01
Tear Staining
Tear staining is a very common problem in the Shih Tzu. Mild tear staining is of very little consequence and is almost expected to a certain degree. That being said, I feel it is a very under rated problem when it becomes more than just mild. Tear staining is generally caused by yeast overgrowth around the eye area from constant moisture. Some dogs have more eye drainage than others. The problem is when yeast overgrowth is more severe, it causes the skin to be painful and raw. It moves through the body and cause yeast over growth between their paws, in the eye area and in the ears. When yeast gets out of control internally in a dog it can be painful and itchy for them and you not even realize it. Some people look at tear staining as purely cosmetic and if very mild, it is. However I feel strongly that anything other than mild tear staining, should be taken care of . Food allergies are one of the main causes of Yeast overgrowth. too many or low quality grains as well as allergies to the specific proteins in foods. Specifically Chicken based food has a higher likelihood of causing issues and Fish based foods are least likely. Please be mindful as to whether or not your dogs has mild tear staining or excessive and painful yeast overgrowth.
02
Tight Nostrils/Stenotic Nares
Tight nostrils/Stenotic Nares are very VERY common in the Shih Tzu breed. A lot of people think that tight nostrils and Stenotic Nares are the same thing. Technically they are, but In my mind tight nostrils will be out grown for the most part, Whereas Stenotic Nares, may be a big issue their entire lives. It is really common for probably about 1/4 of my puppies to have their nostrils collapse when they start teething. Some of those puppies can’t breath out of their noses almost at all during this time, but as long as they are active and eating and drinking normally it is of little concern. A good portion of them might be a little snorty when they get older but will mostly out grow it after they are done teething. A small issue with tight Nostrils isn’t a huge concern. Some dogs will have tighter nostrils than others.
Stenotic Nares on the other hand , does not go away as the dog grows. 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. If the puppies Stenotic Nares are so severe that they can not breath at all or very very little through their nose, they don’t out grow it and seem to really struggle. I recommend finding a vet that can do the Stenotic Nares surgery. if your not sure if he/she will out grow it and would like to have it done when the puppy is spay/neutered, it is usually cheaper and safer to do it all at once.
03
Umbilical Hernia
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. It is typically genetic but other things can cause it as well included the mom pulling and tugging on the umbilical cord at birth. Umbilical hernias are usually small and are of little concern and are very common in the Shih Tzu breed. They are usually viewable at around 2-4 weeks of age and some of them will close on their own by 1 yr of age(delayed closure). If it is large enough that it is “in the way” or excessive tissue/fat seems to be protruding, then it probably should be closed up when the puppy is spayed/neutered. Larger hernia’s rarely close on their own, but is also usually not an emergency or urgent. Definitely consult your vet if it is a concern. It is usually a small fee to have it fixed at the time of spay/neuter.
04
Open Fontanel
(Common in tiny imperial Shih Tzu’s)
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. If it is so large that extra caution has to be taken then you need to look at other health concerns that could cause the opening to be extra large. Some Veterinaries are not familiar with the smaller Shih Tzu and might comment on it, but it is typically of very little concern, except just to be careful of their head. there are health issues the can cause an open fontanel, but in my puppies and most small Shih Tzu, it is not due to health issues and is just how they are made. 🙂
05
Luxating Patella (loose knee)
This is a condition in which the patella/knee dislocates. The luxating Patella under most circumstances often has no or very mild symptoms. Luxating Patella can and does happen periodically in the smaller breeds, but is generally mild. This condition is very common in the Shih Tzu Not all luxating Patella needs medical intervention. Luxating Patella has different grades. Grades 1-2 is considered very mild and the puppy could very likely grow out it or will cause no long term effects or complications (this is most common). Grades 3-4 Should probably be addressed by a veterinarian. They could potentially be more serious and need medical intervention and could potentially cause more long term damage and pain for the adult dog. A dog with Luxating Patella must stay at a good healthy weight so it does not create issues worsening with the knee/knees. Most dogs, if kept at a good weight, will live a healthy pain free life even with a loose knee. that being said I recommend weight control food if he/she has a tendency to over eat and glucosamine supplement if your dogs has any slipping of the knees at any level..
06
Hair Issues and Prapso Puppies
Not every Shih Tzu’s hair is the same. They do not shed, but some Shih Tzu’s do lose hair more than others. Not every shih tzu grows hair at the same rate. Some have flowing long tails and/or ears in no time, others it takes longer and some Shih Tzu simply wont grow their tail or ear hair to the ground. Some shih Tzu’s have hair that would never come out and sometimes their hair can be more easily pulled out. some have a think undercoat others have fine undercoat. All of which could be normal, however if you want a show dog, you will want to make sure that your puppy has the hair for it 🙂
There is one Condition that I believe is common, yet a lot of breeders do not know about it or realize their puppies have it. I feel strongly people should be educated about it. They are called Prapso puppies, I am attaching an article I wrote concerning this interesting phenomenon. See Below
PRAPSO PUPPIES:
Occasionally in a litter of perfectly healthy and wonderful Shih Tzu puppies you will get a puppy that seems to be a little different as far as their hair growth goes. You generally don’t notice this until the puppy is around 6 weeks old and sometimes later depending on whether you have a partial or a full Prapso puppy. Most people have not heard of this condition. It used to be primarily thought of as a Lhasa Apso Condition, because that is where it was seen most often. They called them “smooth haired” Lhasa’s. The word “Prapso” started in Australia. From the phrase “perhaps an Apso” This “condition” however is not limited to the Lhasa Apso. It is periodically seen in the Shih Tzu as well as other Tibetan breeds.
