[USA]

Hi Hendrick C

I’m sorry you and your pup are going through this! Seizures have many different causes and the first thing I would do is get a complete blood panel and a physical exam for your Shih-tzu ASAP.

Regarding flea and tick meds I would NOT use ANY of the edible or spot-ons (topical). Frontline, Advantage, Revolution, Sentinel, Nexguard, ALL contain NEUROTOXINS. They work by affecting the nervous systems of the offending insect and causing paralysis and death. They have definitely caused seizures in dogs. The theory is that Mammals (dogs and humans) are much less affected by these chemicals than insects are. But humans and dogs are affected they just don’t immediately drop dead as the insects do.

I would switch to a “greener” and more “holistic” approach to insect control. There are essential oils with a much lower chance of toxicity than the neurotoxins that work at repelling and eliminating fleas and ticks. There are boric acid and diatomaceous earth options for indoor flea and tick control and beneficial nematode options for outdoor flea and tick control.

I wish you and your pup the best!!!

[Margaret P]

Liver damage can also cause seizures. You can look up “liver shunt” since shih tzu’s are one of the breeds that can have them. Really first, you need to talk to a vet, and get at least a blood panel. It may have nothing at all to do with flea products.

[BRT]

Hi all,

I’ve posted a lot on the food threads, now I need help with possible behavior issues. My 8 year old male maltese/poodle is driving me nuts. I’ve noticed that his behavior is getting worse the older he gets. One issue I have is that he obsessively chews and bites his nails. I will give him a bone to distract him and that works for a while, but then he goes back to his nails. I use the e-collar as a deterrent because he just hates it. Sometimes I do slip it on him to snap him out of the chewing. I just cannot even begin to describe to you how fixated he gets on his feet.

Secondly, he scoots and licks his bottom like crazy. I mean at 2:00 a.m. I hear him licking. If you haven’t heard the sound it’s an awful slurping sound. Then he licks his belly and his private parts and “plays with himself”, which is fine if that’s what he needs to do, but it’s becoming more frequent. He also barks at every little noise.

Lastly, I adopted a yorkie/shih tzu boy who is 2 1/2 years old now. He’s been with us for almost two years. My maltese boy is so nasty to him sometimes. He will play with the little guy on his terms. My little shih tzu boy is the easiest, most laid back dog ever.

I’m frustrated because I’m not well healthwise and I just don’t know what to do with my maltese. The vet wants to put him on some “Prozac” type meds and I’ve been against it, but at this point I’m at a loss.

I just wish he could tell me what’s bothering him. I will says he’s best behaved on the weekends when I’m home with them all day. He’s so calm and content. But, sadly, unless I win the lottery I have to work.

Any advise would be appreciated.

[Melissaandcrew]

There is no magic date that all dogs need their food decreased. Adults don’t need to be fed three times a day like a pup, but the amount they eat will vary from dog to dog. For ex, my shihtzu ate three very tiny meals per day. As she reached adulthood, the amount increased, but the frequency did not. I have not found my crew needed reduced food simply by virtue of spay/neuter, but rather based on their particular activity levels, and those change depending on the weather. All my dogs, from pup to senior eat an all life stage food.

[jim b]

I have a Shih Tzu with allergies to chicken, potatoes and peas. The only dry food I have found is Primal Freeze Dried Duck Formula. Just started so not sure if will help. It’s a minor hassle to rehydrate and would prefer to find a dry kibble alternative if anyone has a suggestion.

[BRT]

Hi all,

I have two small dogs. An 8 1/2 year old male maltese/poodle and a 2 1/2 year old male yorkie/shih tzu.

My maltese mix has anal gland issues, so I take him to the vet each month to get them expressed. I always know when it’s time because he scoots and licks his behind.

Now, onto my other little guy. He’s my rescue boy and I don’t regularly get his anals expressed. I learned hard lessons from my older boy about that. Anyway, yesterday evening I came home from work and he was not moving at all. I was terrified. He was lethargic, panting, and couldn’t jump on the sofa, etc. But, he ate his dinner, peed, and pooped, but didn’t want to play or anything. He’s very active and agile. I rushed him to the vet and they examined him thoroughly and said he was fine. She she also did a rectal exam and expressed his anals. They were full, but easily expressed. Lo and behold as soon as she did that he perked up. Was jumping around and playing like his normal self. This is the second time this happened. The last time was around Christmas 2013. He doesn’t scoot or anything so I didn’t realize he was uncomfortable.

