Team My Angel Shih Tzu
Stomach ailments affect dogs as badly as humans, especially toy breeds. Seeing your beloved dog suffering from stomach pain, vomiting, breathing problems, diarrhea, and eye issues is a very heartbreaking reality for a pet parent. Shih tzu stomach issues are very common.
If these small breed dogs take any extra diet or any germs or bacteria reach their digestive tract, they start to have gas vomiting, diarrhea, and bloating issues in which the dog stops eating and drinking. The body becomes completely dehydrated. As a result, indigestion takes place.
However, some tests are performed to resolve these stomach issues, or treatment is started by upgrading the dog’s diet to yogurt, honey, or a blended diet. No need to get upset from upset stomach problems of the canine; I have made this guide for you. All the causes, symptoms, and treatments are listed, making it easy for you to prepare a special diet for your dog and protect him from digestive problems.
This small breed of dog has a very loving nature, so when their owners continuously ignore them, they get stressed, which causes them to have digestive issues. But there are many other health concerns that can cause stomach issues within this toy breed, such as:
So, to save your dog, a pet parent has to take steps to find out the real reason and avoid those reasons that make your beloved dog sick.
My dog has a recurring fever, loss of appetite, and indigestion. Stressed and tired of searching. What’s the issue? After thorough research, I have listed some basic reasons for shih tzu stomach issues. Such as:
and more. Let’s check it out in detail to know the cause of canine stomach pain!
This condition emerges when you suddenly change your dog’s diet in an unusual way; this drastic change also affects the feeding behavior and your dog’s stomach badly. Therefore, veterinarians always recommend that small amounts of food be transitioned, such as five percent at first, then 10 percent, then 50 percent, and finally, a completely new diet introduced to the pal so his stomach can’t get upset.
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According to an estimate, about 25 percent of Shih Tzu dogs suffer from different food allergies. The main reason is that their compact digestive system allows these dogs to digest extra-specific food. Interestingly, these dogs are picky eaters, so taking any extra protein, fat, flavored food preservative, or gluten diet out of their diet causes stomach upset, vomiting, nausea, and digestive issues.
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Foods to avoid:
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One of the most common causes of digestive problems in dogs can be infections. Whenever a foreign particle enters the dog’s digestive tract, intestines, or stomach, it causes inflammation, leading to an upset stomach. If your dog discovers trash or puts his tongue on the ground too much, or if his food bowl is not cleaned properly, in these situations, he can get bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections that can affect his bowel movement or stomach badly.
| Bacterial infection | Caused by salmonella bacteria present in half-cooked meat. |
| Viral infection | Parvovirus, coronavirus, or gastritis cause digestive pain, vomiting, weight loss, and appetite in dogs. |
| Parasitic infection | Parasite roundworms, ringworms, and giardia are the killer parasites that upset the stomach badly. |
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These small living partners become sensitized very quickly if their pet parents do not give them the attention they used to, or if they are uncomfortable in their living space, they can also become victims of stress. So stress and anxiety in dogs can also cause shih tzu stomach upset.
Here are a few Underlying medical conditions: kile pancreatitis, gastrointestinal disorders, and genetic disorders that lead to canine stomach pain.
| Pancreatitis | Production of less digestive enzymes that may cause indigestion and vomiting. |
| Gastrointestinal disorder | Parasites or bacteria cause these issues |
| Genetics | Genetically, some Shih Tzu dogs have weak stomachs that lead to gas or indigestion. |
Digestive issues in dogs are very easy to detect. In this situation, dogs stop eating and drinking, become depressed, stop taking fluids and water, their immune system becomes weak, their stomachs become blotchy, and so lose their appetite. Some common symptoms are found in dogs when they are going through a digestive problem, making it easy for the pet parent to know that your dog has a stomach problem. Let’s see what those signs are:
Symptoms:
Note:
Do not take these symptoms of digestive issues lightly. If you are concerned about your dog’s health, take your dog to the vet immediately.
As mentioned earlier, digestive tract infections are very common in shih tzu, making a pet parent easily guess that your dog is having a stomach ache. Still, sometimes, we don’t judge these symptoms sitting at home. Therefore, in this situation, you need a veterinary doctor who will do a good examination of your dog, and after that, he will tell the reason for the stomach pain; the digestive issue can be diagnosed in two ways.
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In this method, the veterinary doctor will ask questions about your dog and its history regarding its diet and tell you the cause of stomach pain after examining it properly.
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If your dog has had abdominal pain for a long time, vomiting and diarrhea that has been very prolonged, or bloat and gas production in the stomach is excessive. In this situation, Shih Tzu needs a diagnostic test that can be done in three ways!
| Fecal test | This stool examination test is ideal to know about the digestive health of the canine. Use to identify:
|
| Blood test | A Complete blood count test identifies inflammation, foreign particles, and infection in the digestive tract. |
| Other methods(imaging,examining) | An endoscopy or ultrasound is done to know the reason for canine stomach pain. |
After diagnosing the cause of stomach upset, few treatments are used to improve the Shih Tzu’s digestive health.
| Dietary change | The first thing to try is to give your dog a blended diet, such as a little rice with a yogurt, or use a hypoallergenic diet for canines. |
| Probiotics | Also, include probiotics, i.e., digestive enzymes, in your dog’s diet or take a supplement of a formula of pro and prebiotics. |
| Medication | Suppose your dog suffers from a viral bacterial or parasitic digestive infection. In that case, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics and anti-nausea drugs, which you should give to your dog according to the doctor’s instructions. |
| Hydration | Remember that digestive issues cause dogs to have electrolyte imbalances that can be addressed through hydration, so use fluids such as salted water to prevent hydration. |
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Here are a few preventive measures that every pet parent has to take for their furry fellow:
We can also improve our dog’s digestive health by following some home remedies like fasting for 12 and 24 hours, which will neutralize the acidity in your dog’s stomach, by offering small amounts of water every time. Further, Use a blended diet with more pumpkin puree for digestive health.
Finally, you will understand all these topics: What can I give my shih tzu for an upset stomach? After reading this article thoroughly, I realize our responsibility is to care for our dog’s digestive health. As beautiful as these small breed dogs are, they have very sensitive stomachs, so avoid all foods that can cause allergies in your dog and try to improve your dog’s diet plan. Please visit our website for more info!
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