Does Your Shih Tzu Suffer From Incessant Scratching?

 itch.  The Shih Tzu may be allergic to one or more
A lot of dogs and the Shih Tzu seen in vet officesingredients in the pet food you are feeding.  Food
are there for excessive scratching.  What causesallergies are usually less common, but can be quite
excessive scratching in the Shih Tzu and other caninesevere.
breeds more than in cats, horses or any other animal 
species?Symptoms of environmental allergies can be treated
 with anti-inflammatory drugs, shampoos and other
The three biggest reasons for excessive scratchingmedications.  Allergy testing and hypo sensitization
include:will most likely be recommended to find the exact
 underlying cause or disease.  Some allergens can just
- Parasitesbe simply avoided by you and your Shih Tzu.
- Allergies 
- Skin infectionsThe most accurate method used for identifying a
 dog or a Shih Tzu’s sensitivity to allergens is the
There are many conditions, however, that causesintradermal skin testing.  You must be certain your
dogs and the Shih Tzu to scratch.  Some of theseShih Tzu is off certain medications like steroids and
dogs and Shih Tzu have an itchy rash, they lose hairanti-histamines to have accurate results from
from the scratching, or their hair tangles into knotstesting. 
that has to be removed, or they may just scratch 
incessantly.When you have identified the allergen that is troubling
 your Shih Tzu, you can avoid it if possible.  The Shih
The flea is the most common parasite that will makeTzu can also be hyposensitized to the offending
a Shih Tzu scratch and itch incessantly.  There areallergen or allergens.
very effective flea treatments on the market 
today.  If Shih Tzu owners use these treatments asAnother cause of scratching in the Shih Tzu and dogs
directed, they provide an effective way to protectin general is bacterial and yeast skin infections.  I
the Shih Tzu from fleas and itching.  Even Shih Tzuhave had personal experience with yeast ear and
who stays indoors most of the time should receiveskin infections in some of my Shih Tzu.  Usually a
regular flea treatment to protect against fleasbath in Betodine Scrub every 7 days for 4 weeks
because fleas can be picked up in the backyard whiletakes care of this type of problem.  Pouring the
going to potty or in the park while going for a walk. Betodine Scrub directly into the ears provides
 wonders for these cases.  I once had some kind of
Mites are another common parasite that can causea little infection around one of my fingernails.  It
the Shih Tzu to itch incessantly.  Mites can also bemust have been due to yeast, because after I
effectively controlled with regular treatments.bathed one of my Shih Tzu who had the skin and
 ear yeast problem, the fingernail problem was cured
Allergies are frequently the cause of intensewithin the next 24 hours.
scratching in the Shih Tzu and canines in general.  If 
your Shih Tzu is allergic to flea bites he can beBacterial infections may look like small bumps on the
miserable after only one flea bite. skin.  Yeast skin infections are smelly and greasy as
 well as itchy.  The infections are easily cured, but
Shih Tzu can also be allergic to environmental allergiessometimes the underlying cause must be found if the
such as seasonal pollens, molds, and insects, andinfections are recurrent.
non-seasonal allergens such as house dust and house 
dust mites.  These environmental allergies are similarThe causes to your Shih Tzu’s incessant itching
to those people have.  People usually sneeze orcan be found and remedied.  Shih Tzu does not
have congestion in the nose.  Shih Tzu usually itchhave to be tormented by constant itching.
from the same kind of allergens people will sneeze 
from.  
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Food allergies are another cause for a Shih Tzu to