I had him sleep in his crate last night and this morning he was a bouncy little guy and back to his happy little self.

Has anyone had a dog who is this sensitive? I want to avoid this type of emergency vet visit and getting myself all worked up.

I know every dog is different, but this is a reaction I have never heard or read about.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

• This topic was modified 11 years, 7 months ago by BRT.

[Brando F]

Hi all,

I have a male 16-17lb Shih-Tzu who is about 8-9 years old. Due to ignorance, convenience, price, and picky eating, my parents have been feeding him Cesar food mixed with some home cooked food for almost his whole life. Now that I’m older and more aware, I want to feed him better quality food, however late it may be.

He hasn’t exhibited any notable health problems, isn’t overweight, and gets plenty of exercise, but still – I’m concerned for his diet.

My questions: What brands do you recommend? Should I be looking for something low in fat even if he isn’t overweight? Just to compensate for the low quality of Cesar?

I’ve been experimenting with Blue Buffalo Divine Delights and Blue Buffalo Wilderness, both of which he likes. However, I’m a little iffy about Wilderness because of the fat content, though the nutritional benefits are there.

Again, are these okay for my dog because of their overall quality, or should I be looking for something lower in fat? If I’m feeding Divine Delights during the day and Wilderness at night, is this a sufficient balance?

*Note: I’m sticking to wet food.

Thanks in advance 🙂

• This topic was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Brando F.
• This topic was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Brando F.

[Deborah M]

Nancy,
You are most welcome. Good luck on getting a response. Don’t forget they are in Australia, so it may take a day or two with the time difference. If you want the email of the guy who I have corresponded with on several occasions, his name is Shane Bartlett -email is: sbartlett@k9natural.co.nz – he has been very helpful and nice. You can just let him know the crazy lady in the US with the two Shih Tzu’s who love Green Tripe, referred you. LOL. 72 lbs.! That’s a big one – he/she would eat mine up as a snack 🙂

[Deborah M]

On paper, Fromm’s is definitely an above average food. That’s why I tried it for my two Shih Tzus. But, sadly, they wouldn’t eat it. I’ve tried so many “five star” dry foods and the reaction I got with just about every thing I tried would go something like this….: They anxiously wait for me to put the bowls down, they stand in front of the bowl, give it an unenthusiastic sniff and walk away with sad eyes as if I’ve just given them cardboard or something. I would come home after work, and food wouldn’t be touched. Orijen is one dry that they will eat, but only sometimes. I recently switched them over to K9 Natural (freeze dried raw) – venison and occasionally add in some of the Green Tripe. OMG!!! – you would think they died and went to heaven. In two years, I’ve never seen them attack their food like this … like actual REAL dogs. It’s expensive, but soooo worth it. Since mine are small, the expense isn’t as much a factor. I do feel bad for those with large breeds who want to go the raw route because it IS expensive, but I am factoring in how much money I’ve wasted in the last two years with failed trial and error. I order on-line … it’s less expensive.

[Deborah M]

K9 Natural saved me!
I tried everything to get my two Shih Tzus to eat. They would eat to live and that was about it. My local pet store recommended the K9 Natural Venison and Green Tripe. Wow. What a difference. They love it and eat on cue, every morning, and every night. I’ve read blog after blog, review after review, and it seems that almost everyone shares my opinion of this food. You can actually pronounce each ingredient, and they are all quality ingredients. Lastly, I’ve contacted the K9 manufacturer a couple of times with questions since I’m a raw diet newbie. They got back to me with a personal email right away, both times, and answered my question in detail to my satisfaction. Not only it this a great product, but it comes from a great company.

[Melissaandcrew]

Lol. A guy in tractor supply one day made a snide comment about my shihtzu that I was carrying..he felt the need to put his two cents in and comment about stupid spoiled dogs..he didn’t like it much when I loudly told him…my dog is cleaner and better cared for then your two kids..are you feeding them doggy bag too???

