The Shih Tzu eye: Ophthalmic findings of 1000 eyes

Vet Ophthalmol. 2024 Sep;27(5):447-451. doi: 10.1111/vop.13182. Epub 2024 Jan 3.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the frequency of ophthalmic disorders in Shih Tzus.

Animals: Five hundred client-owned Shih Tzu dogs (1000 eyes).

Procedures: Medical records of 500 Shih Tzu dogs were reviewed and ophthalmic examination data were collected and analyzed.

Results: In total, out of 1000 eyes, 964 (96.4%; OD: 480 eyes, OS: 484 eyes) had at least one ophthalmic abnormality, and only 36 eyes (3.6%; OD: 20 eyes, OS: 16 eyes) were diagnosed as normal. A total of 1375 individual ophthalmic abnormalities were observed in 964 diseased eyes. Fifty-nine different unique diagnoses were made in the study population, and only three conditions [medial canthal entropion (10.4% of eyes; bilateral in 10.2% of dogs), caruncular trichiasis (21.1% of eyes; bilateral in 20.2% of dogs), and reduced tear film breakup time (17.6% of eyes; bilateral in 17.4% of dogs)] affected 49.1% of the eyes.

Conclusion and clinical relevance: Findings suggested that the most prevalent disorders for the Shih Tzus were hairy caruncle, reduced TBUT, medial canthal entropion, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, pigmentary keratitis, lagophthalmos, and mature cataract.

Keywords: Shih Tzu; brachycephalic; dry eye disease; eye; ocular; tear film.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Dog Diseases* / pathology
  • Dogs
  • Eye Diseases* / pathology
  • Eye Diseases* / veterinary
  • Female
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Retrospective Studies