Best Pet Insurance for Shih Tzus

For most Shih Tzu owners, yes — and the math is straightforward. The breed's flat face alone can mean $2,000 to $4,000 in airway surgery if things get bad. Eye problems are common enough that cataract surgery ($2,000 to $3,500 per eye) is a real possibility. Patellar luxation surgery runs $1,500 to $3,000. Dental disease — the #1 reported issue in the breed — costs $300 to $3,000 depending on how many extractions your dog needs. One or two of these conditions hitting in a single year can easily reach $5,000 to $10,000 in vet bills. Insurance turns that into a predictable monthly cost instead of a financial shock.

Most Shih Tzu owners pay between $20 and $60 per month for comprehensive accident and illness coverage. Puppies under 1 year old typically run $18 to $35 per month. Adult Shih Tzus in their prime (1-6 years) usually fall in the $25 to $50 range. Once your Shih Tzu hits 7 or older, premiums climb to $40 to $75 or more per month as health risks increase. These are smaller numbers than large breeds because Shih Tzus are, well, small — which means lower vet costs overall. But the breed-specific conditions (breathing issues, eye problems, liver shunts) still make insurance worth having.

It depends on the provider and the plan. Brachycephalic airway syndrome is a hereditary condition, and some insurers treat hereditary conditions differently than acquired ones. Healthy Paws covers brachycephalic syndrome without breed-specific sublimits, which means you are protected if your Shih Tzu needs soft palate surgery or nasal passage reconstruction. Other providers may have waiting periods or exclusions for breed-specific conditions. Always read the fine print on hereditary condition coverage before signing up. The best time to get coverage is when your Shih Tzu is healthy — before a diagnosis becomes a pre-existing exclusion.

Shih Tzus have prominent eyes that stick out from their flat face, which makes them prone to several eye conditions. Cherry eye — where the tear gland prolapses and bulges out — is common and typically needs surgical correction at $300 to $500. Cataracts can develop and require $2,000 to $3,500 per eye for surgery. Dry eye (keratoconjunctivitis sicca) is a lifelong condition where the eyes stop producing tears properly, requiring daily medication at $40 to $80 per month for the rest of your dog's life. Corneal ulcers can happen from a scratch or injury and run $200 to $1,500+ to treat. Comprehensive insurance covers all of these.

Shih Tzus have the smallest mouths of any dog breed relative to their body size, which means their teeth are crowded together. Food gets trapped between teeth easily, tartar builds up fast, and gum disease develops earlier than in most other breeds. Most Shih Tzus need professional dental cleaning under anesthesia by age 3 or 4. If the disease progresses, multiple extractions may be required — which can run $1,500 to $3,000 or more. The bacteria from severe dental disease can also spread to the heart and kidneys. Daily tooth brushing is the best prevention, but even that does not eliminate the need for professional cleanings over your dog's lifetime.

Surprisingly, no — Shih Tzu puppies are usually the cheapest to insure of any age. Most providers charge lower premiums for puppies under 1 year because they have not yet developed the chronic conditions that drive costs up. Shih Tzu puppy premiums typically run $18 to $35 per month for comprehensive coverage. This makes the first year an especially good time to enroll your puppy. Every month you wait is a month a condition could develop and become a pre-existing exclusion. Getting coverage while your Shih Tzu is young and healthy locks in the lowest possible rate.

A liver shunt is a congenital condition where blood bypasses the liver instead of being filtered through it. It is more common in small and toy breeds, including Shih Tzus. Dogs with liver shunts may be smaller than their littermates, stumble and wobble when they walk, seem confused or disoriented, and have stomach issues that do not resolve with usual treatments. Surgery to correct a liver shunt runs $3,000 to $8,000 or more. Without surgery, lifelong medical management costs $200 to $500 per month. If your Shih Tzu shows any of these symptoms, ask your vet about testing for a liver shunt.

Three things matter most for Shih Tzus. First, check that hereditary conditions are covered — the breed has more than its share of genetic health problems (breathing issues, eye problems, liver shunts), and not every plan treats these the same way. Second, look for no per-condition annual limits, since treating multiple breed-specific conditions in one year can add up fast. Third, confirm the provider covers eye conditions and dental disease — these are extremely common in Shih Tzus and often expensive. Plans with unlimited annual coverage or $20,000+ limits are worth the premium over cheaper plans with $5,000 caps.