[Hendrick C]

OMG! The same thing happened to us. We have a 4 year old Shih-tzu and we switched her to Wellness Complete a little over a month ago. About 3 weeks later, she started having seizures. I was thinking about switching her to a different food but after reading your post, I will definitely stop giving her Wellness food. She had a senior blood work done and a tick panel and everything came back normal and negative. Our next step is to take her to a Neurologist but I will also see if stopping Wellness will also stop her from having seizures.

Wish us luck!

Thanks,

Worried Dad (Hendrick)

[Hendrick C]

Hello…

I have a 4 year old Shih-tzu and she had her first seizure about 2 weeks ago. I attributed it to NexGard, which we started giving to her about 3 months ago. I stopped giving it to her and switched her back to Advantix II for flea and tick. We also switched her to Wellness Complete about a month ago and this morning, she had another seizure (paddling, shaking, snorting, eyes wide open, unresponsive, foaming at the mouth type). The flea and tick medication and the food were the only two things that I can think of that changed in the past couple of months. Could the change in food have triggered her seizures? I’m not sure if I should change her food to something else that can help with or stop her seizures. If so, any recommendations?

Please let me know.

Thank you,

Worried Dad (Hendrick)

[losul]

Lisa: yes good news on keeping it down this time. Has the vet ever communicated to you what he/she thinks has been the cause of the vomiting then? Seem’s to be some communication issues and antagonism from both sides, it might be time to find a new vet relationship, Will you be switching vets now?

Lisa, that earlier pic I linked was of a very large hernia, the opening of which may have been large enough as to not restrict intestinal flow.

These pics are also definitely large enough hernias for the intestines to fall through, and they have, but they are small enough to restrict intestinal flow and cause problems;

http://www.firehousechihuahuas.com/UmbilicalHernia.jpg

http://www.asiahomes.com/dogpix/030603tn_umbilical_hernia_11weeks_Shih_Tzu_Singapore.jpg

This one would be considered a small hernia, and apparently the intestines haven’t pushed through the opening to a large degree…yet….

http://www.waggintailsdachshunds.com/Lance%20Bubble%202.JPG

Bobby dog; Thnx! Yes important to be aware, the Docs aren’t always so aware, but they definitely hear all the “plusses” from the pharmaceutical companies. Glad to hear the eventual outcome for you and family was more positive than it could have been otherwise!
————————
Be sure to ask your doctor if “blank” is right for you, even though the pharmas TV ad gave no indication what the drug was for, sheesh. Thank goodness for DVR’s, lol.

[Kim L]

Very long story short, my vet recently noticed a really slight heart murmur in my 17-pound Shih Tzu Lhasa mix. She suggested Krill oil (as opposed to standard fish oil) to help with his heart and his flaky skin.

I currently have him on Horizon Pulsar Fish Formula (very low glycemic as he has issues with yeast). However, as it is a fish formula, I would not want to give him too much fish oil. This is what Dog Food Advisor says about the fish oil already in the food: “The sixth ingredient is salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.” I have been looking into Dr. Mercola’s krill oil, and it says to give about one pump per 10 pounds. Does that seem excessive with fish-based food, or no?

This may be a silly question, but I just do not want to give him too much if the food already contains some, and also want to be sure that Krill oil is, in fact, better than an omega-3 fish oil supplement. Thanks!

[fey W]

Dry eye can have several causes. I think you should first find out the cause of your shih-tzu’s dry eye , and take your shih-tzu’s to see a vet, veterinarians will give you some treatments.

[Robin B]

I had a bichon Shih tzu mix with same problem. I was able to take care of the problem by simply adding a little unfiltered apple cider vinegar to his water. I’m always looking for natural ways to take care of issues. Tearing in most cases involves the pH balance in the dog. Worth a try.

[deca d]

What kind of products would help with my shih-tzu’s dry eye condition? She’s on medicated eye drops right now. I’m looking for alternative store medications, and maybe food supplements.

[deca d]

I am something of an outdoorsman, and I was wondering if the following types of meat would be okay for my shih-tzu mix to eat:
Rabbit
Squirrel
Dove
Frog (Legs)
Crawdads
Various types of fish (Catfish, Bass, Bluegill)

The meat would be baked. Would organs such as heart or liver be okay raw? Or should that be baked as well?

[Jordan H]

Hi everyone, i’ve been going through the list of 5 star rated dog foods (wet and dry) on this site but i had no luck finding any that were available in Australia so i decided to come here with hopes of some advice! I would really like to know what is the best type of dog food, highly rated by the standards of this site that is available in Aus.

