Shih Tzu: inherited diseases and health
The inherited conditions below have been documented in this breed in published research. That does not mean your dog has them or will get them – but it helps to know the names when you talk to a breeder or a vet.
Conditions this breed is prone to
Veterinary charities list this breed as more likely than others to get these conditions. Read the signs and what to do:
Dry eye
Corneal ulcersShih Tzu and chocolate: how much is dangerous?
Typical adult weight: 4.5–8 kg. Grams of chocolate at which signs can start (20 mg/kg) and at which severe signs are reported (40 mg/kg):
| Dog weight | Milk | Dark 70–85% | Baking / unsweetened |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.5 kg | 45 g signs 90 g severe | 11 g signs 22 g severe | 6.4 g signs 13 g severe |
| 8 kg | 80 g signs 160 g severe | 20 g signs 40 g severe | 11 g signs 23 g severe |
Based on published doses: signs from about 20 mg/kg, severe signs from 40 mg/kg (US FDA, Cortinovis & Caloni 2016, Swedish Poison Information Centre). An estimate, not a diagnosis.
Inherited conditions documented in the breed
Conditions documented: 21
A gene variant is known for 9 of the conditions below, so a DNA test may exist. Ask your vet or the breed club.
| Condition | Body system | Inheritance | Gene variant known |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brachycephalic Airway Obstruction Syndrome (BAOS)[2] | – | – | – |
| Brachycephalic Ocular Syndrome[2] | – | – | – |
| Coat colour, dilution, MLPH-related[1] | Pigmentation | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Darier disease[1] | Integument (skin) | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
| Entropion[1] | Vision / eye | – | – |
| Glaucoma, primary open angle[1] | Vision / eye | – | – |
| Haemophilia B[1] | Haematopoietic system | X-linked recessive | Yes |
| Hypothyroidism, congenital dyshormonogenic, with goiter, SLC5A5-related[1] | Endocrine / exocrine gland (incl mammary gland) | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Intervertebral disc disease, predisposition to[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
| Keratoconjunctivitis Sicca[2] | – | – | – |
| Lissencephaly, generic[1] | Nervous system | – | – |
| Meningoencephalitis[1] | Nervous system | Multifactorial | No |
| Nephropathy[1] | Renal / urinary system | – | – |
| Ocular melanosis[1] | Pigmentation | Autosomal dominant | No |
| Polydactyly[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
| Prekallikrein deficiency[1] | Haematopoietic system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Renal dysplasia[1] | Renal / urinary system | – | – |
| Retinal atrophy, progressive, JPH2-related[1] | Vision / eye | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Screw tail[1] | Limbs / fins / digit / tail | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Trichiasis, caruncular[1] | Vision / eye | – | – |
| Vitreous degeneration[1] | Vision / eye | – | – |
What this list means
- “Documented in the breed” means at least one published case or study – it says nothing about how common the condition is.
- Many of these conditions are rare. A responsible breeder can tell you which health tests the parents have had.
- Where the gene variant is known, a DNA test may exist – ask your vet or the breed club.
- If your pet shows signs of illness, contact your vet. This page cannot tell you whether your pet is ill.
About the breed
- Origin
- People's Republic of China
- Height
- 27 cm
- Weight
- 4.5–8 kg
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Sources
How this page was made: the list is taken directly from the sources below; nothing on it was written by AI. Names of conditions may be machine-translated. It is information, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages