[Michael D]

UPDATE: Here we are 10 years later Jojo is still heatworm free. I lost Bonnie 11yrs old (pitbull) & Bella (Great Dane) 10 yrs old, this year. They were both heartworm free along with Scooter (Shih Tzu) & Lucy (stray from Ennis TX). I live in the Piney woods of east Texas now. Back in October another stray showed up, I named him Buddy he’s some kind of hound mix. I’ll keep you posted on his heartworm status. I’ve only been using Guinness for hearworm prevention since 2015 when Jojo tested positive. I wish I could find the original article I had found when I first heard about using Guinness. A co-worker had told me about it, and I had thought it was total bullshit, yet here we are 10 yrs later with 6 dogs, no heartworms and no scientific proof.

[Gunjan M]

I’ve been following your post right from the beginning, and it’s been truly captivating to read. I want to extend my gratitude to you for sharing such an excellent blog. Please continue to provide regular updates.

Shih Tzu Dog Price
German Shepherd Price
Golden Retriever Price

[Bruce M]

Has anyone considered using Elastin Supplements for their little ones?

Afterall, not only is the cartilage a problem, but so is the membrane.
Glucosamine and L-Carnitane aid in maintaining a healthy “C” formed cartilage…but there’s still the issue with a sagging membrane.

Chewy, my Shih-Tzu/Laso-Apso mix was diagnosed with Tracheal Collapse, along with a slight dip in his esophogus, just before his stomach. One Dr. dx’ed him w/a slightly enlarged Left atrium, which could be abutting the esophogus.

After MANY HOURS of research, I discovered Stanozolol, which is an Anobolic Steroid, which supposedly CURES TC! This info was obtained here:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51054374_Conservative_Management_of_Canine_Tracheal_Collapse_with_Stanozolol_A_Double_Blinded_Placebo_Control_Clinical_Trial

Here:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21496393/

And Lastly, here:
https://www.vin.com/apputil/content/defaultadv1.aspx?id=3846454&pid=11147

As you can see, these aren’t “Mickey Mouse” websites. I’m halfway through the second bottle (60 ml.) and so far, I don’t see major difference.

Chewy is also on MANY different supplements.

Colostrum…
Hawthorne Berry extract…
Collagen…
Manuka honey, Slippery Elm, Lemon Juice & Cinnamon cocktail…
Krill Oil…
Fish Oil…
Milk Thistle (Sillymarin)…
Dandelion Root…
Fera Pet Cardiac Support w/Taurine, CoQ10, Hawthorne berry, L-Carnitine Vit. A…
Flax Seed…
Turmeric w/Biopine…
Green Tea extract…
CBD oil…
Nutri-Gest…
Cell Forte w/IP6.

There are a few others, but they’re MULTI supplement containers.

He doesn’t get these all at once, of course.

The other options for TC…
Surgery (C rings or stent)…
body wrecking pharmacueticals…
Hydrocodone cough syrup (which doesn’t work)…
Euthanasia.

I just wanted to share this, ESPECIALLY if your companion is just showing signs of TC!
DON’T WAIT! When you hear a “Honking Cough”, IMMEDIATELY bring them to your Vet!

If your companion is in the beginning stage of TC (Grade 1 or less), consider the Stanozolol steroid. Include sufficient amounts of Glucosamine & L-Carnitine. This steroid is compounded by a lab HERE: https://www.wedgewoodpharmacy.com/items/stanozolol-oral-oil-suspension.html

Your Veterinarian must have a DEA license to order this. 60 ml bottle costs less than $200.00.

My boy is a GRADE 3 to 4. A Grade 4 is severe. I’m going to order bottle #3 sometime next week. FINGERS CROSSED!

[Regina A]

Hi, our dog when we first rescued him also had a horrible allergies. we didn’t know why. he would lick, chew and scratch at his skin, 24/7. We suspected after many switches it was fish product related.
The only dry dog food we found after years of searching was Dr. Pol’s Healthy balance Chicken Recipe dog food. Based on your list above, I believe the only ingredient it has is flaxseed but perhaps if it’s the only item, even if he may have a slight reaction, it may still be a dramatic improvement over what he’s been having.
If you change dog foods just make sure to slowly add it to the current dog food and gradually increase the amount over at least a couple weeks before changing it completely so you don’t also upset your dog’s tummy and have diarrhea. And remember it can take a a couple months to really see the different it might make. I feel so strongly about it because our dog was really suffering. He’s a light tan shih tzu so we could see his skin was always red and inflamed, including his gums. and where ever he licked his coat was rust colored and felt like wire. Now he has no rust colored spots and his coat is so soft. I couldn’t believe that difference it made. I hope it will at least help. Best Wishes for you and your fur baby.

[Paola P]

Hi there,
My 3 yr old shih tzu has alt at 253 she is on primal raw and homecooked
I am thinking it is her diet and perhaps missing a few supplements so taking her off home cooked and goi g with primal raw mornings and big country raw evenings increasing thrive herring oil as well as adding milk thinsle zinc and eliminating red meat so only duck rabbit fish and turkey
Is this ok do you think?

[Sophie W]

Hi All,

I was wondering if anybody has had a similar situation as I am confused as to what is the problem with my dog. I am going to be as concise as possible so will bullet point Rodney’s issues below:

– He’s an imperial shih tzu and I got him at 8 weeks old in August 2020. Always was a bit of a fussy eater but generally would eat a normal diet of wet dog food and a little bit of kibble once I found a brand he liked.

– As time went on he got fussier and fussier despite me trying loads of different brands (lily’s kitchen, barking heads, butternut box, even homecooked) and would refuse things most other dogs would find irresistible. When he starved himself he would vomit bile, often in the middle of the night so I would try my hardest to get him to eat something. Otherwise he was fine, playful, going to toilet as usual although occasionally stools would be yellowish in colour.

– I was worried so insisted on a blood test. Vet was skeptical as he had no other clinical signs of illness and was surprised when his bloods came back with a very high ALT (in 700’s). Vet asked if he may have been poisoned which was unlikely as he is with me 24/7. Bile acid test normal, low B12. All indicating an issue with the liver (worried it might be shunts) so I took him to an internal medicine specialist who repeated the tests and did an ultrasound scan and needle biopsy (normal size liver, slightly inflamed). Specialist not sure of what might be causing it but advised it may be a gastrointestinal issue so put him on an exclusion novel protein diet (we used venison). Prescribed him liver support medication for 2 weeks and B12 supps for 8 weeks.

– He was re-tested around 3 weeks later after he had finished the support medication and had been on the special diet. ALT had gone down to the 200’s which was good. I was advised to stay on the diet and re-test after the B12 supps had finished, still not sure what caused the spike.

– Wasn’t able to keep him on the novel protein diet as he was refusing to eat which was in turn making him vomit bile on occasion. I started offering him other stuff and his appetite came back with a vengeance. So much so I would say he eats like a normal dog now when before he was sooo abnormal (wouldn’t eat from his bowl, took ages to even sniff the food, generally weird around food). Had his follow up blood test after the b12 supps finished and ALT has crept up to 300 which I think indicates this is some sort of intolerance or gastro issue.

– Advised to now put him on a hydrolysed hypoallergenic diet (royal canin). I will follow the vet advice however I am loathe to do this because he has just started enjoying food properly and behaving normally around it (eating from his bowl unprompted). I am worried he will refuse this new food and will revert back to the starving.

I wondered if anybody has experienced anything similar with their dog? He is so young (just turned 1) that I need to get this sorted as it don’t want this to limit his life. I am also worried that there is something underlying that has been missed – the vets aren’t sure what is causing this but are leaning towards an intolerance. I also wonder why his appetite has returned so much, is this something to do with the b12? I can’t find any info on this on the internet. Anybody had a good experience with their dog on a hydrolysed diet?

Thanks so much in advance!