The thought of me feeding my pup food that truly isn’t good for him makes me very uneasy so any help and advice is really appreciated!

In case this is of importance – i have a 4 year old maltese x shih tzu!

[Susan]

Hi Tracey, Shih tzu are known for stomach problems, especially pancreatitis, try a diet that is lower in fat, spewing yellow acid is a sign that she has excess stomach acid, are you sure she doesnt have acid reflux, my boy was suffering from this the begining of the year, I had to cook boiled chicken breast & boiled pumkin & also he was put on 1/3 Zantac every 12 hours 1 hour before food, this fixed the problem, as he hasnt vomited now for months thank- God, also kibbles are processed & harder on their tummy to digest.. You dont say what she is eating change whatever it is she eating, so she wants to eat & smaller meals are best 4 times a day, not the 1 big meal a day, as the acids will eat away at her stomach & will cause stomach ulcers in the end, a nice low fat dry biscuits helps..for her not to want to eat something is wrong, change her diet to a lower fat easy to digest meals & see then if she’s feeling better…nice smelling tuna or salmon as a small meal, I do the tuna & boiled pumkin for a light breakfast as Patch cant stomach his kibble for breakfast, I give the kibble for lunch & dinner but he’s on a low residue kibble that breaks up very easy & now Im adding the Wellness Simple Duck & Oatmeal, but the Holistic Select kibbles broke down easier & when water was added the Holistic Select soften real easy so he’d digest it easier then a kibble that had potatos..

[Tracy]

I have an almost 2-year-old Shih Tzu. I feed her twice a day. Once at noon and once at 8pm. Half the time, she will eat at noon, and half the time, she will not touch it at all. I just put it away because I assume she’s not hungry. But the thing is, sometimes when she doesn’t eat her lunch, she ends up later vomiting up yellow bile. I know this is a sign that she’s hungry. But if she was hungry, why would she not eat her lunch?

Should I start feeding her once a day at say 4 or 5pm? Because she doesn’t seem to be hungry at noon, but then maybe 8pm is too late and she gets starved. Is 4pm the happy middle? What do you think?

Thanks in advance.

• This topic was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by Tracy.

[Rose H]

Would anyone care to share their Homemade Raw dog food recipes??? I foster for a shih tzu rescue and since I feed my own adopted rescue dog frozen raw (Primal rabbit) I feed my fosters this as well and it does get expensive when you’re feeding several dogs and shih tzus can be very picky eaters!
Thanks!

[Suburban Gal]

My mom’s former co-worker and friend, Sharon, has several Shih Tzus. She also does Shih Tzu rescue.

We just found out that Sharon no longer vaccinates her dogs. While she cites age as a reason why (all of her dogs are seniors), that’s only part of it. She says there’s a whole new train of thought about over vaccinating pets and that science shows that most vaccines are good for life or at least 7 years from the time they’re given. She told me about Dr. Schultz of the UW-Madison veterinary school and says he has quite a following. In addition to not vaccinating, she doesn’t give heartworm prevention nor does she do flea and tick prevention either. She says she titers when she can.

Honestly, none of my pets have ever had any problems from vaccinations. While any animal could have an adverse reaction to any vaccine, the probability is small according to many veterinarians.

I also can’t imagine not giving flea and tick prevention. We tried cutting corners once to save some money by not giving that during the winter months and we still had an infestation of fleas which also spread to my uncle’s home when we took the pets to visit him shortly after we stopped giving flea and tick prevention. Never again. My pets get it continuously year round. And I can’t imagine not giving anything to prevent heartworm. That’s not only expensive to treat, but fatal as well.

While I think highly of Sharon and applaud her for engaging in her breed’s rescue efforts, I don’t support her decision to stop vaccinating altogether and titer when she can. Just because someone says you shouldn’t vaccinate doesn’t mean you should stop. Vaccinations are given for a reason and some are required, like rabies, because it’s not only for the greater good of you, as some things are transmissible to owners, and your pet but it’s good for the greater whole of society as well.

This is no different from those who say they’re not going to vaccinate their children.

I find it all very bizarre.

Does anyone here know what I’m talking about? Do you agree? Are pets over vaccinated? Did you stop vaccinating?

[BRT]

Need help please….

