Yorkshire Terrier Health Problems
There is a number of diseases and conditions that might afflict your Yorkie, if you want to prevent them from becoming too serious you need to monitor your dog carefully and consult the vet if you notice some early signs of these conditions.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) usually afflicts puppies that are 5 to 16 weeks old, because they lack the muscles needed to store glucose and regulate blood sugar. It is usually caused by irregular diet and too much time between meals, but it can also be caused by fatigue, cold environment, parasites, infections or stress. If you notice that your puppy lacks energy and coordination and it has become glassy-eyed these might be the symptoms of hypoglycemia. In more severe cases the dog’s temperature will drop and it might experience seizures or even go into a coma. If not treated in time by a vet it might even be fatal. You should generally take good care of your Yorkie’s nutrition as their digestive system is very sensitive and they react negatively to sudden and extreme changes in their diet.
One of the common and rather serious genetic disorders in Yorkies is Legg-Perthes disease, a condition which causes the degeneration of the thigh bone, usually due to the insufficient circulation to that area. It most often appears in young dogs, so if you notice that your puppy is limping consult a vet. A surgery is usually necessary to remedy this, and even though it might leave the dog with that leg shorter than the others it is usually effective.
Another condition that dog’s lameness might indicate is Luxating patellas, it is characterized by dog’s kneecap slipping out of its place. Depending on the level of severity it can either be left alone, or also surgically treated.
Portosystemic shunt is a genetic disorder which causes the portal vein to develop irregularly. That is the vein that transports the blood to the liver in order to be cleansed, by this malformation of the vein the blood is prevented from being purified and consequently slowly poisons the dog’s vital organs. Symptoms of this disorder are various, as almost everything can be influenced by polluted blood: the dog might suffer from learning and coordination impairments, stunted muscle development, poor appetite and a number of other symptoms. The only way to treat this condition is surgery.
Most dog breeds suffer from some type of eye related disorders and Yorkies are not an exception. Distichiae is a condition marked by the irregular growth of eyelashes. They can grow out of the glands at the edge of eyelids and cause severe irritations and inflammations of the eye. Depending on the exact position of the eyelash it can be manually or surgically removed.
This is, regrettably, not the end of the list. Some of the other conditions that are often afflicting Yorkies are: cataracts, lymphangiectasia, keratitis sicca and bronchitis. They are a small and delicate breed and as such require your constant care, monitoring and protection. The best advice would be to consult your vet and get a full list of symptoms you should look out for.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) usually afflicts puppies that are 5 to 16 weeks old, because they lack the muscles needed to store glucose and regulate blood sugar. It is usually caused by irregular diet and too much time between meals, but it can also be caused by fatigue, cold environment, parasites, infections or stress. If you notice that your puppy lacks energy and coordination and it has become glassy-eyed these might be the symptoms of hypoglycemia. In more severe cases the dog’s temperature will drop and it might experience seizures or even go into a coma. If not treated in time by a vet it might even be fatal. You should generally take good care of your Yorkie’s nutrition as their digestive system is very sensitive and they react negatively to sudden and extreme changes in their diet.
One of the common and rather serious genetic disorders in Yorkies is Legg-Perthes disease, a condition which causes the degeneration of the thigh bone, usually due to the insufficient circulation to that area. It most often appears in young dogs, so if you notice that your puppy is limping consult a vet. A surgery is usually necessary to remedy this, and even though it might leave the dog with that leg shorter than the others it is usually effective.
Another condition that dog’s lameness might indicate is Luxating patellas, it is characterized by dog’s kneecap slipping out of its place. Depending on the level of severity it can either be left alone, or also surgically treated.
Portosystemic shunt is a genetic disorder which causes the portal vein to develop irregularly. That is the vein that transports the blood to the liver in order to be cleansed, by this malformation of the vein the blood is prevented from being purified and consequently slowly poisons the dog’s vital organs. Symptoms of this disorder are various, as almost everything can be influenced by polluted blood: the dog might suffer from learning and coordination impairments, stunted muscle development, poor appetite and a number of other symptoms. The only way to treat this condition is surgery.
Most dog breeds suffer from some type of eye related disorders and Yorkies are not an exception. Distichiae is a condition marked by the irregular growth of eyelashes. They can grow out of the glands at the edge of eyelids and cause severe irritations and inflammations of the eye. Depending on the exact position of the eyelash it can be manually or surgically removed.
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| Yorkshire Terrier Health |
This is, regrettably, not the end of the list. Some of the other conditions that are often afflicting Yorkies are: cataracts, lymphangiectasia, keratitis sicca and bronchitis. They are a small and delicate breed and as such require your constant care, monitoring and protection. The best advice would be to consult your vet and get a full list of symptoms you should look out for.
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