[Regina A]

I have a Shih Tzu I adopted years ago and he scratched 24/7, licked/chewed at his paws and was rust colored anywhere he licked and around his eyes from his tear stains. When I adopted him the person caring for him mentioned be was being fed a salmon dog food. My vet put him on steroids to provide relief but we knew it wasn’t a long term solution. I tried so many foods and finally landed on Merrick grain free chicken. He was a completely different dog. His coat almost started like a wired coat and became so soft. He stopped itching and he no longer had any rust colored saliva which was evident where he licked or tears. Everything went well for years. Then about a few years ago I noticed that the he wasn’t itching but all of a sudden all his paws were reddish again from where he licked his paws. I noticed my other shih Tzu who never had food allergies started getting rust colored tear stains. That’s when I found out Merrick updated their formula and added more fish meal. I tried to find other foods with less fish product but it was so hard to know since they almost all contain them. I eventually just kept him on Merrick and continued checking from time to time to find something without fish. It wasn’t until just a couple months ago I noticed that Dr. Pol from the TV show has different products. I scoured all the different dog foods and discovered that Dr. Pol’s Healthy Balance Chicken has NO FISH INGREDIENTS. I was so excited to try it out. As soon as I got it I slowly started adding it to the current food to make sure the food change wouldn’t upset their tummies. Both dogs are on the food for over a month now and the results have been AMAZING! Neither one has rust colored paws and another huge benefit is that I realized not only are their tear stains clear but they have FAR less eye discharge/boogers. I hardly have to clean their eyes. This worked wonders for my allergy prone male shih tzu bit it made me realize that even for the dogs who aren’t seemingly as affected like my little female, they actually still are. I hope Dr. Pol never changes his Healthy Balance Chicken formula!!

[Camilla L]

Hey!
So I have a 17 year old shih tzu, I have previously tried to make her homemade dog food like boiled chicken and rice. But it would give her diarrhea for days. So I went back to dog food.
I just had a baby and my dog been feeling a little down and replaced I feel like so I wanted to do something good for her. So I decided to try again with homemade food. This time I made her salmon with a little bit of hard boiled egg. This was the evening two days ago. And she started to have diarrhea again yesterday and it’s still ongoing as I write this. I don’t understand this cause when she eats the things I would try to give her homemade she gets constant gas’s and strings of diarrhea but when I buy the same in Canned dog food she is perfectly fine!! And I don’t give her a lot of the homemade food either I give her dog food all day and then before bed like 3 tbs of the homemade smooshed food. I just straight up boiled the food no spices or nothing else. Just boiled meats. What’s going on here? Is homemade not better then store bought canned food??

[Eden M]

I gave my 14 yrs old shih tzu Frontline plus Sunday midnight , by 3am Sunday , he started pacing around the room, which is not him, as he sleeps all night .I don’t give it to him monthly, only if he had to go to the groomer as prevention .Monday night, he barely slept . Tuesday , we went to the groomer. That night,he didn’t sleep , he would just pace around the room, stand on the corner and just stare at us. Wednesday , I took him to the vet. He said that Frontline has some reactions to older dogs , even if my dog is on it since a puppy. He advised us to bathe him with Down dishwashing soap and if it does not help, will start him on Prozac. This is his 2nd week post Frontline application . He’s still not right ,wants to be carried all the time,bathing him with Down every 2 days.Sleeps on the chaste from 11pm to 2am, I take him to our room once he wakes up at 2am, but will still be restless , pacing , standing by the bathroom doorway and just stares at us. I’d been reading this forum and luckily, I haven’t seen any seizure. I plan to keep on bathing him with Down every 2 days , and hoping that after a month , he’ll go back to his old self.If not , will take him to the vet again and will try Prozac. I don’t know what to do anymore .

[Patricia A]

Hi ipek.Don’t know if a switch in food would at all be helpful unless your shih tzu has other issues with the food you are currently feeding other then the stains. However, I did this on DFA site with posters opinions on this kibble for what it’s worth. /forums/topic/natures-protection-superior-care-whitedog/
/forums/topic/natures-protection-superior-care-whitedog/
As long as a vet has given a clean bill of health with especially tooth decay, then hope this article can be of help to you and your fur baby.
Tear stains are usually caused by dye molecules called porphyrins. Porphyrins are iron-containing molecules, produced when the body breaks down red blood cells. Porphyrins are excreted primarily through bile and the intestinal tract, but in dogs a significant amount of porphyrin is excreted through tears, saliva and also urine.

When porphyrin containing tears or saliva sits on white fur for any length of time, stains result. These iron-related stains intensify/darken in the presence of sunlight.

All dogs produce porphyrin, but of course porphyrin staining is most noticeable on light colored dogs. If you have ever noticed a white dog who has been licking or chewing on his leg, the hair in that area will turn iron-brown in color as well.

Primarily, then, most tear stains in most dogs can be simply prevented by keeping the face meticulously free of porphyrin-containing tears. That means keeping the face hair trimmed, and wiping the face at least twice daily with a slightly damp wash cloth, to dilute out and wash away the tears.

Or, if you want to get really fancy, cleaning under the eyes with ordinary contact lens cleaning solution (containing dilute boric acid, that oxidizes the iron in the porphyrins and lightens the color) will help keep things neat and tidy.

[ipek Y]

Hi Can somebody help me? I have a shih tzu, 1 year old. the pet shop advised me a dry food for white dogs , Nature’s Protection. It is a brand made in european union/ lithuania. I am happy because it really reduced the tears of my dog and the red color around the eyes dissapeared. But ı wonder if it is not healthy for my dog. I check the ingredients. 40% salmon, but also has sugar beet pulp, technological additives as rosemary extract, tocoperol extraxts from vegetable oils, 1b306 i, ect.
Crude protein 25%,crude fibres 3,5%,crude fat 15%, ash %9.5, calcium %1,5, phosphorus 0.9%,potasium 0.6% , sodiun 0.4%, omega 3fatty acid 0,5%, omega 6 2,62%

If somebody understand if it is ok / or not can you please write me? Or does any of you have advise good food for white dogs with tear problems?

[Meleasa C]

I have three littles, two are Shih Tzu and one is Shih Tzu and Bichon mix. They are all seniors at ages 9 and 10. I’ve been feeding them a small breed dog food for many years, but am wondering if I should switch them to a Senior formula. Any thoughts on which way I should lean, small breed versus senior? Thanks!

[odonohu2]

I purchased Dr Marty’s just when COVID hit my family hard. My husband lost his job but was returned 60% paycut resulting in one way commute 2 hours. Ugh! During this terrible time, I contacted Dr Marty to cancel my shipment for obvious reasons and I was brought to tears by Nic who refunded my purchase out of the kindness of his heart. I was beyond moved by this simple act of kindness but he was confident that some good would come out of it. My 10 year old shih tzu, Olive LOVES LOVES this food. I feed her 60/40 Marty’s/Royal canine selected protein cause I can’t afford it any other way. Her skin conditions & allergies are gone! Her coat is beautiful and she’s no longer faintly stinky. And she’s happier pup than before which is so worth it. Expensive, Yes! I just hope I can afford to keep feeding her this amazing blend. Thank you so much Nic, Kat and Dr Marty.

[Laura H]

Hi! I have a 5 year old cockapoo who came to us at about 8 months. He was gifted to an elderly couple, the wife is a nurse and no one knew the husband was beginning to exhibit dementia. She took her usual holiday and discovered her husband didn’t remember getting the dog. So while she was at work, he was freaked out by the strange dog and was throwing things, screaming, and using his cane to keep the puppy away. She immediately looked into a new home and voila, new dog. He didn’t even have a name and had severe anxiety, understandably I think. He belongs to my sister, I have a 13 year old shih tzu who was also a rescue, and we got him comfortable and to a much better place with his anxiety. We were quarantined last month and now he panics the moment she leaves the room. Mine went to the groomer today and I spent the whole 45 minutes his mommy was gone with a trembling Pippin in my lap, he wouldn’t stop crying and actually sounded like he was in pain. He calmed enough to sit and let me pet him, but he never stopped crying for mommy the whole time. CBD treats have helped my older dog with her joint pain and I’ve heard it helps anxiety. Has anyone used CBD/hemp for anxiety? Tips or brand suggestions?