I thought I was transitioning slow enough, but this morning both had diarrhea and then when I went home at lunch today my shih tzu/yorkie had a massive mucousy stool. I clearly need to tone it back. How long should the switch completely over take?

I called two pet food stores where I live who a totally for raw and got two different answers. One told me the switch can take up to a month. The other said go cold turkey and give them just raw for dinner tonight.

I’m so confused and am coming here for some definitive advice. I don’t want to give up this quickly, but I don’t want to cause them any additional tummy issues.

Thank you!

[BRT]

So, I decided to go with the NV Raw Venison Bites. I started them on it this evening. The person who sold me the food also feeds her dog raw and she recommended I don’t mix the kibble and the raw together while transitioning the foods. She said I should start with dinner and give them less kibble and then an hour later feed them a bit of the raw bites. Slowly do that until their dinner is completely raw. Then work on transitioning breakfast.

I took her suggestion and someone is a little gassy. I think it’s my maltese/toy poodle boy (the one with the allergy issues).

This food smells, too. They loved it, but I found the smell awful.

My other concern is that little rescue baby (shih tzu/yorkie) likes to bring his kibble into the living room and eat off of the carpet. He’ll bring a mouthfull at a time and drop it on the carpet. Obviously, I can’t have him doing that if I’m feeding him raw.

I also don’t want to get too paranoid about cross contamination. Like if they eat and then go play with a toy. Do I need to religiously wash the toy daily?

In addition to food allergies/intoleranc he also definitely has environmental allergies, as well.

I’ve never tried the food elimination diet. I’m not even sure I’d know where to start.

I also didn’t realize how expensive this food is. I guess I’ll be eating Ramen noodles for a while. Just kidding…. Anything to keep my boys healthy.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by BRT.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 9 months ago by BRT.

[Denise T]

I started feeding Blue Buffalo about 6 months ago and one of my shih tzu started having soft stools which this week developed into bloody diarrhea. I didn’t know about the carrageenan but it wasn’t in his previous food and he didn’t start having problems until I gave him the canned food. I had thought the Blue Buffalo was a good choice due to all the great reviews I’ve read and now I believe it has made my youngest really sick. I thought I was doing a good thing by limiting dry food and doing research, but it wasn’t enough!!

[Jean Ann]

Three Cavalier, two with MVD but stage 0. Looking for well-balanced dry food

[michele b]

hello i have a 2 year old Shih Tzu / Pekingese mix she has been on alpo dog food recently she has been sick with an upset stomache i don’t know if she ate something out side that made her sick but i am right now feeding her rice with hamburger which the vet told me to give her that but when i put her back on her dog food and she gets sick again it must be something in her food that don’t agree with her so my question is there a dog food out there for dogs with a sensitive Stomache that is cheap ? i don’t want to have to get rid of her b/c of this b/c i know there is people out there that wont take care of her and i would really like to keep my dog with me b/c i will take care of her but when your on a low income where you can barely get by yourself .but if there is something out there that i can feed her it would be great to know if anyone knows anything about this please let me know thanks Michele .

[LexiDog]

I personally like the Regional Red. My girl is not too picky but my moms super picky shih tzu ate it. So it has to be good. 🙂

[So A]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8zxUUefpBs&feature=share&list=UUlIJ98iKd2RrOFMkt6DnJYQ

0:00 Great Dane
0:22 German Shepherd
0:44 Tosa Inu
1:08 Boxer
1:32 Husky
1:55 Brussels Griffon
2:18 Pug
2:40 English BullDog
3:06 Shih Tzu
3:26 Yorkshire Terrier

[Jim H]

Hello everyone,
I’m new here and I need some advice. I want a food that has between 25-30% protein. My dogs are not herding sheep all day and do not need a grain-free, hi-protein food. I also want something easily digestible with little waste. I do not want corn or soy and I would like it be a lamb based food with whole eggs, fish oil, vitamins and chelated minerals. I used Canidae for years, but they changed the formula, so they’re out. I next found Dog Lovers Gold. It was a great food, but they changed their formula too and now they’re out. I searched the internet thoroughly and found Dr. Tim’s. My girls ( Great Pyrenees, Golden Retriever & Shih Tzu ) are doing great on Dr. Tim’s, shiny coats, firm low-odor stools, nice breath. It has everything I want except it’s chicken based instead of lamb. I can get Dr. Tim’s delivered for $1.52/ lb and this is the best “good food at a good price” that I have found. Does anyone have any suggestions for something similar, only with lamb?
Thanks
Jim

[Marietta B]

Awe thanks! Her name is Eggroll. She is a Japanese Chin/Shih Tzu mix and she will be 4 years old on July 1st. She’s the light of my life. I love seeing the pictures of all of your pets. They’re precious.