So just what is a Prapso? Prapso puppies are an interesting occurrence. They are perfectly healthy little babies. A Prapso puppy will sometimes mature faster than his litter mates, usually will open their eyes earlier than normal, They will get a full set of teeth much earlier than their littler mates. In general they tend to have a more rambunctious personality. They also, for whatever reason, are thought to be slightly smarter than other dogs of their breed. But what is most noticeable is their shorter than average hair for their breed. In a full Prapso they will have shorter smooth hair, generally over their entire body however their muzzles and legs are generally shorter than their body, a Lhasa Apso looks almost identical to a Tibetan Spaniel if he/she is a full Prapso puppy. You can also have a partial Prapso, which is what I have seen in the Shih Tzu. A partial Prapso will generally have longer hair on the body, but it may not grow to the ground like a flowing show coat. There may be long hair on the face and head where your typical top knots can be done, but generally right around the muzzle will stay short and the legs will be shorter than the body, They can grow longer than a “smooth hair” look, but generally will not grow as long as typically seen on a Shih Tzu, but their hair will still have a straighter/smoother appearance with a slightly different texture than a typical Shih Tzu. Prapso puppies/dogs make excellent pets. You get the loving, fun, playful and loyal personality of the Shih Tzu without all the hard work of the long coat and profuse hair. If you keep your shih tzu in the shorter coat then the shorter hair is a non-issue.
Prapso’s are not uncommon. The problem is a lot of breeders do not know about this condition and as a result does not recognize the signs. Reputable breeders that are aware of this will simply sell the Prapso as a pet and educate potential buyers about how their puppy will be different, if it is possible to tell before the puppy goes to his/her new home. A buyer can and usually will be very confused and disappointed in their puppy if they are not educated about this condition. If the buyer is looking for a show-quality Shih Tzu, the puppy or dog could then suffer from the results of a disappointed buyer, he could wind up in a shelter or worse homeless. A loving pet owner could spend unnecessary time and money and mental anguish trying to figure out what is “wrong” with their puppy . The Prapso puppy makes an absolutely wonderful, smart, affectionate, playful, somewhat low maintenance alternative to their breed standard counterparts. People that have owned Prapso’s are known to ask for another one as they realize what a joy they really are. The Prapso puppy is nothing to be ashamed of.
Let me start by saying, none of my parents produce Prapso puppies…but that hasn’t always been the case. Hense, why I have done a bit of research on this subject. On the breeder side of things, obviously, most breeders do not produce a Prapso puppy on purpose. They can just “pop up” every once in a while and no one really knows why. There are a lot of breeders that have had a litter or more with a Prapso puppy. There are theories that the Tibetan spaniel was mixed into the Lhasa and Shih Tzu breed many many years ago in Tibet, and they are the result of this practice. Some people just believe it is a genetic mutation that for whatever reason results in this characteristic. I personally do not believe this is a receive Gene..I believe only one parent has to carry it, base on my experiences many years ago. A male Stud that produces Prapso puppies should be handled a little more careful as obviously they can produce many many offspring. Litters that a male produces should be closely tracked and bred carefully, just because he is a carrier doesn’t mean all of his puppies will be prapso, however there is that chance of them carrying for it. Another words just because a litter is born with a prapso you can not assume both parents carried for it as mostly likely only one of the parents were a carrier. There are those breeders that have actually got requests for another Prapso and therefore have purposely produced Prapso’s. This has been seen mostly with the full Lhasa Prapso’s as you get the temperament of the Lhasa, without the hassle of all the hair. This would generally be frowned upon with most show breeders, however most breeders each have their own reasons as to why they breed and what their goals are for their programs.
In the end a Prapso puppy is a perfectly healthy pet that can bring you years of love and affection. Here are some pictures of Prapso puppies.
The first picture I found on the internet on a “rip off report” this poor buyer is sure they didn’t get a pure bred shih Tzu due to his “different look”. I would bet $1,000,000 this sweet baby is absolutely pure bred, however……he/she is a FULL Prapso puppy and has an obviously different look due to his short smooth coat. It give his/her face the appearance of a longer snout (which he may or may not have), because of the short hair. Look at him/her compared to a smaller regular Shih Tzu. If this is your photo and you do not approve of me using it please feel free to email me as I couldn’t find an owner to get permission, but was a wonderful example of this condition. This breeder should have informed this buyer of the hair difference on their baby to avoid any unnecessary heart ache. He/she is very cute, but obviously has a different look.
The second and third picture is past puppies of mine (many years ago)….they are the cutest things in the entire world!!! however you can clearly see they have a different look than you typically see in a Shih Tzu…..much like you see in the first picture. I placed theire daddy in a loving pet home as I do not intend on breeding for prapso puppies on purpose and this is something he carried for. Placing my adults is one of the hardest things I have to do as a breeder!