[evi R]

thanks debra for your recent post. it was definitely not affordable even for my 2 shih tzus. i had 2 shih tzus that lived 15 & 16 yrs w/o any problems (i.e. weight loss, weight gain, stomach issues, whatever) . feed them middle of the road quality dry dog food (free fed) all their lives. now i have 2 again that are 4. same routine, no issues. so there ya go!

[Steve P]

Hi, I feed 5 dogs…. 2 “Teddy Bears” Bichon / Shih-Tzu mix
1 “Golden Doodle”
1 “Great Dane”
1 “Blue Heeler / Lab” mix

One of my Teddy Bears Itches, and scratches constantly, has developed some sores, yeast in ears, and odor. I feed Diamond Naturals, Lamb & Rice. Yes, it’s not the best, but it’s $36 for 40#. I’m a disabled Police Officer, single dad, so my budget is a concern. Any suggestions on a food that will help his itching? And not break the bank? Thx!

[Marisa J]

Hi I work at a pet store and have a hand full of customers with Shih Tzu’s.

If your dog has a sensitive stomach I would recommend adding goat’s milk (a universal milk) into your dogs diet. This will not only aid in digestion but also add hydration too! Some brands even added spices into the goat milk for added benefits.

If not goat’s milk I would encourage you to find a good probiotic powder for your dog. This will help with the sensitivity of your dogs stomach.

Merrick is good brand and Duck is a cooling protein (this will help with any inflammation). I would recommend after 2 months switching through Merrick’s formulas to help your dog become accustomed to other proteins and amino acids.

Other brands that are high in protein and low in carb (easier to digest) are Zignature, Orijen, Farmina, Acana, and Essence.

If your dog has a sensitive stomach I would also try introducing freeze dried treats. These treats are a lot easier to digest than biscuit treats. I only give my dogs freeze-dried raw treats.

[evi R]

thanks for the info Diane. I completely forgot i signed up for this forum to see responses. i ended up not getting the dog food, etc. wasn’t sure exactly where it came from which i think they wouldn’t tell me. i use Bil-Jac dry dog food and have have been for quite awhile. i free feed my 2 shih-tzus though and not everyone does. they seem good on it. i get the adult chicken flavor.

[Brenda C]

Help! I have two Shih Tzu/Bichon mixes, each about 14 lbs. One of them, Reba, is a very picky eater. I am currently feeding them TruDog Freeze Dried Raw. I usually put just a bit of chicken breast on top to entice her. Even then, there are some days she won’t eat. I used to stress but now I just pick it up when she doesn’t eat and offer it to her again at the next meal. Usually she eats then. She has rarely gone a whole day without eating. My dilemma is that TruDog is so expensive! I would like to switch to something less expensive. We recently retired and have to count our pennies. I have been researching other freeze dried raw foods and finding out that they ALL seem to be pricey! I am not sure she would accept regular kibble. I tried Only Natural Pet Wholesome Homemade Stew…thinking she’d love it because it’s more like “people food”. Wrong! She won’t touch it! Any suggestions for a less expensive freeze dried raw, a kibble she might like, or any other options?

[anonymous]

Itchy Shih Tzu has allergies
By Dr. John De Jong | Ask the Vet
September 8, 2019 at 12:43 am

My 7-year-old Shih Tzu has just started itching a lot more so I took her to the vet. The itching just started a few weeks ago, seemed to come and go, and got worse recently.
My friend’s dog also started itching a lot and her vet gave the dog an injection that seemed to work and the dog got better. She also mentioned that there was an anti-itch pill available so I mentioned both. My vet gave me Apoquel pills and the dog is already improved so I’m grateful but I was also told that there is a distinct possibility that this itchiness was due to a seasonal allergy and that I could likely expect it every year from now on. Is that true?
The more I thought about it, I realized that my dog always seemed itchy in late August in the past few years. Is there any testing that could have given me a heads up and what can I do to prevent a recurrence next year?

It sounds as if your dog has a seasonal allergy that we refer to as atopy or atopic dermatitis.
These signs can appear at almost any time after the dog reaches about a year although occasionally it is seen earlier and indeed, it seems to get more problematic with each passing year. Caused often by pollens and airborne matter, it triggers a group of signs including pruritis or itchiness, oily skin, secondary focal infections, hair loss, changes in skin and hair color, and crusts.
These findings can occur in the ears, ventral abdomen and along the legs, often causing dogs to lick and chew at their feet and inside legs.One does need to rule out other causes, such as ectoparasites like fleas and mange mites, but the seasonality is often a dead giveaway.
Previous or current testing can be done to determine what your dog is allergic to and then allergy shots can be done to desensitize the dog. Speak with your veterinarian about these options as well as the possibility of using appropriate shampoos as the season approaches. Likely your friend’s dog was given an injection of Cytopoint, however Apoquel works very well and seems to be doing the trick. Both of these work for limited periods but are safe and can be used as needed to control the itch and keep the patient comfortable.
Often, breaking the itch cycle for a while resolves the problem along with the change of season and weather. Be ready for more of the same and slightly increased intensity next year.

Itchy Shih Tzu has allergies

[nemaram P]