[Marietta B]

I used to have a picky Shih Tzu. She would never eat and she always vomited bile from having an empty stomach. Then I discovered raw dehydrated food! She eats every day now and I’m guessing it’s been 3 years since I started feeding her the dehydrated raw. I alternate between Stella and Chewy’s, Primal and Ziwipeak. I also started feeding her Only Natural Pet Max Meat and the air dried variety of The Real Meat Company. Every time she finishes a bag I switch to another brand and protein and she never has digestive issues. I keep Tiki Dog and Weruva canned varieties on hand for days when I want her to have a special treat. Hang in there. You will eventually find some foods that your dog will love. Just try not to give in and offer treats because your dog will catch on quickly and will hold out for them.

[LexiDog]

My mom shih tzu is also very picky and he throws up the foamy stuff sometimes too. She softens his hard food in water for a couple hours, mashes it with a fork, then adds cut up chicken tenders and stirs. I have tried to get him to eat just the hard food but he won’t touch it. Maybe you can try softening it and adding the digestive supplement.

[Shasta220]

Shih Tzu… Sorry, couldn’t help correcting that one… XP

Maybe try the NutriSource….avoid Purina, as it is a very low quality big-name food. Possibly add some digestive supplements (like probiotics). Canned pumpkin is a great way for a quick fix as far as icky stools go, too.

[Kim L]

Hello,

I have posted on other topics before, so forgive me if this background is a repeat for anyone. I have a rescued Shih Tzu that has developed allergies in the past year or so. The vet says they aren’t super serious as they only really cause red skin/crust under one armpit, but I know they are yeast-related so I have decided to start on Nusentia Probiotic AND Enzyme Miracle.

My question is that since his skin is already infected, I am clearly going to use these at the higher doseage suggested and not just a maintenance dose. I know any results could take weeks to see. In the meantime, I have also read that plain Kefir and coconut oil are great Probiotics as well. Would it be ok to also give him one or both of these in smaller doses? I certainly do not want to overdose him, but from what I have read, “overdosing,” per say, is not super likely.

Anyway, I would just love some suggestions/ideas/other things I can use to help my poor guy feel better. I already bathe him in the Malaseb shampoo and have Zymox drops for his infrequent ear infections. I try ACV in his water when I can, but he realllllllllly hates it so it isn’t a real option for me.

Thanks!

[banditsmom]

my dog has had recent behavior changes. he is a 12 yo shih tzu and physically his issues are hypothyroidism and he takes meds also dry eye and he gets drops.
He has been on Prozac 5mg daily for some aggressiveness and its worked ok. I am going to wean him off of it after talking to the vet again. Vet just saw him and agrees that he is cognitively impaired. he wanders around the house and the will sit down and just bark at nothing. His hearing is fine but when I call him he doesn’t respond at all which is not like him.
Vet said to add omega-3 and I’m going to try selegiline for a month to see if it helps him.

I need peoples input. Does he need something different or something added?
Has anyone had experience with this? I’m distraught over this and I need to do the best for him.
He eats canned food or Stella & Chewy’s thatI add meat to. His canned is rotated, Wellness, Merrick, Weruva or Ziwi.

[Anne R]

