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7 Tips To Keep Your Pet Safe On Halloween
Children aren't the only ones who should be closely monitored on Halloween. The holiday can be a scary and dangerous time for your pet as well. By following some simple tips you can keep your pet safe and comfortable without infringing on the...
Feral Cats - Society's Problem Children
There is a lot of talk going on about what to do with the issue of feral cat population. Some measures have been proposed which will allow residents to kill what they perceive to be feral cats on their property. This suggestion has caused a bit of...
"First Aid for Felines - How to Keep Your Car Safe from Harm"
Cats are known for their curious and adventurous nature. Curiosity doesn't always kill the cat, but can often cause injury. The owner will likely have to get the cat stabilized before taking it to the veterinarian. Any home with a cat should have...
How To Choose Your Boxer Dog
An easier and more pleasant journey with your chosen Boxer starts with checking out the parent dogs for unbecoming traits like aggression, hyperactive and extreme shyness. This is easier to do when you get your Boxer from a reputable breeder or...
Shih Tzu - Train Your Shih Tzu Using Rewards And Positive Reinforcement
Training shih tzu and all dog breeds using positive
reinforcement and reward training has long been recognized as
both highly effective for the owner and a positive experience
for the dog. Positive reinforcement training is so important
that it...
Three Steps to Reduce Holiday Stress for Your Kitty
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated - send to nancy@cat-urine-odor-advisor.com The annual holidays can...
Training your dog the reward training way
Reward training is often seen as the most modern method of training a dog, but reward training is probably much older than other methods of dog training. It is possible that reward training for dogs has been around as long as there have been dogs to...
Tumors in Tropical Fish
Tropical fish are like other species in many respects, and that includes the fact that they have diseases or disorders that may resemble those of other animals, but are specific to the fish themselves. One good example is tumors. Just as humans,...
What’s The Best Diet For A Pregnant Cat?
Pregnant cats have to eat for two, three, four, five, even six cats. So her regular meal is just not enough. What should you give instead? Pregnant and lactating queens need more calories than normal. However, you won’t have to force her to eat....
"You Can Help Reduce the Number of Unwanted Cats - Spaying and Neutering of Cats"
Every year, hundreds of thousands of cats and kittens are destroyed because they are unwanted. Animal shelters that take in these animals and try to find them homes are overcrowded. With so many animals in need, they cannot support all animals...
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The Shih Tzu: Common Health Issues
Although disease affects all different breeds of dog, certain
breeds are more prone to certain ailments than others, due to
their particular anatomical structure, genetic make-up, or other
factors. In this article, we will briefly describe some of the
most common ailments that affect the Shih Tzu.
Eyes and Ears: Because of the anatomical structure of the Shih
Tzu's head, their eyes are especially vulnerable to being
injured. This can be caused by collisions with foreign objects,
encounters with other animals, rough play, etc. Eye injuries are
probably the most avoidable of all ailments that affect the Shih
Tzu and can be prevented to a large degree by providing a safe
environment for the dog to play in, with special care taken to
removal of potentially injurious objects. Shih Tzu should always
be supervised when interacting with other animals and should
discouraged from rough play. Another important preventive
measure 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 at
a reasonable length as it protects the eyes from dirt and debris.
A genetically linked disease that often affects the Shih Tzu is
Progressive Retinal Atrophy, or PRA. PRA is basically the de
generation of the retina and retinal tissue over time and can
lead to blindness at an early age. If a dog is suspected of
having PRA, veterinary care should be provided. As PRA is an
inheritable disease, dogs that suffer from the affliction should
not be bred.
Shih Tzu are also very susceptible to ear
infections. Ear
infections are generally not serious and can be treated easily
by a veterinarian. Some preventive methods include keeping the
inside of the ears immaculately clean and free of hair and other
debris.
Bones, Joints, and Internal Organs: Another genetically linked
disease that affects ShihTzu is Hip Dysplasia. Hip Dysplasia is
a degenerative disease that affects the function of the
ball-and-socket joint of the hip. This can be an extremely
debilitating 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 normal
kidney function which, in turn, affects the overall health of
the dog. Although Renal Dysplasia is more prevalent in older
dogs, it can also affect young puppies and in some cases, can be
fatal. Dog with Renal Dysplasia should not be part of any
breeding program.
Other Concerns: Just as in humans, some Shih Tzu suffer from
abnormal thyroid function. This can be treated with medication
prescribed by a veterinarian, although the dog may have need of
the medication for the entirety of their lives.
Shih Tzu also seem to be prone to certain types of allergies
including food allergies, flea allergies, and hypersensitivity
to environmental substances. This can lead to any number of
secondary ailments, such as irritated skin, hair loss, and
overall poor health. Allergy testing can be performed by a
veterinarian and can be treated with medication.
About the author:
Learn more about Dogs and Puppies on Don Krnel's site
http://www.dogsandpuppies.info
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