Yorkshire Terrier Health

Yorkies are a sweet and cuddly toy breed with roots in England. With their long, flowing coats and big personalities, it’s no surprise that this sweet breed is one of the most popular dog breeds in the world. It’s never a bad start to consider common health problems in a breed before you adopt any pet, so let’s take a look at some issues that the Yorkie could suffer from.

Hypoglycemia

Hypoglycemia is one of the more common illnesses that toy breeds may become afflicted with. The condition is primarily a fast drop in blood sugar levels. Nearly every process in a Yorkie’s body is dependent on a proper balance of sugars in the bloodstream. The liver manufactures glucose and for stores it for release into the blood stream as needed. Muscle tissues store many of the most important materials for this process. Brain function and motor skills also depend on proper blood sugar levels. When the disease develops, there is a small window of time in which treatment is most effective. Stress, a lack of nutrients, and low birth weight can be common things that bring on hypoglycemia.

Yorkies with hypoglycemia are usually born with it, but in rare cases may develop the disease later in life.

It is important to note that a puppy may not display all of the symptoms of hypoglycemia, and they may not happen in the order in which they are listed or they may happen so quickly in succession that imminent danger is present within minutes. It is vital to closely observe your puppy’s behaviour. If symptoms do appear, it is imperative to get the puppy treatment as quickly as possible.

The symptoms to look for include drowsiness, shaking, fainting, confused behaviour, seizures, weakness, depression, muscle weakness and tremors, a drop in body temperature, and coma, which is sometimes wrongly confused with death.

When symptoms appear, the best thing to start with is rubbing honey on the puppy’s gums. It is wise to always have this on hand, for every dog owner. Place warm heating pads around the puppy to stabilize the body temperature. Then rush them to the veterinarian or animal hospital. The vet will give the puppy a warmed dextrose solution that is injected subcutaneously and the puppy may be given an IV drip until stabilized.

A veterinarian will be able to tell if this disease is present in a puppy, but testing may be done for older dogs, and the underlying causes treated.

Portosystemic Shunt

Yorkies are susceptible to Portosystemic Shunt, or liver shunt. This develops with an inherited abnormality of the portal vein (the vein that brings blood to the liver for cleansing) in which the blood bypasses the liver and recirculates uncleansed through the body, potentially poisoning the dog’s heart, brain, lungs, and other major organs with toxins.

Symptoms include smaller than normal stature, loss of appetite, weak muscle development, slow learning, loss of coordination, sporadic vomiting, diarrhea, behavioural changes, and drooling, and, in later stages, seizures (especially after eating a large meal), loss of sight, and coma.

Liver shunt can be tested through a simple blood test, to look for either high serum bile acids levels after the dog has had a meal, or an increase of fasting blood ammonia levels.

The best treatment is surgery, but when that is not an option the dog is treated with dietary protein restriction, antibiotics, and other medicines which help to reduce ammonia production and absorption in the intestines.

Patellar Luxation

Another disease that may be present at birth in a Yorkie, but can happen at any time, is Patellar Luxation. Patellar refers to the dog’s kneecap, and Luxation means that the kneecap slips out of place. Symptoms include limping, attempting to walk on just three legs to avoid pressure on the hurt knee, and/or raising the leg to communicate that they are in pain. This condition rarely goes away untreated, and the affected leg can develop deformity.

This condition is commonly treated through bed rest and anti-inflammatory medication for mild to moderate cases. Some cases are treated with steroidal medications. If improvement is seen after three weeks, exercise is then slowly added with the Yorkie never adding too much pressure to the knee than necessary. In recurring or severe cases, surgery is recommended.

Collapsed Trachea

There are rings of cartilage that surround the windpipe. When one or more collapse inward, it is referred to as collapsed trachea.

Symptoms include a very distinct honking sounding cough, which may become worse when the Yorkie exercises, becomes excited or if the weather is hot and humid. Another symptom is often laboured breathing and the gums can sometimes turn blue due to lack of oxygen. A dog may also have trouble drinking or eating.

Many vets can diagnose this simply by hearing that distinct honking noise. X-rays can confirm that the tracheal rings have collapsed. Some Yorkies can have satisfactory improvement with treatments of anti-inflammatories, cough suppressants, bronchodilators, and/or antibiotics.

When medicine does not help and the condition is grave, surgery can be done to try and correct this. While many types of operations have been done in the past, prosthetic polypropylene rings inserted into the exterior of the dog's trachea is the treatment of choice for most specialists. This has a success rate of 80% and is most successful when the dog is under the age of six-years-old.

A harness should be used whenever the dog is on leash so that no pressure is put on the neck. The use of a harness may help prevent this health problem from developing.

General Care

By far, the best thing you can do for your Yorkshire Terrier to ensure optimal health is to find a reputable breeder who will complete all available DNA testing to ensure great health before you bring your Yorkie home. A responsible breeder may be more expensive, but he’ll be upfront with testing and the extra money will be well worth it in order to bring home a healthy dog.

Once you bring home your healthy Yorkie pup, you’ll want to ensure that regular grooming becomes a part of his routine. Many Yorkies are allergic to fleas and other environmental toxins, so keeping their skin and fur clean is ideal for their health. Regular grooming can prevent their long fur from tangling or matting. In addition to grooming often, you’ll want to ensure you’re providing your dog with a healthy diet – high in protein and fibre – to ensure his body is getting the nutrients it needs to maintain that hard working and energetic lifestyle he loves and thrives on.

Generally speaking, Yorkies are loyal, loving, and cuddly dogs. Doing DNA testing before you bring home your Yorkie will ensure that, for the most part, your pup stays healthy for the duration of his life.