I have two rescue dogs – Millie (8years old, spayed female terrier mix) and Fonzie (3years old, neutered male cock-a-tzu (cocker/shih tzu mix)
I have issues with both, but the main one at present is with Millie who has a bout of mild/moderate pancreatitis. This is the second time she has had it, with a more serious incident two years ago. Her CPL reading is 360, which is way above the reference range of 0-200 ug/l and her Red Blood Cell count, hemoglobin, cholestrol and lipase readings are way up as well.
For the past 6 – 8 weeks I have been feeding them Natures Variety Raw Bites in the honest belief that I was doing the very best for them. They both seemed to like it and have shiny coats etc but the end result with Millie (who is the pickiest eater on the planet!) is pancreatitis and the end result with Fonzie is excessive weight gain – 2kg+ since I began this diet!! I am devastated as Millie was actually enjoying her food for the first time ever (she has always refused dry kibble) but what good is that if she is suffering illness as a result?! To make things worse I was over-feeding them up to a few days ago, which may have caused the pancreatitis to flare up – or maybe the food would have caused it anyway.
I desperately want to feed them a good, nourishing and wholesome food but I am completely frustrated by the choice available and the vastly differing opinions I get in the pet stores. To make matters worse I am leaving them in kennels for 12 days in just under three weeks time when I go to Ireland and I have to have them settled on a suitable food before I go. Please help!

[Robert A]

We have a 22 lb, 7 year old shih tzu. He is large frame and not overweight. Recent blood work showed his triglycerides very high at 1300. Following that he had blood work after 12 hour fasting and the count was even higher at 1900. He is currently on Kirland Adult dry food and home made chicken, vegetables and brown rice.

We have been advised to change to a low fat dry food and need recommendations on premium brand. Would appreciate any comments and advice.

[Amy R]

Hey all. I currently feed The Honest Kitchen and I love it for my Shih Tzu. However, he is a Gold/White Parti and is beard is always green even after washing his face after he eats. I’m considering changing his diet to a combination of Merrick dry and Primal Pronto raw. Anyone feeding either of these? If so, how is it working for you?

Thank you, Amy

[NectarMom]

Well I will chime in about THK and the alfalfa. My Shih Tzu ( Tootie) is my Poultry allergy girl and after switching her to Nutrisca ( Salmon and chickpea ) and adding in sardines and halibut she had been doing fine up until yesterday afternoon then started chewing on her feet. I had already bought a box of THK Zeal before but she wouldn’t touch it but last night she ate it with some added sardines and halibut and low and behold this morning her poop had stems of alfalfa in it. It looked like she had been outside eating grass and I follow them around the backyard to watch everyone’s poop ( Yes I know my husband says I am loony too) My dogs are never left unattended even in our own backyard because I am such an over protective mother hen with my girls. Plus I have one that is my walking epipen so I really have to watch her because she is allergic to insect bites and bee stings ETC. So I went through the box of Zeal and there is longer stems of alfalfa in it. I am super disappointed being that I paid so much once again for a food that will not work. It is all so crazy how these days dog food has to be such a huge scare issue. My dogs are my little children and to think of loosing any of them makes me just get teary eyed. I think the older I get the more attached I get and I am sick of trial and error with just trying to do the right thing by my girls. I am 51 years old and I have had quite a few dogs in my lifetime but I have not ever had as many food issues and allergies with dogs before these 4 and I believe it is in the food that is causing all these problems with dogs these days. We are completely at the mercy of dog food manufacturers unless we have time to cook healthy meals at home for our pets but that is not always feasible for most that are working hard for retirement. Ugh I nominate no foods because I have yet to find that one that even comes close to helping a couple of my special needs ones.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 12 months ago by NectarMom.

[NectarMom]

I put my dogs as a priority so here is my situation, We are feeding Brothers complete Allergy kibble and rotating through proteins except for chicken. I am thinking of switching because my dogs still after a year and a half chew on their feet and scratch like mad and even after I feed them they are still hungry and bugging me to feed them more food! I do not want to rock the boat and make things complicated for my girls or make matters worse but it is honestly getting to the point where I feel like they are not getting enough out of this food since they are so hungry all the time. I have 3 Chihuahuas and an imperial shih Tzu and I feed 1/8 cup in the morning and 1/8 cup in the evening but my shih Tzu is on a different diet and she is not interested in eating anyways. Anyone else have any similar issues? Ugh I am so tired of trying to feed my dogs what I feel is good and it ends up back firing on me. My thoughts are it was Winter so no atopic allergies should happen and Candida should be out of their systems by now so I don’t know what to think?

[NectarMom]

If your dog has an Ulcer you have to get that healed up before the acid reflux will disappear also. My 6-lb Shih Tzu gets 1/4 of a Pepcid AC every 12 hrs. She is also on a stomach coating so the Ulcer can heal and that is called Sucralfate 1/4 dissolved in a syringe of water. I give her that 30 min prior to feeding her. I am mixing cooked Halibut and white fish and sardines in with her Nutrisca Salmon and chick pea kibble and she is doing good so far.

