Yorkie Health

We guarantee the health of our Yorkshire terriers for one year against Heart defects and Porto systemic Shunt (Liver Shunt).

These items below do not constitute a hereditary defect

Luxating patella

In some dogs, the ridges forming the patellar groove are not prominent, and a too shallow groove is created. In a dog with shallow grooves, the patella will luxate, or jump out of the groove, especially towards the inside. This causes the leg to “lock up” with the foot held off of the ground.

When the patella luxates from the groove of the femur, it usually can’t return to its normal position until the hind muscle relaxes. This is why the affected dog may be forced to hold his or her leg up for a few minutes after the incident. While the muscles are contracted and the patella is luxated, the joint is held in the flexed (aka bent) position. Most dogs will yip from the pain caused by the knee cap sliding across the ridges of the femur. Once out of position, the animal feels no discomfort and assumes his normal activity.

Uncorrected, the patellar ridges will wear, and the groove will become shallower, and the dog will become progressively more lame. Arthritis may affect the joint, causing a permanently swollen knee with poor mobility.

All toy breeds of dogs are at risk to get a luxating patella, particularly due to the fact that they often bounce on their hind legs to get your attention. We advise that as a new Yorkie owner, that you don’t encourage this behavior to help avoid this possible complication. Upon leaving our care, we have the veterinarian check for this condition at the time of purchase.

Hypoglycemia

One of the problems that toy breeds are predisposed to is called hypoglycemia, which means “low blood sugar.” Because of their small size, toy breeds have smaller stores of glycogen and fat that can be used to provide energy during periods of fasting.

Hypoglycemia is usually seen in puppies, but can occur in adult dogs as well. An affected puppy will at first appear sluggish, and may be reluctant to play. As the condition progresses, the puppy will become more depressed and non responsive. If left untreated, the puppy’s body temperature may drop, and over the course of a very short period of time, the puppy may become comatose and die. Clinical hypoglycemia, PARTICULARLY in a puppy, is a medical emergency!

Treatment for hypoglycemia consists of sugar given either orally or intravenously. If a puppy is showing symptoms of hypoglycemia, they should be given Karo syrup, Nutra-Cal, or some equivalent by mouth first. Puppies with hypoglycemia often make an amazingly rapid recovery after sugar supplementation; however, it is a good idea to take your puppy to the vet after an event like this occurs.

Hypoglycemia can often by prevented by monitoring your puppy’s intake, and making sure that they are eating frequently. We cannot stress this enough! It is also extremely important to have a bottle of Karo syrup or Nutra-Cal handy in case such an incident arises. Even under ideal conditions, puppies can develop hypoglycemia, so it better to be safe than sorry.

Some possible stressors to puppies that may cause them to go off of food temporarily (which could be disastrous for your Yorkie) are:

Change of home. Though we are confident in you that your new Yorkie will have the best care in your home, it can be a shock to your Yorkie when they first arrive in their new home.
Change of food. Starving your puppy will not make him or her eat what they do not like. We highly recommend that if you change foods, you’ll need to introduce a new food gradually. If you notice that your Yorkie eats around the new food, you may try another food or leave him on the food they like.
Multiple vaccinations at a single visit to your veterinarian. Keep in mind that vaccines are not dosed by weight, so that the same amount of vaccine that is given to a 120 pound dog is the same amount that is given to a 2 pound dog. After your Yorkie has been vaccinated, you may find that your dog wants to sleep and be left alone. They may not feel good, which causes them to not eat or drink for a long period of time. All Mistibleu puppies have all their vaccinations, including rabies, before leaving our home. The next time they will need immunizations, they will be almost 1.5 years old and much more able to handle vaccinations well. At that time, I recommend and include in my contract that only one vaccination be given at a time, and that 4 to 6 weeks pass between vaccinations.
Over handling a Yorkie puppy and not letting it get enough rest and sleep. Remember, you can play with them often; however, they are babies, so let them take a nap when they’re tired. If your puppy starts panting, then you know it’s time for your Yorkie to take a break from playing
Stress or shock (such as a plane ride.)
Exposure to low room temperature or sleeping in drafts.

When your Yorkie puppy first arrives, pay close attention to his or her feeding habits. It is imperative that you know what and how much your new Yorkie is eating to avoid hypoglycemia.

Other considerations

Because of the small size of the Yorkshire terrier it is very important that they are not allowed to jump down off furniture or allowed to leap out of your arms. For these reasons a Yorkie may not be a good choice for families with younger children. Their bones are so small and fragile even a small jump or leap could do serious damage to your Yorkie. A fracture due to a leap or jump may not be able to be repaired.