Welcome To sparkpaws.com
Dog Winter Jacket,Dog Apparel
When you go shopping for dog winter apparel, it’s a good idea to plan ahead and buy a variety of outfits that will be suited for any occasion. As a loving dog owner, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared for most any situation. You’ll want to take that extra step to keep your special friend warm when the weather is cold or even a little chilly.
With all the styles and materials available today, it can be a little difficult figuring out which ones will be the best suited for your dog. One of the biggest factors that you’ll need to take into consideration is where you live. Some areas get extremely cold and stay that way for months, while others only have a few weeks of cold weather.
This will be the deciding factor in which types of materials you should purchase when buying winter apparel for your dog and how many outfits you should get in each type.
Dog Jacket
There are a lot of dog jackets on the market these days, some of them built a bit better than others, while some are high quality and just aren’t marketed all that well. This could mean the difference between you buying a dog jacket that is going to last your furry friend more than one year, or if he or she is going to be busting through the seams after wearing the jacket just a few times.
It does happen, especially if your dog is of the more active type, and likes to run, jump, and play while they are in their jacket. This causes wear and tear quickly, and if you aren’t putting a quality jacket on them, they are gonna bust through it.
If you are a boater and take your dog with you out on the water, you are probably going to want to invest some money in a dog life jacket just in case the unfortunate ever happened, throwing your dog from the boat.
An accident like this could leave your dog unconscious if they are thrown from the boat hard enough, and having a good dog life jacket on them will help them stay afloat until you can get to their side to help them out. Making the small investment to protect your pooch up front will save you a lot of heartache should the unthinkable ever happen. It is hard to imagine that something like this is possible, but just being prepared for it is your safest bet.
Dog Coats for Winter
Some people like to dress their dogs all year-round as more of a fashion statement than anything else. specially made dog coats for winter on the other hand serve a different purpose. They’re not just for fashion they actually keep your dog warm and protect it against the cold during the long winter months.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that dogs don’t feel the cold just because they have fur. In really cold conditions though any animal feels the cold unless it is something like a polar bear that lives in the cold all the time. Pet dogs on the other hand spend most of their time curled up in front of the fire.
Dog coats for winter serve a real purpose and are necessary if you live somewhere that is cold for only a few months each year. There are many different types to choose from and while some of them are fleece lined or thermal, you don’t really need to break the bank when buying one.
A normal winter dog coat will do the job perfectly well as long as it fits your dog. Make sure you buy one which is specifically suited to your breed of dog. If it fits well and keeps the cold off of the dogs back it will be doing it’s job.
Dog Clothes
Dog clothing is extremely hot this season. One can’t help noticing the rise in celebrities with fashionable small dogs at their side. With a sea of dog clothes, it’s hard to know what dog clothes are in and what dog clothes, as Hillary Duff’s Dachshund would say, are “so yesterday”. Legally Blonde’s Chihuahua, Bruiser, set the standard in dog fashion while dogs like Paris Hilton’s dog, Tinkerbell, keeps raising the bar higher and higher. I think their is an important fact to remember when dressing up your dog this season. Let your dog be a dog. As much as it makes us happy to dress them up, we have to make sure the dog clothes are functional and keep their best interest at heart. That said, here are the must haves for any pampered pooches closet.
Every small dog must have a small dog sweater this season. They are functional in that they keep the tiny and toy breeds warm, like Chihuahuas and miniature Pinsher yet fashionable as they showcase your dog’s explosive personality. Dog Sweaters are mostly hand made and come in a plethora of variations. Just pick a small dog sweater that says who your little precious dog is and you can’t go wrong. A holiday dog sweater is a must have this season. This year let your dog “deck the halls” in a Christmas tree dog sweater or a solid red or green small dog sweater.
Dog Outfits
Do you have a dog? Do you have dog outfits for him or her? If you answered ‘yes’ to these last two questions, then you are not alone. Over the last several years, the pet clothing industry has boomed as growing numbers of people have begun dressing their four-legged family members. This trend was no doubt sparked by the increased frequency of well-dressed dogs such as Chloe from the movie Beverly Hills Chihuahua and Bruiser from Legally Blonde appearing on the silver screen. Today, a dog doesn’t have to be a film or television celebrity to be well-dressed. As a matter of fact, everyday dogs are becoming fashion-conscious these days!
Dog Raincoat
Dog raincoats are already considered a necessity for your pet. Your pet’s fur alone cannot protect her from snowy winter cold or from the rainy days. Like people, they also get chills and easily catch sniffles when exposed to a cold climate.
Purchasing a raincoat is not just simply picking out the first coat you have seen in the pet store. You have to make a certain considerations so you will get the right choice.
Here are some criteria that you should include in choosing a dog raincoat:
1. Size. It is important to buy dog clothe that is of the right fit. Too tight or too loose raincoat will make your pet uncomfortable and may even predispose him a health threat. He will find it difficult to breathe if it is too tight. He may also accidentally step on the loose portion of the coat which may cause him to stumble down and will injure his delicate paws.
2. Material. The coat must be made of waterproof materials. The purpose of buying a raincoat is to keep your pet dry to prevent him from getting chills and catching cold.
Dog Hoodie
With the cold weather here, its time for the warm clothes to come out and the fall /winter fashion lines. Definitely the case with pet fashion as well. Dog coats, sweaters, and even scarves and boots are hot commodities.
If you’re looking for the hipper cooler trends in the dog fashion world you can’t beat Hip Doggie. They’re always a dog fashion leader and this year’s fall winter line is no exception. Lots of cool new looks for the coolest canines.
A hot fashion pick for fall this year is the dog hoodie. They are a great way to stay warm in the winter for you and your little dog. Our Shih Tzu Suzy loves her hoodies in the wintertime . They’re soft and comfortable and the hood keeps her ears warm.
They are a Hip Doggie staple and this year’s new fall/winter selections have never been better. There’s a great selection of styles, colors and cuteness. Suzy’s favorites include the Snow Bunny Sweater, Chuck-T Dog Hoodie, and the Super Soft Love Dog Hoodie.
Visit for more in formation: https://www.sparkpaws.com/collections/dog-coats-jackets

[anonymous]

Average Life Span of Top 25 Breeds
The following is a list of the most popular dogs in 2008, according to the AKC and their average life expectancy.
Labrador Retriever (12.5 years)
Yorkshire Terrier (14 years)
German Shepherd Dog (11 years)
Golden Retriever (12 years)
Beagle (13 years)
Boxer (10.5 years)
Dachshund (15.5 years)
Bulldog (7 years)
Poodle (12 years Standard) (15 years Miniature)
Shih Tzu (13 years)
Miniature Schnauzer (14 years)
Chihuahua (13.5)
Pomeranian (15 years)
Rottweiler (10 years)
Pug (13.5 years)
German Shorthaired Pointer (13 years)
Boston Terrier (13 years)
Doberman Pinscher (10 years)
Shetland Sheepdog (13.5 years)
Maltese (14 years)
Cocker Spaniel (12 years)
Great Dane (8.5 years)
Siberian Husky (12 years)
Pembroke Welsh Corgi (13 years)
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (10 years)

[Mia F]

We’re trying to balance a bunch of different concerns with my 14/15 year old shih tzu/jack russell’s food. We’re worried about her teeth and for this reason one vet recommended we stick with kibble. But we’re also concerned about the possibility that she could developed kidney issues, for this reason we want to make sure her food isn’t dehydrating her. (I’ve heard some troubling stuff about kibble, but I’m not an expert at all.) After the recent FDA report we switched from Earthborn to Hollistic Select’s chicken and rice kibble. That’s what she’s eating as of now.

I’m wondering if we should consider rotating foods. If so, should we do wet or dry? Are there ways to supplement kibble to fix any dehydration issues?

[Dennis M]

Hello. We are on our third Shih Tzu, Dory a female now 9 years old. None of our previous girls made it past 10 years old. We previously fed our dogs Nutro brand dog food. We’ve been feeding Dory Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula since she was a puppy, and hoping she’ll be with us way past the age of ten. She’s now on Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Senior for Small Breeds. She has always tolerated Blue Buffalo foods and treats very well. Our concern now is the FDA report on possible dangers of feeding grain-free diets. We realize the Blue Buffalo formula Dory is eating is NOT entirely grain-free, just doesn’t have any corn or wheat included. But the FDA warned of dog foods containing large amounts of legumes such as peas or lentils, other legume seeds, potatoes (including sweet potatoes), pea protein, pea starch, pea fiber, chickpeas, or beans. The ingredients of the Life Protection Formula Dory is now eating has several of these questionably high up in the ingredient list. We’re really at a quandary here. We’ve had great luck feeding Blue Buffalo products for nearly ten years, but concerned we might possibly be damaging our dog’s heart (DCM). Could you provide us a little guidance here? With the FDA concerns, is the Life Protection Formula we’re feeding the safest product line Blue Buffalo provides for this situation, or should we be considering another brand completely? I’m concerned and my wife is more than concerned. Please provide us with some sort of insight and direction to help us decide what may be best for Dory.

[Pinky L]

Sorry, I just saw your response. She was on Royal Cainin for years,I switched a couple of months ago to Ultra-chicken. I thought the royal was possibly the cause of her stomach issues. So I did get a week of antibiotics from the doctor, along with some Pro-pectalin. Her stools formed but remained soft,however to accidents in the house. Now 2 days post completing medication and diarrhea is back,non formed and accidents in the house. There is still mucus present in the stool. I feel hopeless at this point. She has never had duck (never) or lamb alone. Possible allergy to the following: chicken,eggs,beef,wheat,bran. Both goods had those ingredients.

I doubt the Purina EN is going to help. Her stools were not liquid on kibble. I am sure the vet wanted her system to rest,thus giving the wet food.

I am thinking about limited ingredients by Koha. It is very expensive. I have spent at least 400 on visits, food,medication since January.

My dog is itchy but vets have said she is just an itchy dog. It could be allergies. That is the reason I had started Royal Cainin (shih Tzu).

Some articles say high fiber is best and others say low fiber foods are best.

[anonymous]

@Cathy F
Sorry for your loss.
Often it is not just the food change, it’s possible there may have been something else wrong and the stress of a food change may have exacerbated it.
More time with your pet would have been nice, she must have excellent care all these years to make it to fourteen.

