Kinds of Shih Tzu Allergies
Shih Tzu allergies could be triggered by a broad range of allergens. Nonetheless, these could be classified into 3 key categories:
1. Environmental Allergies
This kind of allergy is commonly triggered by weeds, grasses, and seasonal pollen. This isn’t only a summertime problem; seasonal Shih Tzu allergies could likewise start in spring, and ragweed is a primary trigger in autumn.
Moreover, cleaners or air deodorizer sprays that are a common household material can likewise contribute to Shih Tzu allergies.
2. Food Allergies
Oftentimes, the food additives in pet food trigger Shih Tzu allergies. Unfortunately, a lot of brands are guilty of putting these into their products. This includes artificial colors or flavoring and chemical preservatives. Other allergy triggers include ingredients with gluten, like wheat and its by-products.
Although it is rare, Shih Tzus could also be allergic to eggs or even to chicken, which is usually well tolerated.
3. Contact Allergies
This is the most unusual kind of dog allergy, but it shouldn’t be ruled out nevertheless. Contact allergies refer to something that your Shih Tzu is comes in physical contact with.
This could also include certain fabrics, carpeting, and/ or the detergents and cleaners that are used to wash them. In some instances, even plastic bowls and rubber toys could trigger Shih Tzu allergies.
In many cases, you would notice a localized skin reaction on the body part that comes into contact with the allergen. For instance, you would notice skin inflammation around the nose and mouth if your Shih Tzu was allergic to his or her plastic food bowl.
If the dog, however, is allergic to the carpet or even the laundry detergent that was used to wash the rugs, there could be a full body rash.
