exercise him in warm sunny weather. He cannot pant as efficiently as a full faced dog and takes much longer to cool down.
This breed has specifically been bred to have very large round eyes, because of this they are very prone to eye injuries. If you see your dog fussing with his eye or you notice a blue cloudiness to the eye, visit your vet immediately. An injury can lead to an ulcer and ultimately blindness if not treated. The earlier you catch it the easier it is to treat.
