Shih Tzu Education
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Reverse sneezing
Reverse sneezing describes a condition in which the dog seems to be unable to get its breath and begins to honk or snort. It is most often caused by a slightly elongated soft palate that “sticks” until the dog takes a deep breath through its mouth. The most effective way to stop this is to put a finger over the dog’s nostrils, thereby forcing it to breathe through its mouth. Sometimes just a hug and some reassurance will do the trick! Unlike more serious problems found in brachycephalic (short-faced) dogs, reverse sneezing in Shih Tzu is quite common and is not life-threatening.
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Pinched Nostrils and Teething
Shih Tzu puppies often have slightly pinched nostrils that generally open with time. The bubbly discharge from a Shih Tzu puppy’s nose is NOT serious if the discharge is clear and watery and the dog is otherwise thriving. This problem is most acute during the teething stage. Even the nostrils of a dog that has difficulty simultaneously eating and breathing or is lethargic at this time may open satisfactorily as the dog matures.
*** Pinched Nostrils and Teething go together ***
TEETHING PROBLEMS : Some puppies in this breed experience teething trouble. The noses swell and pinch off some and they may have a little clear discharge. They make make some snorting and snuffling sounds. They will usually outgrow this after the adult teeth come in. As long as they are playful and active and eating and drinking well, they are ok. If they cant eat or drink well and are lethargic or the discharge changes color, they may have developed infection and need to be checked and treated. Most Shih tzu pups are fine after teething, and it is recommended not letting any surgery be done until after adult teeth are in.
Many Shih Tzu puppies nose's will become tight during the teething phase. It will often cause them to snort and mouth breathe. This will go away usually around 12-16 weeks of age sometimes longer. It is very different the Stenotic Nares (Pinched Nostrils). Which is noticed from birth.
Stenotic Nares on the other hand are completely different and are present at birth. From the time the baby is born he has difficulty breathing through his nose and struggles with nursing from early on due to the inability to breath and eat at the same time (this can happen with tight nostrils also, however the pup is generally almost weaned by this time). Some of the time (but not always) surgery will need to be done on Stenotic Nares as the puppy may always have this issue and over time could cause other health concerns. However, even with Stenotic Nares the puppy can outgrow the condition. I would wait to have surgery done until the puppy is over a year old, as it is a possibility, as they mature, that they could outgrow the condition. Some Vets are way too eager to perform surgery, when it may not be needed, however I am not a Vet and you should never take my advice over a vet unless you yourself choose to do so (just my disclaimer).
Tight Nostrils or Stenotic Nares?
Tight nostrils are very VERY common in the Shih Tzu breed. A lot of people think that tight nostrils and Stenotic Nares (pinched nostrils) are the same thing. In reality they are very very different. Tight Nostils will generally come on when the puppy is teething and sometimes not go away until the adult teeth have fully come in (even up to a year old). Sometimes it will come and go as the puppies gums are swelling off and on from the teething process. Some puppies can't hardly breath out of their noses at all during this time, but as long as they are active and eating and drinking normally it is of little concern. Never have surgery done on a puppy that just simply has tight nostrils as it will eventually go away. Some dogs will have tighter nostrils than others and some will snore and snort more than others during their entire life, but tight nostrils to the point that they can't breath through their noses and cause health concerns will generally go away with time.
Delayed Closure or Hernia?
Delayed closures are VERY common in the Shih Tzu. Most so called "hernias" are actually delayed closure of the umbilical or inguinal (groin) area. We call it a hernia, because at that time, that is what it is. Sometimes I do not mention on my website if a puppy has a inguinal or a umbilical hernia at first because most of the time it is actually already closed by the time they go home. If small, sometimes they are closed by 8-12 weeks. If It seems as if it won't be closed when the puppy is old enough to go home, I will let you know. You really can not tell the difference between a true hernia or a delayed closure unless the hernia is severe, but if as the puppy gets older and the hernia is getting better as he/she grows, then most likely you are just dealing with a delayed closure. Sometimes with the smaller one it just takes a little longer for those muscles to strengthen and is simply a little slower at closing up. It is not uncommon for a umbilical Hernia not to close, almost all are simply cosmetic and do not cause any health concern what so ever, but can be stitched close for very minimal cost at the time of spay/neuter if desired. Almost all "inguinal hernias" are simply delayed closures and require no medical help.
True inguinal hernias are actually rare in shih Tzu's. Almost all inguinal hernias (actually delayed closures) are completely healed by 4-6 mos of age. I believe delayed closures are very common in the shih tzu and even though I have had delayed closures I rarely get a true inguinal hernia that I feel will need to be surgically repaired. If I believe they will need to be repaired I will let you know before the puppy is purchased.