[Kim L]

And sorry to post again, but for a very yeasty Shih Tzu, can anyone recommend a dog probiotic that has worked for them in the past? We are dealing with some yeast and I would love to get him on a good probiotic soon. He is currently on the Vetri-Science probiotic chews, but they have brewers yeast in them which is not ideal.

Thanks so much!

[Kim L]

So just to be clear, I can give my 17 pound Shih Tzu this human probiotic and it will not hurt him at all? http://www.amazon.com/Stephen-Langers-Ultimate-Strain-Probiotic/dp/B0078NKEJ4/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1396643431&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=steven+langers

And about 1/4 of the serving size of a human?

Thank you so much. This information is truly so useful.

[NectarMom]

My Shih Tzu has been diagnosed with Poultry intolerance and we have been feeding Brother’s Complete Allergy formulas for well over a year and her symptoms have gotten so bad that she quit eating, Diarrhea and the vet bills are seriously out of control. She is in a lot of pain so is on Tramadol and a stomach coating and Pepcid AC. I had been rotating between all of the Brother’s kibble but since they all have chicken in every single one and Turkey we have to switch my shih Tzu off this brand so I cold turkey switched her to Nutrisca Salmon and chickpea and I am adding in some cooked whiting fish and some sardines ( very little less than 1/8 cup combined) I still worry about the egg in the Nutrisca so I am searching for a food that is Poultry free, grain free and potato and egg free. I know big elimination in ingredients but I have to be sure since egg is also one of the known allergy foods. I do not like seeing her hurting and it is like pulling teeth to get her to eat anything and we already tried THK Zeal and she will not touch it even with fresh fish added to it. We have run every test possible and next step is to do an endoscope of her intestines which cost an arm and a leg so if this is a food allergy I would like to solve this without the endoscope procedure if I can. I got her to eat some of the Nutrisca by adding the fresh sardines so after that she had a firmer but not solid firm stool and before on Brother’s it was runny and sorry for the yucky description but the stool was like pudding. Now it is almost solid but still has mucus in it from the intestinal upset.

[Amy R]

I recently tried Stinky Dog by Bobbi Panter and I really liked it. It rinses out easily and the drying time on my Shih Tzu was 1/2 of what it usually is.

[Amy R]

Hello. I have a 4 year old neutered Shih Tzu who is extremely healthy. I have been feeding The Honest Kitchen for over a year and am very happy with their products. We are in the process of moving into a new home that is a 1 1/2 hour drive from our current house. Because we’ve been going back and forth so much I bought some Nature’s Variety LID Duck kibble to feed on the days that we are traveling. Grady (Tzu) started having accidents in the house and licking himself a lot – he’s is not normally a licker. He also had a very strong urine smell about him. Took him to the vet and he was diagnosed with a UTI. I can’t help but wonder about the timing. Has anyone else feeling this food had any urinary problems?

Thank you, Amy

[Melissaandcrew]

I am probably in the minority here, lol. I use a bunch of shampoos and my all time fav is TopPerformance Sea Breeze. Its fairly inexpensive, and dilutes out. They did change the formula a few years back so it does not dilute out like it used to- I think it was 19 parts water to 1 shampoo and now its like 9 parts water to one. I use it full strength on particularly grungy rescues that come in.

My dogs do not require bathing very often, but many of them are breeds that require clipping, so therefore all get bathed and/or clipped every 6-8wks whether they need it or not. The shampoo leaves a nice scent that lasts a long time-you can still smell it after several weeks, and if it rains and they get wet, its even a touch stronger. My fav conditioner is Nova Pearls for the same reason. The scent smells awesome and lasts forever.

I have tried other “organic” and unscented shampoos, but did not find the scent to be “fresh and clean” nor long lasting. If I am going to the trouble to groom and bathe them, I want that “fresh from the groomer” smell. The conditioner is a bit pricier, but does dilute out as well. If you find it on sale, you can get good buys and that is when I stock up. Otherwise its in the $70 or more a gallon range.

I have never had a dog have a reaction to either, and they come out clean, fluffy, and shiny. For coats that are longer and tend to tangle(shihtzu) I use Coat Handler as an “after rinse” and leave a bit in.