My Shih Tzu has trouble breathing and gasps in sleep. Is it serious?

Question

Hi, my 2 year old shih tzu has always had trouble breathing, her vet said it was normal because she has smaller nostrils even for her breed. But, she has always gasped for air randomly while sleeping. It is starting to worry me. Should I bring her in to get checked or am I overreacting? (I tried to attach photos that you can really see her face/nostrils). Pet's info: Dog | Shih Tzu | Female | spayed | 2 years and 4 months old | 8 lbs

Destini R. Holloway, DVM · Accepted Answer

Poor girl. She is a cutie. Her nares do look quite small and this can certainly cause breathing issues constantly but gasping in her sleep is a bit exaggerated and definitely worth a look. The vet needs to make sure she isn’t developing an upper airway infection and also make sure that she isn’t developing some kind of heart issue. I hope that your pet Bella does well moving forward. Best wishes and take care.

My Shih Tzu has trouble breathing and gasps in sleep. Is it serious?

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