Even without fleas, your Shih Tzu may itch a lot. You’ve changed shampoos several times, but your Shih Tzu keeps scratching. You wonder, “Could this be an allergy to shampoos or insect bites, like mosquitoes and ants?”
According to the professor of veterinary dermatology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUC-PR) and coordinator of the Companion Animal Hospital Unit of the institution, allergy is the main cause of itching in Shih Tzus.
This happens because the skin of Shih Tzus is poorer in fat, leading to more empty spaces between cells, exposing more nerves.
Why does my Shih Tzu scratch without having fleas or ticks?
The itching in Shih Tzus can result from various factors, but allergies have a genetic explanation: Shih Tzus are born with a predisposition to develop hypersensitivity, which can be to foods, arthropod saliva (flea and tick), fungi, and bacteria.
But allergy can also result from an irritating contact dermatitis: Shih Tzus are sensitive to substances like shampoos, perfumes, talcum powders, and even cleaning products used to clean the house floor. “Anything can cause an allergy in Shih Tzus. It is necessary for the veterinarian to examine to determine which substance is irritating your Shih Tzu’s skin.”
How to find out what causes allergy in my Shih Tzu
To discover what causes allergies in Shih Tzus, a test similar to that performed on humans is necessary. “The veterinarian takes the Shih Tzu’s blood and distributes it into several test tubes. Each of them contains a different substance to which the Shih Tzu is exposed daily.
If the substance in the tube connects to the immunoglobulin IgE antibody (present in the blood), it means that he is allergic to that substance.”
But before testing any product for the treatment of itching in your Shih Tzu, it is necessary to take the Shih Tzu to the vet.
How to avoid Shih Tzu itching
To prevent itching caused by the reduction of fat in the skin, called asteatotic pruritus, Marconi Rodrigues de Farias recommends that baths be given once every 10 or 15 days with more neutral products and lukewarm water.
Perfumes and talcum powders should be avoided, as well as the use of a very hot dryer.