Average Life Span of Top 25 Breeds
The following is a list of the most popular dogs in 2008, according to the AKC and their average life expectancy.
Labrador Retriever (12.5 years)
Yorkshire Terrier (14 years)
German Shepherd Dog (11 years)
Golden Retriever (12 years)
Beagle (13 years)
Boxer (10.5 years)
Dachshund (15.5 years)
Bulldog (7 years)
Poodle (12 years Standard) (15 years Miniature)
Shih Tzu (13 years)
Miniature Schnauzer (14 years)
Chihuahua (13.5)
Pomeranian (15 years)
Rottweiler (10 years)
Pug (13.5 years)
German Shorthaired Pointer (13 years)
Boston Terrier (13 years)
Doberman Pinscher (10 years)
Shetland Sheepdog (13.5 years)
Maltese (14 years)
Cocker Spaniel (12 years)
Great Dane (8.5 years)
Siberian Husky (12 years)
Pembroke Welsh Corgi (13 years)
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (10 years)

[debra m]

I see this is an older post but maybe someone will read it and it will help. My Maltese Bichon started getting Oxalate stones when he was 7 years old. He ended up having 3 operations roughly every year and 3 months to remove the stones. Through that time he had specialized dog foods like Royal Canin S/O , etc.. but nothing worked. A little over 3 years ago I came across an article on Oxalate stones in humans and how these people swore by Magnesium as getting rid of their stones. I studied the amounts for dogs weights and such, it’s a very small, miniscule amount, and it’s been 3 years of him being stone free. He’s 14 years old now and acts like 5. Before adding the magnesium I had started him on a people food diet. He still eats small Milk Bones for treats and loves Beggin Strips so he’s not being deprived of some dog treats, even though the milk Bones have calcium in them the Magnesium seems to negate that. I wish I knew how to write blogs so I could shout the benefits of Magnesium to the world on this but am not computer savvy. On a side note, I also have a female Shih-Tzu who had her stomach x-rayed for a different issue and stones were found. I immediately started giving her Magnesium and she may have just urinated them out but she has never had stones since and that was over 2 years ago. Please anyone reading this , try Magnesium, it has been a life saver

[DanniB]

Our vet can’t get him in until May 3rd. He was on junky food so we bought the tiniest bag so we could switch him to something better asap.

The dad was a lab, the mom a shih tzu cross. We saw them and she is definitely not straight shih tzu. She’s quite a bit bigger, I’d guess 35ish lbs.

[DanniB]

We just got a new puppy. He is a lab/shih tzu cross. He is 8 weeks old and weighs 10 lbs. Should I be feeding him a large breed food?

[Anonymous]

I have a four year old, 8 lb Shih Tzu. We just started yesterday feeding fully cooked chicken. I decided we’d cook the meat first and slowly cook it less until it’s raw. I thought it’d be easier for her since we already know she likes cooked meat and she’s had it many times before with little to no problems. Anyways, she had diarrhea this morning that seemed to have a little blood in it. I wasn’t really concerned, but she just had diarrhea again with more blood for the second time today. It’s not much, only a streak or two. A little while ago, maybe a week and a half, I gave her bone broth from Answers and she had the same kind of diarrhea. Same color (orangeish) with a small amount of blood. The next day her stool was normal again and had no blood. She’s acting fine, just like her usual self. Should I be worried? Should I keep feeding the chicken?? I really want to go through with it and get to feeding completely raw, so this is a little disappointing 🙁 Just want the best for my girl!

[mudpud]

Just about 2 years ago, our 11yr old Bichon/Shihtzu had emergency surgery to removed bladder stones. Not long after, in the same year, the 10yr old Bichon/Shihtzu had the same surgery. They were both put on Royal Canin Urinary SO diets, at considerable cost to us, but they are our children now, so who wouldn’t take this on. We were told this would prevent this happening again.
NOT – today, because a couple of things like frequent doggy runs to the yard to pee, and the other dog presented blood in his urine. YUP, both have almost as many bladder stones that took 10/11 years to form, as these ones in 2.5yrs, while on this WONDER FOOD.
WE’VE been HAD! We are waiting on a date and time for surgery for both dogs, this week.
I feel lied to; by the company that produces product that has done nothing to prevent the repeat of the stones, and the Vet Profession who appear blindsided on this matter. Our vet is a caring, capable and well informed individual, who was also floored by the rapid growth of these stones.
DON’T trust the Veterinary Diet line when it comes to your pet. Had I read the comments I have since found on this sight, I would have worked much harder at searching out a better option. We messed up, and put blind faith in a company making millions off the product that does nothing.

[Mia F]

Hi! I have a healthy and happy 14 year old shih tzu/jack russell. Right now we have transitioned away from Iams and have started serving her Raised Right’s chicken mix for adult dogs. It’s a perfect fit for us, the only problem is that it’s a little expensive. I’m looking to find a quality cooked food brand to mix with her Raised Right. The problem I’m running into is it seems like all the reputable brands that actually care about dogs only offer raw products. I am not comfortable serving her raw food that is mass-produced, especially given that she is older and her immune system is probably going to decline.

Thanks for considering this.

[Susan]

Hi Rebecca,

if you want to feed a healthy diet look at Raw, Cooked or Freeze dried Raw, Air Dried raw.
Freeze Dried Raw looks like kibble & is quick & easy to give but Freeze dried & Air Dried hasn’t been cooked at high temps like kibble is cooked, all the good nutrition is still intact with freeze dried & Air Dried….

Here’s “Canidae”
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-grain-free-pure-ancestral-raw-coated-dry-red-meat-formula-with-lamb-goat-wild-boar/

Here’s “Wellness Core”

Core Dog Products

Here’s “Ziwi Peak” Air Dried Raw your dogs will love Ziwi Peak.
https://www.ziwipets.com/catalog/ziwi-peak-dog-nutrition

Kibble is the least healthy to feed a dog, if you feed a dry kibble start adding healthy ingredients to dogs diet, eggs, tin salmon, sweet potato, broccoli, beets, mussels, sardines in spring water, foods high in omega 3 for bones. skin, coat, brain,
Shih tzu’s are prone to Pancreatitis so becareful with high fat diets..

If you’re on Face Book follow

* Judy Morgan DVM – Click on Judy video’s, heaps of good info, cooking recipes,
https://www.facebook.com/JudyMorganDVM/

* K-9 Kitchen- Monica Segal
https://www.facebook.com/groups/K9Kitchen/

* K-9 Nutrition Lew Olson
https://www.facebook.com/groups/371592139642185/

* Rodney Habib is excellent.
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

Also DO NOT over vaccinate follow – John Robbs
https://www.facebook.com/john.robb.7982?lst=100000463318984%3A100004886320823%3A1542235370

Flea Products – stay away from the new flea chews, they can cause neurological problems, do your research..
The only flea product that doesn’t go into the dogs blood system is “Frontline Plus” Spot On & the “Frontline Spray” it only penetrates 2 layers of the dogs skin..

Less toxins you put into your dogs system the healthier they will be,
looks like they have landed on all 4 paws & ended up in a good home..

[anonymous]

PS: Shih Tzu tend to have bowed legs.

https://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/faq/shihtzu.html (excerpt below)

A Shih Tzu can be a great little dog, but the reality is that his physical build is neither natural or healthy. The Shih Tzu, in fact, is afflicted with two skeletal deformities: chondrodysplasia and brachycephalic syndrome.
Dogs were never intended to have a long back and short legs, especially if the legs are bowed (like Queen Anne furniture legs). This build is caused by a genetic skeletal deformity called chondrodysplasia, which translates roughly to “faulty cartilage.”
When a puppy is developing in the womb, his skeleton is first formed in cartilage as a sort of model. As he continues to develop, the cartilage is supposed to be replaced by bone. But if, because of certain inherited genes, the cartilage doesn’t transform properly into normal bone, the puppy will be born with incorrect proportions of cartilage and bone.
The result is a large head and chest, short, thick, bowed front legs, and a longish back with calcified disks that lack elasticity and cushioning powers and are predisposed to coming loose and protruding into the spinal canal (intervertebral disk disease). Chondrodysplastic dogs are also more susceptible to joint problems, and later in life, arthritis.

[Rebecca S]

We rescued a pair of shih tzus that spent their first six months of life never leaving a metal cage on a dog meat farm in South Korea. The farm was closed and the dogs adopted out across the world. We live in Virginia.

They likely received no nutrition in their first six months. I’d like to find a food to help make up for that deficit.

They were squashed in a small metal cage with many other dogs, so they have larger spread out paws to stand on the wire and obvious joint issues, e.g. bowed legs. I’d like to get them the best nutrition for joint health possible.

