How Should I Care for My Sick Shih Tzu?
You will also need to seek veterinary care if your Shih Tzu has difficulty breathing, has serious or worsening symptoms, or does not react to or improve with home care (see below). Note that most colds and flu cases with dogs last 2 to 3 weeks.
Ways to help treat common canine colds at home include trying to encourage a dog to rest, drink enough, and eat enough (soft food such as plain cooked chicken along with plain rice, oatmeal, sweet potatoes may be given), wiping down the face with a warm, damp washcloth if there is a nasal or eye discharge, and running a cool-mist humidifier, next to resting and hydrating.
Are Vets Performing Corona Virus Tests on Dogs?
The reaction to this always is no. Most vets are not currently being screened, and it is not clear if routine corona virus dog testing will become popular for cats, and other household pets.
It should be noted that the dogs and cats who were suspected of having COVID-19 – all the results were negative.
Are There Any Health Tips for This?
Although no dogs have been reported as having been so far infected with COVID-19, and there is no proof to date that ‘positive’ tested dogs could be transmitted, it is certainly common for pet parents to want to take precautions to keep their Shih Tzu safe and healthy.
The Centre for Disease Control (CDC) says that “while this virus seems to have emerged from an animal source, it is now spreading from person-to-person.” The CDC recommends that people travelling to China avoid animals both alive and dead, “but there is no reason to think that any animals or pets in the United States might be a source of infection with this novel coronavirus.”
