Who among us can resist the sweet face and devoted nature of the Yorkshire Terrier, or Yorkie as we affectionately refer to them? As more and more of us move into apartments and condominiums, this American Kennel Club recognized toy breed has become very popular. They are compact and convenient in size and are highy portable, fitting into satchels and baskets quite nicely. No surprise considering they were bred as ratters to fit into the pockets of English miners and for work in clothing mills. Their breed standard is only a maximum of 7lbs.
A healthy silky-coated Yorkie will proudly display his long, glossy hair. This long straight hair does need regular maintenance or professional grooming. It especially helps to keep the hair around the muzzle trimmed to keep them neat and tidy. The soft-coated Yorkies do not require as much brushing or maintenance.
While the Yorkie can be a sweet-natured and joyful companion they are true terriers and are full of energy and spunk. Average size and generally healthy Yorkies can live 12-15 years, while the smaller “Teacup” version typically have a shorter lifespan and more health issues. Both are sensitive to anaesthesia and have a fragile skeleton that is easily fractured by falls or blows. Many Yorkies are very sensitive to their environment, showing signs of allergies to seasonal pollens, low air quality and ingredients in their food. (For information on allergies, please see our previous articles -Pin-Pointing Allergies and Atopy) Yorkies tend to be picky eaters and the slightest change in diet can cause an upset in their delicate systems. The following are some of the common inherited or aquired digestive ailments seen in the Yorkie:
Hypoglycemia is more common in very young puppies and some smaller adults. It is important that they receive quality nutrients and a good wholesome diet that includes high quality protein. . Also, when transitioning them to our foods, make sure to do so gradually, as a sudden change in diet may cause a case of hypoglycemia. Also, offerng 4-5 small meals each day is recommended vs. 2 larger ones. Bacterial infections, parasites and portosystemic liver shunt can also be causes of low blood sugar. Symptoms include drowsiness, listelessness, shaking, lack of appetite, incoordination, and his gums may be pale or grey. If you think this describes your dear Yorkie, please seek the advice of your traditional or holistic vet to learn how to manage this as it can be very damaging to the brain over time.
Intestinal Lymphangiectasia involves the improper dilation of lumph vessels in the intestines of a dog. The most common symptom you will see in your Yorkie is chronic diarrhea. They may also experience a build up of fluid around the lungs, in the abdomen and edema of the legs and body. A diet that is low in fat and of a high-quality protien is recommended. Also discuss with your vet about supplementing with Vitamins A, D, E and K, the fat-soluble vitamins. Our Verve dehydrated dog food is lowest in fat at just 8%.
A Portosystemic Liver Shunt is a condition in which the liver bypasses the dog’s circulatory system. The symptoms of will usually appear by 6 months of age if congenital and may include weight gain, diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, depression, tremors, drooling and sometimes, excessive drinking and/or urinating. Your Yorkie may also develop Urate Stones in the bladder. Generally, a healthy diet with lower amounts of high-quality protein is recommended to help reduce the toxins in the body. Also, feeding more frequent, smaller meals throughout the day is helpful to increase digestive ability of the intestines. Be aware that a diet that is too severely protein restricted can cause harmful imbalances as well. Increasing the fiber in the diet can help to keep the intestines clean and reduce toxic build-up, too.
Resources: Dog alog, Dr. Bruce Fogle; American Kennel Club directory of Breed Standards, 2007; http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/hypoglycemia.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorkshire_Terrier, http://www.akc.org/breeds/yorkshire_terrier/index.cfm, http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/yorkshireterrier.htm, http://www.my-yorkshire-terrier.com/yorkie-health-issues.html.
I have a yorkie puppy who is 7 months old. I just started switching her food over to The Honest Kitchen because of a recent recall. I am so excited about the switch and so is she! We are using Thrive and she goes crazy in the kitchen when I start mixing it up! I am so excited about HK and their amazing products! I know Taycie is!
We have three and they are all different and precious. Our oldest just turned 13 and the other two are 3. They make me laugh every day and I love their enthusiasm about everything and everyone they come in contact with. Our three love and eat Embark. The oldest one has had many instances of pancreatitis over the years. Once we started feeding Honest Kitchen 3 years ago it has stopped.
We have a “Yorkie Family”. Nine to be exact,each of them have unique personalities and if they could, they would sit on me all day. Our Yorkies eat Force.