They are now a little over a year old. The vet put them on Hills J/D, which isn’t rated here, so I don’t know if it is a better option than other foods for joints, e.g. the Happy Hips chicken and oats dry dog food.

I would greatly appreciate any experience anyone has with a similar situation. THANKS.

[Tanya K]

Susan,

She was initially prescribed Hills Diet c/d dry food. Now she is on Royal Canin s/o dry food. With each she threw up. Not constantly but a lot. The wet food is very expensive and I’m not entirely sure I could manage with that. Right now she is on the small breed formula because the other option would cause her weight gain and as I told the vet that food will go straight to her hips! lol

She never had stones before at all; though I do know shih tzus and poodles are prone to them. My other pup is shih/tzu maltese and they are prone to them, too. Grr! I did mix her food and do it the right way to transition her over so I know that’s not what’s causing the vomiting.

I appreciate all the links and I will read them. Thank you!

Tanya

[Susan]

Hi Tanya,

if she is throwing up I would take the vet food back to vet office for a refund or exchange, tell receptionist what is happening & can you try a different brand WET vet diet, the receptionist will go & see vet & ask him, you shouldn’t have to pay again for another vet visit..
ask can you try the Hill i/d™ Low Fat Canine Rice, Vegetable & Chicken formula,
it Reduces risk of urinary stone formation, has OK ingredients & is LOW in fat, Shih Tzu are prone to pancreatitis, I wouldnt be feeding a 10 yr old a high fat diet maybe the vet diet she is eating is high in fat or she could be vomiting cause she has only ever been fed the one food her whole life, I always recommend to rotate between a few different brands so immune system strengthens, plus some dry dog foods are high in toxins, heavy metals & contaminates especially the fish dry foods..
Here’s the Hill I/d vet diet to try just till you work out what your doing & stop her vomiting.
https://www.hillspet.com.au/dog-food/pd-id-low-fat-canine-rice-vegetable-and-chicken-stew-canned#accordion-content-400284275-0

Which vet diet was she put on
Royal Canine S/O Urinary wet & dry or
Hills C/d Multicare wet & dry formula’s?

She should be on a wet vet diet not a dry vet diet…

I’d be contacting a Vet Nutrionist & ask about making a home made balanced wet diet, or you can contact “Balance It” they have nutritionist who prepare special diets & you add Balance it powder to balance diet.
https://secure.balanceit.com/index.php?rotator=Front

also are you adding Vitamin C Powder to diet?

Vitamin C for Prevention of Chronic Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs

Have a look at “D-Mannose” Pure Powder alot of people say its really good you also add cranberry powder aswell.
https://www.nowfoods.com/supplements/d-mannose-powder

Here’s a good link explaining how low protein isnt needed.
https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_4/features/Detecting-Urinary-Stones-Dogs_16215-1.html

Here’s a good face book group to join you dont have to feed raw or cooked but will get some good advise, “Raw & Holistic Cat & Dog Support Group”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1411906099101822/

Also follow “Dr Judy Morgan”
look thru her video’s link below,
I’m pretty sure her 17 yr old dog has urinary problems & she cooks for him, her recipes are very easy. Even if you feed 1/2 cooked diet & another food…
https://www.facebook.com/pg/JudyMorganDVM/videos/?ref=page_internal

also here’s “Just For Dogs” special diets
https://www.justfoodfordogs.com/

[Tanya K]

Hello. I’m new to this forum but I have a question right off the bat. I have a 10 year old Shih Tzu/Poodle Mix. She had emergency surgery earlier this year to remove a calcium oxalate stone that was stuck in her urinary tract. She also had struvite stones. My vet put her on one food (then urinalysis) but her ph was too low. So, he prescribed her another supplement to raise the PH. Her PH is still too low. He had to discuss with another vet and both are seemingly mystified as to why they can’t get her PH higher. Basically, they are at a loss with what to do. So now she is on a new prescription food (and more urinalysis — omg, so many urinalysis tests!) So, his advice is to stay on the prescription food and do x-rays every so often to make sure she’s not getting stones again.

I hate the thought of her being on this food forever. For one thing, I pride myself on having dogs who throw up next to never. She was previously on Earthborn Holistic but now she’s on one of the prescription diets and she’s constantly throwing up as is my other pooch (who the vet said was okay to eat that food as well.)

Basically, I feel like if I have to get her x-rays every once in a while then why not feed her what she was already on? She’s eaten Earthborn for nearly her entire life. The only difference in diet before she got the stones were some Etta Says chews — those were the only things that were given that were different to what she normally had within the time frame it takes to develop stones.

I am wondering if anyone else has done this … going against the vet’s counsel? I trust him as a vet, but I just figure wtf — this food is making her ill. It’s making my other dog ill. If they can’t get her PH to a happy medium then why not give her what she was eating before? Thoughts? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Tanya

[Nicki C]

What about Honest Kitchen Limited Ingredient Chicken? It has sweet potato and quinoa, no legumes, peas, etc. would that work? I have two female Shih Tzus, 9 years and 1.5 years

[Jacky J]

Hi, I found this forum while researching about possible side effects of Frontline. I have a Shihtzu who had two seizures a month ago and two more just last night and this evening. The first time it happened I brought her to the vet and they did all kinds of tests but found nothing wrong. Vet just told me to give her B complex vitamins and observe. No seizures for 5 weeks until last night. I was thinking of possible triggers and I am pretty sure Frontline is the culprit. The first time, it happened a day after I had her groomed and gave her Frontline. Last night I again applied Frontline and she had a seizure about 5 hours after.

Mind you, my dog has been using Frontline for years now, though I don’t really give it monthly because she hardly has any fleas, it’s more of a preventive measure. I would just find one or two fleas every now and then.

I’m kinda sure even if I share this to my vet she will not agree with me, I mean the first time it happened and I brought my dog to her I already mentioned that I had her groomed, gave Frontline after
.. No alarm bells on her end.

I am never ever giving my dog Frontline again. Considering Bravecto but I dunno, I’m kind of traumatized by this whole experience already.

[Susan]

Hi Baileys Mom,
Join this face book group, link below, 2 Dermatologist frequent this group + 1 of the Admins dog suffers with Yeast, her dog is allergic to her own yeast, it’s rare but it happens… https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/
As they age their allergies get worse… Are you seeing a Dermatologist?

My boy also gets yeasty paws, red around mouth & yeasty smelly skin but only when he eats certain ingredients he is sensitive too & when he walks on grass & wet grass..
He suffers with Food Sensitivities, Seasonal Environment Allergies & IBD, this last Summer has been his WORST Summer he has ever had in the 5 yrs I’ve owned him.
I live Australia & we did not have a Autunm this year, it went from hot Summer straight to cold Winter, my vet also said she is seeing heaps more dogs suffering with Environment Allergies last Summer 2017-2018….. Cause of climate change & our Summers are getting hotter & hotter, animals, plants etc are all suffering…

Make sure when you cook or do a raw diet it’s balanced properly & is high in Omega 3 oils, as Omega 3 is Neutral anti-inflammatory. Here’s “Balance It” site, https://secure.balanceit.com/

*also have you tried “Rayne Canada” vet diets? http://www.raynecanada.ca/canine-diets/
Ranye has Kangaroo, Crocodile & Rabbit formula’s, ingredients in Rayne formula’s seem a bit better
….also did you try the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb that’s what Patch ended up doing really good on for 2 yrs then he became very unwell last Novemeber after I moved he stopped eating his TOTW… listen to your dog if he doesnt want to eat something, dont feed it, return the food & get a refund….We have just had a heap of dogs die & get Megaesophagus in Australia from the Advance Dermocare formula.. Test that were done found very high in toxins, everyone is still waiting for test results…the poor Police dogs are feed the Advance Dermocare or Advance dog foods..
Patch never did well on the Australian prescription vet diets for his skin, they would clear up his skin problem but not his red paws & then he’d start reacting with his IBD cause the fat was too high.. One good thing the Skin Vet Diets are very high in Omega oils, but this upset Patches stomach, he gets bad acid reflux, I wonder if that’s why Bailey is feeling yuk & miserable..being a Shih Tzu mix, they can suffer from Pancreatitis, so be careful with high fat diets, we don’t realise cause we just want them to stop their itching & scratching it drives me nuts so imagine the poor dog feeling so itchy 24/7..

