|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
As your Partner in Pet Health, the team at Hillside Animal Hospital would like to provide you with as much information as possible regarding your role in keeping your dog happy and healthy. With this in mind, we have developed new Breed-Specific Wellness Programs. These programs are intended to increase your awareness on health conditions that have been found to be commonly associated with your dog's breed. While many dogs live a long, healthy life without facing major health issues, we feel that educating pet owners about possible health conditions is the best way to be proactive in detecting health issues before they become a problem. You'll find important recommendations for scheduling physical exams and diagnostic tests which we encourage you to discuss with the doctor throughout your pet's care. Please contact us at 480-391-7297 if you would like further information or to schedule an appointment.
Shih Tzu - Specific Wellness Program
Cardiovascular Conditions
 Endocardiosis (Heart Valve Disease)
About the condition:
- This condition is the most common cause of heart disease in a dog. The heart valves become deformed leading to abnormal heart function and heart failure.
How to detect this condition:
- Annual exam - your doctor will provide a thorough physical examination and can listen for any heart murmur, which may indicate this condition.
- If a heart murmur is detected an ultrasound, a non-invasive type of imaging, is recommended.
- An ECG may also be recommended.
Ocular Conditions
Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca (Dry Eye)
About the condition:
- This is a common disease characterized by reduced tear production resulting in drying and inflammation of the conjunctiva and cornea.
How to detect this condition:
- If your pet shows any of these signs, we should check the tear production of your pet's eyes.
Neurological Conditions
Inter-vertebral Disc Disease
About the condition:
- Degeneration of the inter-vertebral discs that can lead to pressure on the spinal cord, which leads to pain and/or partial paralysis.
How to detect this condition:
- Let your doctor know if your pet seems to be in pain and is reluctant to move around. Holding the back in an arched position is another common sign.
- X-rays are important in detecting this condition as they will show any disc irregularities. These are recommended starting at age 6 and then every 2 years.
Renal/Urinary Conditions
Bladder stones
About the condition:
- The formation of stones can cause blockage of the urinary tract and is fairly common.
How to detect this condition:
- Urinalysis - a chemical and microscopic analysis of your pet's urine. All that is required is a urine sample. (This is recommended to be performed at age 6 and every other year thereafter)
- Ultrasound - a type of non-invasive imaging that allows any stones to be detected in the bladder or kidney.
Familial Renal Disease
About the condition:
- This is a condition in which the kidneys (filters for waste material in the bloodstream) do not grow and mature properly resulting in small kidneys; normal tissue is replaced with scar tissue. This particular type of renal disease is inherited from family members.
How to detect this condition:
- It is important to have blood work checked at the age of 6 years to see if there are any signs of disease.
This list is not intended to cover all possible diseases and/or conditions found in Shih Tzus, but instead lists those that we have found to be most common at Hillside Animal Hospital. Please let your doctor know if you have further questions regarding these or any other conditions.
Wellness Recommendations
An annual physical exam is recommended for the life of your pet so that any problems can be detected. In addition, we recommend the following diagnostic evaluations in order to provide more thorough veterinary prevention and care:
| Annually |
Full eye exam, check tear production |
| Age 6 |
40 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, ECG to check for
heart problems, x-rays of back |
| Age 8 |
48 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays of chest,
abdomen and hips if needed |
| Age 10 |
56 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 12 |
64 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
| Age 14 |
72 |
Full blood profile and urinalysis, x-rays |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
