yorkshire terrier
All About Yorkshire Terriers

Common Dog Illnesses

These Common Dog illnesses will affect most dog owners at some stage in life. Hopefully you are just reading this section so that you are better prepared for possible future occurrences.

If your yorkie is showing signs of any of the serious dog illnesses, I would urge you to get it to a vet as soon as possible.

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In most cases getting rapid treatment can mean the difference between life and death, especially with the smaller breed dogs like a Yorkshire terrier.

Luckily most people are very close to their pets and can detect subtle changes in behaviour early on. Behavioural changes are often the first sign of a problem and these can be as slight as a lack of energy.

With all that said, I wouldn’t rush my yorkie to the vet if he didn't eat his dinner, but I would know to look out for other symptoms and to make note of how long he hasn't eaten for.

Yorkshire Terrier Health Issues

Most breeds of dogs are associated with certain common ailments. Unfortunately our yorkies are also believed to be associated with a few common yorkie health problems.

These common Yorkshire terrier health issues are, Liver Shunt, Patellar Luxation , Retinal Dysplasia and Tracheal Collapse. Some dog illnesses, like patellar luxation, are prevalent in most small breed dogs.

I don't wish to scare anyone off at this point; there is every chance that your beautiful yorkie will live a full normal life. Just take a look at some of our readers' pictures and read their stories about life with their yorkies.

Below is a list of the most common dog illnesses together with some of their main symptoms and a brief description of what the illness is.

Disease Name Symptoms and Description
Patellar Luxation Temporary or permanent lameness, awkward stance, reluctance to move around like jumping or walking.
Occurs when the knee cap becomes displaced.
Liver Shunt Seizures, depression, tremors, drooling. Blood in the urine or pain urinating. Occasional vomiting and loss of appetite
Known as a Portosystemic Shunt, it is caused by a problem or restriction of the blood flow through the liver.
Retinal Dysplasia From partial to total blindness, dependant on severity.
Deformation in the eyes right from birth.
Tracheal Collapse Dry cough that gets worse over time, sometimes worsened by various activities.
Weakening of the airway which affects breathing.
Distemper in dogs Thickened footpads, involuntary muscle twitching or seizures, blindness, paralysis and vomiting.
Contagious Viral Disease – Prevention by vaccination
Hepatitis in dogs Loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, and fevers.
Contagious Viral Disease – No real cure.
Leptospirosis in dogs Shivering, muscle tenderness, vomiting, dehydration and kidney or muscle pain.
Bacterial disease – transmitted through bites and other body fluids.
Parainfluenza Coughing, sneezing, runny nose and other respitory problems.
Airborn virus, much like the human flu virus.
Canine Parvovirus Vomiting, bloody diarrhoea, lethargic, loss of appetite.
Viral Disease - Transmitted through body fluids and stool.
Rabies Fever, loss of appetite, aggressive behaviour, disorientation, drooling and foaming saliva.
Viral Disease – Transmitted through saliva or bites.
Bordatella Similar to Parainfluenza.
Bacterial disease which attacks the upper respitory system.
Coronavirus Loss of appetite, depression, nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhoea.
Intestinal virus transmitted through contact or stool.
Lyme Disease in dogs Fever, swollen glands and joints and loss of appetite.
Bacterial disease transmitted through tick bites.
Coccidiosis Diarrhea, vomiting, lethargic, loss of appetite and dehydration.
Parasitic disease transmitted through infected stool.
Giardiosis Similar to Coccidiosis.
Parasitic disease transmitted through any water that comes into contact with infected stool.




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