I use “Sudocrem” on Patches paws & around his mouth & anywhereon his skin that’s red, Sudocem is a anti-fungal, anti-bacterial healing cream for Dermatitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash, Pressure Sores, I apply every night before bed so he has a good sleep & in morning on his paws before he goes outside for his walk, the Sudocrem is a thick cream & also protects their skin & paws from allergens.

Also “Canine Skin Solutions” on FaceBook is Dr Karen Helton Rhodes, DVM, DACVD & Dr Terri Bonenberger, DVM, DACVD both are Veterinary Dermatologists. Good site with true information..
https://www.facebook.com/CanineSkinSolutionsInc/

* Here’s their “Facts & Myths about Yeast Dematitis in dog”s..
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs

There’s alot of bad information on the internet about why dogs get yeasty, smelly, itchy skin, ears, paws etc potaoes, high carb starchy foods, high sugar diets are suppose to cause yeasty smelly dogs….Not true… its only when your dog is sensitive to certain ingredients they will get yeasty itchy smelly skin, ears, paws…. Patch can’t eat rice, oats, barley, tapioca causes red itchy paws & smelly yeasty skin, bad farts sloppy poos & carrots cause very itchy ears & he shakes & shakes his head/ears..

The only way 100% to find out what foods Bailey is sensitive too is to start a food elimination diet BUT cause he probably has environment allergies as well it’s hard cause you might feed him say rice & then he starts scratching 20mins after he has eaten the rice or new ingredient your testing but he might be re acting to tree or flower pollen from outside in garden?, so I always recommend you do your food elimination diet is the cooler months, Winter when allergens aren’t as high, as they are in Spring & Summer months…
Patch is at his worst every March just when Summer has finished also keep a diary & you will work out what months seem to be the worst for Bailey. Patches vet said she sees Patch every March when his IBD flares up really bad cause his immune system goes into over drive & Patches IBD flare up really bad also high potency Vitamin C is good, also probiotic to strengthen the immune system… Prednisone is a bandaid as soon as you stop giving the Prednisone the itchy skin all comes back…. have you tried Cytopoint injections yet? this is why it’s best to join the “Dog Allergies, Issues & other information support group” right up the top is their link…

[BaileysMom86]

Hello, I have an 8 year old Lhasa/Shih Tzu mix (our best guess since he was a stray) named Bailey that we adopted him from the humane society 6 years ago. Bailey has licked his paws and everything else (the floor, the couch, us) since the day I adopted him and I have gone to many vets over the years, tried all different kinds of foods, etc. He has been on grain free food since a few weeks after I adopted him. We tried many brands over the years, but Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream was what we fed him for years because he would actually eat it (he’s very picky) and didn’t seem to bother him. He started to like it less and less and I had to coax him to eat. So at the beginning of August last year, I went to the pet store and asked if they would recommend a food that Bailey would eat and one that had very good nutrition to help my other dog shed a few pounds (she has no licking issues, she was just a little overweight that exercise wasn’t helping). He recommended Acana Singles lamb and apple. I transitioned him over and things went well at first, Bailey loved the food and I hadn’t seen him excited for meal time like that before. Then, at the end of August/beginning of September, things changed. One day, pretty much overnight, he went from licking his paws to biting them to the point they bled. He attacked all 4 paws and his “armpits” to the point they lost all fur and were a mess. We put an e-collar on him to prevent further damage and went to our vet. He was given medication for a staph infection, along with ketoconazole pills. His wounds healed, slowly, but he still attacked his paws every time we took the e-collar off. He would also contort and get to his back paw every now and then even with the e-collar. The vet pushed for hypoallergenic food and Apoquel. I told her I was going to switch him back to Taste of the Wild instead and she prescribed him a course of Temaril P to help with the itching, which did not help one single bit. I tried a lot of shampoos, olive oil in his food, Sulfodene ointment, seasonal allergy chews, basically anything I could find over the counter to help him so we could finally take the e-collar off. Nothing worked. I bathed him in Zymox shampoo one day and he broke out in red bumps down his back and extending to his belly and legs. They looked like hives and formed greenish/tan crusts. So I went to a different vet that was recommended by my mother in law. That vet recommended a Cytopoint shot so we had it done and it did absolutely nothing for Bailey’s itching. They also gave powder to put in between his toes to stop the itching and a shampoo to help his skin. Nothing helped and he was still having to live in the e-collar. So they thought it might be sarcoptic mange and gave him a Frontline injection, which did not help. Then they recommended Apoquel. I had a lot of concerns about that medication, but desperate for some relief for Bailey, I gave it to him. It helped a tiny bit, but not enough to take him off the e-collar and not enough to make me want to continue. Also, a small mass he had on his gums where he had lost a tooth swelled up to the point that I was very concerned so we stopped the Apoquel. Thankfully, the mass shrank back down to the size it was before the Apoquel and today it is gone completely. Then they recommended allergy testing and that was very far out of my budget given the pretty hefty bill I had already accumulated at that point.

So, frustrated and desperate to find answers, I did a lot of research online to see if anyone else had experienced the issues Bailey was facing and learned about systemic yeast infection and correlation to food…which I have also recently (in the past 2 days) read many feel are unrelated. But anyways, in April this year, I put him a home cooked diet of ground beef (73/27), hard boiled eggs including the shell, Nupro Gold supplement, and an omega 3/omega 6 oil blend made by Ark Naturals. The changes he went through while on that diet were interesting to say the least. After about a week in, his white/cream fur turned dark pink in many places-down his legs, around his face, on his rear. This happened pretty much overnight and I was excited, thinking this was the yeast coming out (as I had previously researched). The fur color went back to normal about a week later. Then, his fur started falling out on its own (we had him in an e-collar still). It happened in patches. He didn’t get any ear infections since I started the diet though. In fact, his ears were cleaner than they had ever been since I adopted him, so that was a positive sign I held on to despite the loss of fur being a shock. Then, about 4 weeks in, he started getting a thick, green discharge from his eyes and some of the fur around his eyes fell out (but not all of it) and the skin was red. And all of the fur on his chest and neck fell out and the skin was red, hot and inflamed. He smelled terribly of Fritos and my house smelled terrible. All of this was very, very concerning but I told myself this was still the yeast and bathed him regularly with a holistic anti bacterial neem/tea tree shampoo and tried to keep him comfortable. A week later, he was still experiencing the fur loss/red skin and he also got a bad ear infection and his ear was swollen worse than I had ever seen it. The fur on the underside of his ear came off easily in chunks when I tried to clean his ears and put drops in. Then, the following day a benign cyst he had on his tail from the day I adopted him burst. I expressed as much of the black gunk as I could but was concerned about the bleeding and risk of infection (and everything else that was going on) so I took him to the vet again the next day. I told them about my systemic yeast theory, everything I was doing with his diet and everything he had experienced. They were concerned that he was possibly allergic to the eggs or beef I was feeding him and told me those were highly allergic foods. I was shocked and didn’t want to give up after being on the diet for less than 6 weeks, but I was very concerned about the state he was in. They gave him a steroid shot, more medication for his ear infection, a new chlorhexadine based shampoo and mousse, and a prescription for Purina Pro Plan Hydrolyzed food. They also sent me home with prednisone pills to use if the steroid shot didn’t help. I transitioned him to the new food. His ear infection cleared up with the meds. The steroid shot gave him some relief from itching for about 2 weeks, but it progressed back to him being very itchy. I called the vet and started him on the prednisone pills, but they didn’t help at all. Now, 5 weeks after I started him on the prescription food, he is absolutely miserable. He is still in an e-collar. He has been able to get it off a few times and he has chewed his paws bloody in a matter of seconds. I know he has not been on the food the recommended amount of time to truly evaluate it, but he is so itchy, rubs himself on anything he can, licks his e-collar constantly and will try to chew his paws the second he is done eating.

