Shih Tzu Pet Insurance

BOAS makes breathing difficult, and dogs who suffer from it struggle even with gentle exercise. Surgery is sometimes necessary to open the airway. Flat-faced dogs can suffer from this.

This can be a problem with Shih Tzus due to overcrowding of teeth in their short jaws. Read our article on dental insurance for dogs if you need more information.

A hormone disorder in which the body produces too much cortisol. Lifelong medication manages the condition.

These include dry eye (which produces a lack of tears), cataracts, Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and retinal detachment, which can lead to blindness.

Problems can include allergies and atopic dermatitis.

A condition in which the kidney does not develop properly and leads to failure at a young age.

Shih Tzus have a long back and short legs, which means they’re prone to back issues like slipped discs.

To keep your puppy healthy, always ensure the breed carries out all health tests for both parents before they mate. The tests include:

• general veterinary health check
• hip and elbow scoring
• eye testing
• inherited disease/DNA testing
• deafness testing
• respiratory function

Always follow the advice of your vet. This’ll give your Shih Tzu the best start in life.

Pick good-quality, complete food, and don’t feed them too much.

Exercise them regularly. Their flat-faced nature makes breathing difficult in hot conditions, so exercise them in the early morning or late evening on hot days.

It’s a good idea for your Shih Tzu to have an annual health check with your vet so that any issues can be picked up early.

Most owners combine this with their pet's yearly vaccination boosters.

remember insurance doesn't typically cover routine visits. - remind yourself about what vet bills insurers cover.

An adult Shih Tzu needs up to an hour of exercise each day. Try to split into two or three shorter walks rather than one long one, with plenty of time for sniffing along the way.

As mentioned, due to being a flat-faced breed, you shouldn’t exercise Shih Tzus on hot days as there’s a risk of them overheating. Try to exercise them earlier or later in the day; if this isn’t possible, give your dog a mental workout indoors using games, training or puzzle feeders.

Shih Tzus are intelligent and friendly, making them relatively easy to train despite being a little headstrong at times. Start training as early as possible.

They respond best to positive reinforcement training, which uses rewards instead of punishment. Speak to your vet if you want local dog trainers or training classes.

Feed your Shih Tzu good-quality, complete food.

The amount of food depends on a dog’s size and life stage, so follow the guidelines given on the food packaging or consult your vet.

Rather than feeding one big meal a day, vets say it is better to split a dog’s daily allowance into two or more small meals to spread their energy intake.

It’s important to monitor your Shih Tzu’s weight so they stay healthy. Overweight or obese dogs are at a much higher risk of developing conditions like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

You can read more about insurance for overweight pets.

Remember to factor in treats when calculating how much your dog eats per day.

Shih Tzus take a lot of effort to maintain. They’ll need daily brushing to remove knots and matting.

Keep your dog’s fur clipped unless you intend to take yours to shows. We recommend taking your Shih Tzu every 6-8 weeks.

The hair around a Shih Tzu’s mouth and nose should be trimmed to help keep it clean as food can get trapped. Trapped food can make their skin sore and lead to infection.

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