Shih Tzu – Is The Food You Feed Causing Health Problems?

One method of determining whether the food you feed your shih
tzu is affecting its health or producing problem symptoms is to
keep a health journal.

It is time consuming, but will be invaluable for determining
whether there is a link between his diet and his condition. You
can diagnose or better yet help your vet diagnose your shih
tzu’s itchy skin, whereas otherwise, it might be impossible and
cost you a lot more money in vet bills after your vet has to run
test after test based upon the only symptom you report being
“itchy skin.” You may even still end up with a shih tzu with
itchy skin. You can do a little homework on your own and put
your money into your own investigations. Then take the entire
journal to your vet and show him what you have done so far to
determine what is causing your shih tzu’s problems, or better
yet, solve it yourself and never visit the vet.

In your journal, list the foods you give your shih tzu and their
major ingredients, note outbreaks of increased or renewed
itching, ear infections or paw-licking, whatever problem you
think his diet might be causing. Change the food. Note symptoms.
After about six months into your project, go back over your
notes to see if symptoms increase when certain ingredients are
fed, or do symptoms decrease.

Keep the date, your shih tzu’s health problems and assets,
results of veterinary exams or tests, the type of food or foods
you feed him and the food’s major ingredients (this would be the
percentage of protein and fat). The major ingredients in any dog
food are always listed first.

Periodically look through the data for trends such as: Did your
shih tzu’s itchy skin or coat problems go down or up when you
switched to that “food.” Did some foods trigger diarrhea and
only go away when you switched to another food?

My tests were simple. I merely changed all my dogs to
HealthyPetNet Life’s Abundance Dog Food and Treats. The diarrhea
problems and loose stool problems disappeared. The dogs I had
that were itching because of their diet, stopped itching. I had
a few that did have other skin problems (minor) in which I
sought the help of a vet for resolution. Other than that, my
shih tzu are thriving better than ever before since we switched
to HealthyPetNet Life’s Abundance Dog Food.

Your tests may not reveal the same. Not every shih tzu is alike.
I do have several different bloodlines, however, and the food
has agreed with them all, which is kind of unusual. Which food
to feed my shih tzu has always been a huge problem for me at
Stain Glass Shih Tzu. Based upon my experiences and observations
with the shih tzu I presently own, HealthyPetNet Life’s
Abundance has proved to be the best of all. It could be your
tests prove differently. Just keep your journal. Read the dog
food labels. Know that the main ingredients are listed first.
Then make your decision of whether or not it is the diet of your
shih tzu causing the problems you seek to solve.