Breed spotlight

Shih Tzu

Seniors who keep on going.

Shih Tzus are one of our oldest patient groups, averaging 14.8 years. Disc disease and neurological conditions bring most of them in — and they stay committed, at around 21 sessions each.

90
Shih Tzus cared for
1,866
therapy visits
21
avg sessions per pet
14.8
average age (years)
1.8×

Shih Tzus are 1.8× more likely than the average RehabVet patient to come to us for IVDD (disc disease).

41% of the Shih Tzus we treat — vs the clinic-wide average across 2,577 pets.

What we treat most

The conditions behind the visits

Share of Shih Tzus we've treated who carry each diagnosis. A badge means it's more common in Shih Tzus than across our patients overall.

IVDD / spinal41%1.8× avg
Neurological17%2.6× avg
Luxating patella8%
Arthritis / OA4%1.7× avg
Hip dysplasia3%

Based on recorded diagnoses; a pet may have more than one.

How we treat Shih Tzus

Rehabilitation41%
Hydrotherapy39%
Fitness Swim8%
TCVM Tui Na5%
Hyperbaric Oxygen4%
Pain Relief2%

Share of Shih Tzu therapy sessions by type (booking data, 2023–2026).

The plan

A Shih Tzu's typical journey

Gentle, senior-friendly rehabilitation and warm-water hydrotherapy help Shih Tzus stay mobile, with TCVM and pain relief for comfort. Many become long-term regulars.

11
median sessions
200
most for one pet
51
tracked over time
Who they are

The Shih Tzus in our care

92%
are 7+ years old
49/50
male / female split
73%
neutered / spayed
1,556
clinical notes recorded
A recovery we love

Learning to walk again

IVDD / spinal · multi-modal

Dio arrived suddenly unable to use his hind legs after a disc injury. With a combined plan — rehab, hydrotherapy, TCVM Tui Na and supportive HBOT — he went from flat and unable to stand to walking, and back to 30-minute walks.

ParalysedStandingWalking30-min walks

Is your Shih Tzu slowing down?

Whether it's a sudden injury or the slow creep of age, the earlier we start, the more we can do. We'd love to help your Shih Tzu move comfortably again.

RehabVet

Breed insight from RehabVet's clinical management system · data as of 16 June 2026. All figures are aggregate and de-identified. Diagnoses are drawn from clinical records and may overlap. Part of the June 2026 Impact Report.