Umbilical Hernias
Umbilical hernias really are of little concern and are very common in the Shih Tzu breed. They usually show up at around 2-5 weeks of age and some of them will close on their own by around 6 mos of age (delayed closure). If it is large enough that it is "in the way" then it probably should be closed up when the puppy is spayed/neutered if it hasn't closed on it's own, very large hernias should always be closed up so the muscle doesn't close up around it and cause internal injury (however this is very rare to have a umbilical hernia that is large enough to become strangulated or harm the dog). A lot of Vets will do it free of charge or for a small fee as long as they are already spaying or neutering the dog. An umbilical hernia is usually a small soft bump where your puppies umbilical cord was (their belly button) and for whatever reason the muscle failed to close up. There are a couple of reasons why a puppy gets an umbilical hernia. Because of a shih tzu's uneven bite, sometimes the moms tend to have a harder time "cutting the cord" and will tug, pull or even chew to close to the skin or sometimes a difficult delivery and the puppy had to be pulled out. Most breeders will not allow the mom to chew the cord as to prevent a hernia. Myself, I assist in the entire birthing process and cut the cords for her. If you get hernias consistently from the same dog and the breeder has cut the cords and not allowed the mom to chew them, then this is most likely inherited (but could be from the mom or dad or the combination of both) Sometimes they just simply pop up out of no where. Very very rarely is an umbilical hernia any health concern what so ever. They are quite common in the Shih Tzu and are easily fixed if so desired.
Inguinal Hernias
You can not tell if a puppy has a true Inguinal hernia until they are at least 5-6 mos old. They are almost always just delayed closures.
An inguinal hernia is the result of abdominal organs, fat or tissue protruding through the inguinal ring. Inguinal hernias are skin-covered bulges in the groin area. They can be bilateral, involving both sides, and unilateral, involving only one side. Inguinal hernias are more common in females than males, but do occur in both sexes. Most all inguinal hernias will shrink and disappear as the puppy grows, although you must keep an eye on the size of the hernia. I recommend you push the tissue back into the cavity a couple of times a day or whenever you notice it "sticking out" (if it is on the larger side). Small Inguinal hernias are of little concern and do generally close up on their own. As with an umbilical hernia, if it hasn't not closed up on it's own by the time it is time to spay or neuter your puppy, then I recommend to have a vet close it up at that time. Very Small inguinal hernia's usually would be fine if left, but I recommend to play it safe and just have it fixed when the puppy is spay/neutered if you are at all concerned about it. Large inguinal hernias if ignored could potentially cause a health concern for the dog if the muscles closes up around the hernia and strangles it. However this would not happen if you are pushing in the bump and you get it corrected if it is still present by 6 mos of age. True permanent inguinal hernias are rare in the Shih Tzu.
Quick note on repairing hernias: Since most all inguinal are not true hernia's they heal on their own, there is no sense in risking the health of a puppy on an unnecessary surgery or having to have two surgeries when it could be done with just the one surgery at the time of their spay/neuter.
Open Fontanel
An open Fontanel is the puppies soft spot on the top of the head. Typically soft spots close by the time the puppy reaches 2-3 months of age and some close right away. Sometimes you will have a puppy that the skull never quite closes all the way or takes a little longer. This is usually of little concern and can be very common in the smaller/imperial Shih Tzu's. If the soft spot is unusually large and never heals over then you do have to be careful with the puppies head, just like a newborn baby. It isn't common that a soft spot is large enough to cause a concern. Some Veterinaries are not used to the imperial or smaller Shih Tzu's and will jump to conclusions just because they feel a slight open fontanel. Please do not be alarmed by the open fontanel as a good reputable breeder does and will know the difference.
Hypoglycemia
Shih-tzu puppies do not have a large fat reserve, so it is essential that these puppies eat small meals frequently. Missing a meal, change their environment, vacationing/travel, parties, excessive play, and stress, can cause these puppies to have dangerously low glucose levels (hypoglycemia). Once a puppy’s glucose levels are low, he might become too confused to eat and could refuse food even though it is the only thing that will help him. Even a brief period of fasting in a toy breed puppy can trigger a hypoglycemic “attack”. The symptoms of hypoglycemia are weakness, confusion, excessive drinking with vomiting, listless, or wobbly gait. We recommend giving 1/2 tsp of clear Karo syrup, maple syrup, or honey all work quickly, and followed with softened solid food. If the puppy doesn't immediately receive treatment in the form of sugar the puppy will progress to having seizures and will eventually be comatose will occur if a puppy’s glucose levels are allowed to drop too low. This is why it is so critical that your new puppy has consent access to food and water. Although hypoglycemia does not occur frequently, it could happen and early detection is the key to preventing any serious problems.
If your shih-tzu puppy does not seem to be interested in eating then he must be coaxed to eat. If he doesn't show interest in the dry food then there are several different foods we recommend to stimulate their appetite: Soft can puppy food, a jar of chicken baby food, one tablespoon of Karo syrup, cottage cheese, cooked diced chicken breast, all will work well and entice them to eat. If your shih-tzu puppy is not interested in eating this from the bowl, try putting the food on your finger for the puppy to lick off, or place the food in the puppy’s mouth with a syringe or medicine dropper.
If your dog eats something they shouldn't
Dogs eat just about anything – so if your pet devours something toxic, you can use hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting. Give them one teaspoon per five pounds of body weight, and repeat once if needed. (Call your vet, too.)