Why is my Shih Tzu coughing, has cloudy eyes, and a neck cyst?

Question

Hello! I am reaching out to ask a few questions about my Shih Tzu, Princess. A little background information: she has been in my life for almost 10 years. I have been out of state for a year, and coming back I have picked up on a few things about Princess that I find concerning. One of those things is the cloudiness in her eyes which is surrounded by a dark brown coloration, a hard cyst like mass on her neck, and an occasional cough that mirrors the sound of something stuck in her throat. Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female | spayed | 15 lbs

Ann Dion, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Cyst: The image of the mass looks like it is likely a cyst however you cannot rule out things like cancer without taking a sample. If it is not growing, is freely mobile, and doesn't bother Princess, then you can ignore it. Otherwise, you can have it removed and sent away to be sampled. Cough: Coughing is concerning as an early sign of heart disease, or early sign of collapsing trachea. I would recommend a visit to the vet to check for a murmur, and also possible x-rays to see if her heart is enlarged or her trachea is small. Eyes: Cloudiness can be either nuclear sclerosis (age changes of the connective tissue in the lens of the eye- this is not a concern and does not cause blindness), or cataracts. Cataracts do cause blindness and can be due to age, or other diseases such as diabetes. The darkness over her eye could be due to a disease called 'dry eye' where the eyes don't produce enough tears. Overall, there are some conditions here that can be tested for fairly easily, and treatment is relatively minor (medications, eye drops, etc.). I would recommend having her into the vet for a check up. Best of luck with Princess.

Why is my Shih Tzu coughing, has cloudy eyes, and a neck cyst?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

Why is my mouse's eye swollen, cloudy, and has pus?

Can I use human contact lens solution as eye drops for my mouse?

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

My dwarf hamster has a shut eye and is limping. What should I do?

My guinea pig has a growing lump on its neck. Can it heal itself?

My pet's eye looks strange but doesn't seem to hurt. What's wrong?

Share