I can find a lot of information on yeast online, but very little on the symptoms dogs face during yeast die-off, only that it will usually get worse before it gets better. I know every dog is different, but I can’t find any personal accounts/experiences which is confusing. Then, I also recently read that many people say diet can’t create or eliminate yeast issues and that was a myth perpetuated by a vet on the internet. I’m so confused with information overload and saddened that my dog has had to live almost a year in an e-collar and is so miserable. Does anyone have feedback on the symptoms I described to determine if it was an effect of yeast die-off, or an allergic reaction to beef or eggs like the vet thought? I have been doing research on the internet this week trying to decide what move to make next in regards to getting my dog some relief from his itchiness and I’m trying to decide between keeping him on the hydrolyzed food, switching him to another food, going back to homemade, or doing something else. Thank you and I’m sorry this is so long!

[Sue G]

Hi there
My little Maltese/Shih-Tzu was diagnosed with bladder stones in 2015 and was operated on and I was told she would have to be on a prescription diet for the rest of her life.
She was put on Hills Urinary care and it didn’t agree with her at all…I suggest you do some reading about it before you decide.
I changed her to Royal Canin Urinary SD and she hasn’t had a problem since.
I always add a little water to her meals
Hers were Struvite Crystal’s and I was told this diet dilutes the urine and helps prevent the growth of the crystals.
All good so far thank goodness…
Best of luck 🙂

[Lisa K]

I can almost 100% tell you that your dogs seizures came from the food you are feeding them.

My dog Horus ( Shih Tzu Chihuahua mix. Completely Shih in apearence) 5 years old at the time, was perfectly healthy. I had been feeding him Prina One dog food. At the time I was unaware of what Raw dog food and thought I was feeding a good quality brand of Purina. Well one day he just feel over and his body seized, foam started coming out his mouth, his eyes bucked out. I grab him up hysterically thinking he was having a heart attack. I was about to try CPR on him, when he snap out of it and jumped up, and began running around. I got online immediately and started searching for a reason by symptoms. I came to the conclusion it was a seizure and hoped it would not happen again. A few days went by and he had another one, but this time he began having them every 30 mins to an hour in between. I rush him to the vet. They administered phenobarbital and did blood work. His readings were normal with a slightly elevated liver, which the vet said could be the problem but he was not sure. I took him home with a prescription. The doctor said he would need these meds for the rest of his life. I didn’t believe him because that’s what they said about my daughter when she was one. The doctors gave her to high a does once and I pulled her off the meds. She’s 26 now and has never had another seizure, but I gave Horus the meds as prescribed. One day the thought hit me that it could be his food. I started researching the brand I was feeding him and discovered that Purina had several law suites against them for seizure related issues. I was stunned. I continued to research to find what I should be feeding him and found out the a Raw food diet was the best options for dogs. After more research on quality and the best brands I immediately ordered his Raw food. Over the next few weeks I whenned him off the meds. For the next 2 years he never had another Seizure.

Now 3 weeks ago I forgot to order his food and had to get a bag from the market. This time I got Pedigree until his food could arrive. Big mistake. 2 days into the Pedigree he began having seizures again. I rushed him to the vet emergency because he was not recovering from it. They just kept coming. They put him on Keppra and Potassium Bromide which did absolutely nothing to stop the seizures and later his normal vet told me vets sale this stuff to make more money. It does not work, and it’s way more expensive then phenobarbital. My vet gave him one shot of phenobarbital and started Horus on a regiment of vitimains, Enzymes and Amino Acids along with a suggestion to purchase a product called Vet CBD, which I got immediately after leaving her office. These along with the Raw food should help in his recovery. She also said that he may have some brain damage because of the severity of his seizure this time. It has now been 1 week and Horus has not had another seizure. I am still working on his recovery as I do think he may have suffered some brain damage as he will not stop endlessly pacing. He has a wonderful appetite and his blood work remains good.

With all this said, I do see that your pooch is on a raw food diet, but I would also suggest you get her started on supplements also. What she recommended was: Arthur Dex joint support for all animals given by weight of dog, Ultimate Daily Classic 1/2 pill daily, and Ultimate Selenium1/2 pill daily, All by a company called Youngevity which you can get on Amazon. The Vet CBD I’m not sure you can get. It depends on the state you live in. I’m in California and Cannabis is legal here.

I hope some of the info I left helps you in some way.

[charisse]

Also wanted to mention “Carna4″ which got good marks for quality human grade dry dog food on her 2018 list of best foods from author of The Truth about Pet Food” blog/website.

I’ve decided to give this brand to my ShihTzu Bella, along with “Meal Toppers” from Honest Kitchen.

[Jenifer S]

Hi! While searching for a grain free, pea and fish free dog food for my dog, I can across your post. Have you had any luck in finding anything? I was using “Sport Elite Chicken”, but, most unfortunately, they have went out of business. My vet did a blood test which confirmed that my Enzo; Maltese / Shih-Tzu Mix, was allergic to basically everything, including peas and fish. You can have the test (blood) done at your vet’s, but it is around $400.00 – very pricey, but we were desperate, poor guy is always itching, and he is on Apoquel, a Doggy allergy pill. I hope that you are having some luck!!!

[Ravae L]

In 2014 my Izzy was just about to turn 5 she was a sweet energetic Yorkie. I had switched her food to Rachel Ray… she had gotten diarrhea so bad one day it was all over her back side. When I picked her up to put her in the bath she was so skinny I took her straight to the vet who did a bunch of tests and said she was in liver failure. We did everything we could for the next week and then she passed away…month later we were fostering a Shih Tzu who was 4 years old. I was feeding him the rest of the rest of the Rachel Ray food, took him to the vet for a full check up and the vet called and asked me to bring him back in a week for a follow up because of his liver levels. He had already finished the food and when I took him back they were normal. I believe without a doubt that food killed my baby!!!

[lisa G]

About 6 months ago I took my 7lbs shih Tzu mix to the vet for a regular checkup. I have been giving him a homemade dog food recipe I found online but now the vet states that I have to change it because of his blood results came back that he’s high in protein. Do anyone have any recipes or ideas?

[Mary C]

To those who are understandably upset about having to pay return shipping and not getting refunded for the shipping they’ve paid: I haven’t seen any product on any site that refunds initial shipping costs or pays for return shipping. That’s almost unheard of and not a realistic expectation. HOWEVER, that said, the reluctance to refund is inexcusable and does not speak well for the company.

If you have paid by credit card and kept a printed record of when you ordered, you can dispute the charge on your card. It may take awhile, but I have never failed to receive a refund on my card for a legitimate product return. If you have a record of your efforts to return (emails, phone date/results, etc.) the bank will refund and the company has no choice unless they can proved your claim is unreasonable.

Having read most of the posts here, I am not going to order Dinovite due to my 2-1/2 yr old Bishon/Shih Tzu mix’s history of digestive upsets. The problems I’m trying to stop are ear itching and butt scooting.

Thanks to everyone for their input. My husband, a PhD in chemistry, loved the comments on Dihydrogen Minoxide, aka H2O/water. That was priceless. And I’m glad someone explained diatomacious earth, a food grade harmless insecticide (except to the insects) which can be added to animal food and is good for them. In fact, it’s in many people-food boxes for various reasons and by various names (anti-caking agent usually). I’ve used it for years. The form used in pool filters is NOT food grade and will not work as an insecticide.

[April W]

I have been preparing a homemade selection of foods for my shih tzu who is 2 years old as a supplement to his dry food. I boil together chicken legs/thighs and add fresh kale, carrots, sweet potato and apple and shred the pieces into bite size portions for him. His name is Baxter and I call this Baxters Batch. I asked my vet about this combination and he gave me his approval. He also highly recommended I use Purina Pro Plan which I refused. I have been using Blue Wilderness High Protein for small breeds until now. After reading the editors choices I will be switching brands.