Shih Tzu Life Span

This is an approximation and there are always exceptions. Many Shih Tzu do live until their early teens and some live until their mid teens. The oldest documented Shih Tzu was 23 years old. And the oldest Shih Tzu currently living and verified by AllShihTzu is 19 years old (at the time of this writing). 

The age of 13 years is considered to be a moderate and average life expectancy in regard to canines. In the United States, dogs in general live to 12.67 years on average, without trauma factored in. When death by trauma is included, it drops to 11.1 years. 

Note that overall, female dogs (of all breeds) live 1.5 years longer than males. 

Bullmastiff: 9 years

Great Dane: 8.5 years

Newfoundland: 9 years

Rottweiler: 9.5 years

Saint Bernard: 9.5 years

Beagle: 15 years

Dachshund: 17.5 years

Jack Russell Terrier: 16 years

Toy Poodle: 16 years

Cats (indoor): 12 to 18 years

Dolphins (bottlenose): 30 to 50 years

Ferrets (kept as pet): 5 to 10 years

Guinea Pigs: 4 to 8 years

Hamsters: 1.5 to 3.5 years

Horses: 25 to 30 years

Parakeets: 10 to 14 years

Rabbits (domesticated, pets): 8 to 12 years

 

The findings offer a good understanding of the cause of death for this breed. Results are divided into two groups: Puppies, which are dogs under the age of 1-year, and adults which are dogs 1-year and older. 

 

For puppies (dogs under the age of 1-year), cause of death is the same across all breeds. The top 2 reasons are: 

 

#1 Infection. This includes parvovirus, distemper, and leptospirosis, which can be all but avoided with proper on-time vaccinations. 

 

#2 Trauma. Death by trauma included fatal injury to the head, body, or both. Some completely avoidable fatal traumas include being stepped on, accidentally falling down staircases, being dropped, and being hit by a car. 

 

#1 Cancer. 15.1% of Shih Tzu succumbed to cancer. This included a wide variety of cancers including mast cell tumors (a type of skin cancer), lymphoma (cancer of the lymph nodes), mammary gland tumors, bone cancer, and soft tissue sarcomas (includes a group of cancers that involve skin and surrounding tissues). 

 

Note that approximately 50% of all cancers in canines are curable if caught early. Regarding mammary cancer, spraying can significantly reduce the chances of this when it is performed before the age of 2.5 years old. 

#2 Urogenital. 13.9% of Shih Tzu died due to urogenital disease. These are issues involving the kidneys, bladder, or prostate. This also includes pyometra (infection of the uterus). 

Out of all breeds, the Shih Tzu was among 12 in which death due to urogenital issues occurred most often. 

 

#3 Infection. 7.9% of the Shih Tzu passed due to a fatal infection. This included the diseases as mentioned earlier, seen with puppies, but also fungal infections (such as blastomycosis and histoplasmosis) and protozoal disease (such as babesiosis and leishmaniasis). Additionally, this included bacterial infection, which can develop around a wound, such as bone fractures and breaks (which brings in the issue of trauma).

Some causes of death are genetic; no matter what type of care is given, the disease is going to develop. But, certainly how early it is caught and the type of treatment that is given plays a huge role in quality of life and prognosis. 

And many causes of death (heart issues, diseases related to major organs, and even some cancers) can be prevented or greatly delayed based on the type of care given over the course of a dog's life. So, in this regard, there are most definitely things you can do to proactively increase life span.