Team My Angel Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu dogs are unbeatable in their lustrous long hair and beauty. I admire this toy breed’s loving nature and best companionship abilities. But I have suffered a lot of heartbreaking situations for my pals Custer and Jammy, who are suffering from allergies. Short-nose dogs are prone to different types of Shih Tzu allergies.
Due to the double coat and long hairs, fungi and bacteria (allergens) can easily penetrate deep into Shih Tzu dog skin and cause rash bumps and redness. Therefore, proper care and maintenance are needed to keep your furry fellow safe from Shih Tzu dog skin problems and food allergies.
About 20% of Shih Tzu dogs have allergies. Due to their extra sensitive immune system, they are easily affected by environmental factors and foods. Allergies in Tzu are challenging to diagnose, but treatments are available. Let’s be with me in the pet parenting journey to keep your dog safe from ear, eye, skin, and yeast infections by learning all the basics of shih tzu dog allergies!
Allergies in toy breed dogs have similar symptoms, so it can be difficult for pet parents and veterinarians to detect which type of allergy your dog is suffering from. However, it’s important to know how many types of allergies dogs can have so pet parents can easily take preventive measures to eliminate the allergy cause. After thorough research, I have discussed the causes and symptoms of each type of allergy for pet owners.
Food allergies are very common in Shih Tzu dog breeds. If dogs ingest chemical preservatives or flavoring agents in their food or supplements, they can start to develop symptoms of Shih Tzu food allergies. Remember that high-gluten ingredients are also a reason for food allergies.
Picture Credit: Get Pharmacy Advice – Yandex
| Symptoms | Causes |
| Nausea | Wheat |
| Stomach upset | Animal protein |
| Anxiety | Fillers |
| Diarrhea | Preservatives |
| Vomiting | Dairy products |
| Loss of appetite |
As a pet parent, it becomes very difficult to protect dogs from environmental allergies. When your dog interacts with any allergen, such as mold dust mist, in the environment, his immune system immediately reacts against the allergen, causing red rashes, breathing problems, and bumps on the skin. For pet parents like me, it is a very difficult situation to see your lovely furry fellow in pain and itching.
Picture Credit: iheartdogs – Yandex
| Symptoms | Causes |
| Itching | Dust |
| Scratching | Mold |
| Scaling | Mist |
| Wounds | Bacterial infection |
| Skin and ear infections | Fungus |
| Licking | |
| Rubbing the face and eyes |
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Flea allergic dermatitis (FAD) is a painful allergy type in pals with a hyperreactive immune system. As the flea bites, the canine’s lesion and redness become very itchy. FAD is detected by an Allergy test and dirt from a flea on the dog’s skin.
| Symptoms | Causes |
| itching | Flea bite |
| Hair loss | |
| Scabs on the skin | |
| Rash or red patches on the skin | |
| Redness | |
| Anxiety |
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Contact allergies affect dogs very severely because they show an allergic reaction on your dog’s skin when the dog comes in contact with any allergen, whether on the plastic, carpet, or in the air. Shih Tzu’s immune system immediately becomes active and reacts in the form of redness and rashes. In some severe cases, temperature and vomiting are also observed.
| Symptoms | Causes |
| inflamed skin | Carpet |
| rashes or hives | Plastic bowl |
| licking | Dirty air |
| chewing of skin or paws | |
| Red spots |
Detecting a Shih Tzu allergy is difficult as the toy breed develops symptoms very late. Secondly, every dog’s immune system has its response against allergens, but it depends on the age of your dog or its skin type. Some common symptoms are seen in every shih tzu dog with allergies I have researched and listed so pet parents can see whether their canine has an allergy or other health issue.
Symptoms of allergy:
Note:
As advised, if you see any of the above symptoms in your Furry fellow, know a veterinarian and prescribe particular medication for the dog; otherwise, the allergy worsens and becomes more problematic for pet owners.
Sometimes, the symptoms of allergies become so severe that it becomes tough for any pet parent to control them. So it is essential to keep a close eye on your dog when he is itching or has red spots on his body, and if you feel that the itching and skin rash has become too much and are out of your control, of course, Veterinary consultation should be taken. Take your dog to a good vet and get him allergy tested. Allergy testing is used to diagnose allergies in any dog. Let’s check out some allergy testing methods!
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| Blood sample test | Blood testing is done to detect food allergies. This enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is a highly accurate blood test that detects which antigen-antibody complex is forming that is the cause of the allergy. It is also precise for canines but more precise for humans. |
| Intradermal test |
|
| Inspection | Sitting at home, you can inspect for Shih Tzu and skin allergies and remove certain things in your dog’s food that can cause allergies or change its environment. |
No doubt, shih tzu skin allergy treatments are very expensive and time-consuming, but if pet parents take some preventive measures after allergy detection in shih tzus, canine allergy symptoms can be avoided, and in the long run, allergy will be eliminated.
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Picture Credit: The pet supruce – Yandex
If you, like me, want your furry fellow to be wholly cured of allergies, you can turn to these two treatments for your dog.
You will be shocked to know, as I was, that we can completely protect our dogs from shih tzu dog skin problems if we take the following preventive measures to protect our beloved dog from allergies.
Picture Credit: Pupvine – Yandex
Here are some natural remedies to treat shih tzu skin problems like:
| Oatmeal bath | Oatmeal baths are the best home shih tzu skin allergy treatments. They soothe the dog’s itchy skin. |
| Coconut oil | To reduce inflammation, use coconut oil massage on the skin. |
| Apple cider | Use apple cider turmeric in dog food to reduce itching and inflammation. |
Furthermore, pet parents should keep the dog’s environment clean and free of allergens like dust and mist that cause allergies. Further, try to purchase hypoallergenic products like shampoo and conditioner.
Finally, dogs are our best companions, so if they have any shih tzu dog allergies, we should show the most protective behaviors towards them. We should avoid all the environmental and food factors that cause skin or food allergies or environmental allergies in dogs so that our dogs can grow well. Also, keep in mind all the factors that can trigger allergies in your dog so that steps can be taken to eliminate them.
Further, get your dog for regular veterinary check-ups and keep giving all antihistamines and anti-allergy medicines so that the allergy is completely gone. Visit our website for more information!
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