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Teeth
A Morkie (half
Maltese, half Yorkshire Terrier) puppy with
his deciduous teeth and adult teeth growing
in. As with all other dogs, Yorkies have two
sets of teeth in their life. The first set
of teeth is the 28-piece deciduous
teeth (often referred to as "milk teeth",
"baby teeth", or "puppy teeth"). The second
set is the 42-piece permanent or adult
teeth. Sometimes the number of permanent or
adult teeth may vary, which is fine as long
as they do not cause bad bite. When puppies
are born, they have no teeth because milk is
the only food they need. The deciduous teeth
will grow from the age of 3 to 8 weeks old,
in the order of incisors, canines,
and premolars. Yorkie puppies have no molar
teeth. Yorkie puppies will start to lose
their deciduous or baby teeth when the
permanent or adult teeth come in. The
permanent or adult grow when the Yorkie
puppies are 4 to 8 months old. By around 8
months old, those teeth should fully
develop. The permanent or adult teeth will
grow in the order of incisors, canines,
premolars, and molars. Molar teeth will
develop at around 6 to 8 months old.
Yorkies and other
small dog breeds may have problems if the
deciduous or baby teeth do not fall out as
the permanent or adult teeth grow. This is
caused by the new teeth not growing right
underneath the deciduous teeth. (Usually, a
puppy's body will absorb the roots of puppy
teeth.) If the puppy tooth does not yield to
the incoming tooth, it should be removed
because it can cause a malocclusion or bad
bite.
Retained teeth can
cause tooth decay because food can be easily
caught in between the deciduous and
permanent teeth. Sometimes the new teeth are
forced to grow into an abnormal position and
further cause a bad bite. The retained teeth
may stay or fall weeks after the new teeth
have developed. When necessary, the retained
deciduous or baby teeth need to be removed
surgically.
A Yorkshire
Terrier's retained deciduous or baby fangs
Like other small
breeds, Yorkies are also prone to severe
dental disease. Because they have a small
jaw, their teeth can become crowded and may
not fall out naturally. This can cause food
and plaque to build up, and bacteria can
eventually develop on the surface of the
teeth, leading to periodontal disease. In
addition, the bacteria can spread to other
parts of the body and cause heart and kidney
problems. The best prevention is regular
brushing of the teeth with a toothpaste
formulated specifically for dogs. Human
toothpaste is not recommended, because it
foams more easily and may be swallowed.
Professional teeth cleaning by a
veterinarian may also be required to prevent
the development of dental problems.
Genetic defects
Certain genetic
disorders can be found in Yorkshire
Terriers, including distichiasis, hydrocephalus, hypoplasia
of dens, Legg–Calvé–Perthes syndrome, luxating
patella, portosystemic shunt, retinal
dysplasia, tracheal
collapse, and bladder stones. The
following are among the most common congenital defects that
affect Yorkies:
Distichiae, eyelashes arising
from an abnormal spot (usually the duct of
the meibomian
gland at the edge of the eyelid), are
often found in Yorkies. Distichiae
can irritate the eye and cause tearing,
squinting, inflammation, corneal
abrasions or corneal
ulcers, and scarring. Treatment options
may include manual removal, electrolysis,
or surgery.
Hypoplasia of dens is
a non-formation of the pivot point of the
second cervical
vertebra, which leads to spinal
cord damage. Onset
of the condition may occur at any age,
producing signs ranging from neck pain to quadriplegia.
Legg–Calvé–Perthes
syndrome,
which causes the top of the femur (thigh
bone) to degenerate,
occurs in Yorkies in certain lines. The
condition appears to result from
insufficient circulation to
the area around the hip
joint. As the blood supply is reduced,
the bone in the head of the femur collapses
and dies and the cartilage coating
around it becomes cracked and deformed. Usually
the disease appears when the Yorkie is young
(between five and eight months of age);
signs are pain, limping or lameness. The
standard treatment is surgery to remove the
affected part of the bone. Following
surgery, muscles hold the femur in place and
fibrous tissue forms in the area of removal
to prevent bone rubbing on bone. Although
the affected leg will be slightly shorter
than prior to surgery, the Yorkie may regain
almost normal use.
Luxating patellas (slipping kneecaps)
are another common defect considered to be
genetic in Yorkies, although it may also be
caused by an accidental fall. Weak ligaments and tendons in
the knee or
malformed (too shallow) patellar grooves,
allow the patella to slip out of its groove
sideways. This
causes the leg to 'lock up' with the foot
held off the ground. A
dog with this problem may experience
frequent pain and lameness, or may be
bothered by it only on occasion. Over time,
the patellar ridges can become worn down,
making the groove even more shallow and
causing the dog to become increasingly lame. Surgery
is the main treatment option available for
luxating patellas, although it is not
necessary for every dog with the condition.
The severity of luxating patellas are on a
scale of 1 to 4, with 4 being the most
severe. Many dogs will not develop past a
stage 1 or 2.
Portosystemic
shunt,
a congenital malformation of the portal
vein (which brings blood to the liver for
cleansing), is also common in Yorkies. In
this condition some of the dog's blood
bypasses the liver and the "dirty" blood
goes on to poison the heart, brain, lungs
and other organs with
toxins. A Yorkie with this condition might
exhibit a wide variety of symptoms, such as
small stature, poor appetite, weak muscle
development, decreased ability to learn,
inferior coordination, occasional vomiting
and diarrhoea, behavioral
abnormalities, seizures (especially
after a meal) and blindness,
which could lead to a coma and death. Often,
the shunt can be treated with surgery.
Tracheal collapse
Tracheal collapse, caused by a
progressive weakening of the walls of the trachea,
occurs in many toy breeds, especially very
tiny Yorkies. As
a result of genetics, the walls of the
trachea can be flaccid, a condition that
becomes more severe with age. Cushing's
syndrome, a disorder that causes
production of excess steroid hormone by the
adrenal glands, can also weaken cartilage
and lead to tracheal collapse. There
is a possibility that physical strain on the
neck might cause or contribute to trachea
collapse. Since this is usually caused by an
energetic Yorkie pulling against his collar,
many veterinarians recommend use of a
harness for leashed walks. An
occasional "goose honking" cough, especially
on exertion or excitement, is usually the
first sign of this condition. Over
time, the cough may become almost constant
in the Yorkie's later life. Breathing
through the obstruction of a collapsed (or
partially collapsed) trachea for many years
can result in complications, including
chronic lung disease. The coughing can be
countered with cough
suppressants and bronchodilators. If
the collapse is advanced and unresponsive to
medication, sometimes surgery can repair the
trachea.
Hypoglycaemia
Low blood sugar in puppies, or transient
juvenile hypoglycaemia, is caused by
fasting (too much time between meals). In
rare cases, hypoglycaemia may continue to be
a problem in mature, usually very small,
Yorkies. It is often seen in Yorkie puppies
at 5 to 16 weeks of age. Very
tiny Yorkie puppies are especially
predisposed to hypoglycaemia because a lack
of muscle mass makes it difficult to store glucose and
regulate blood sugar. Factors
such as stress, fatigue, a cold environment,
poor nutrition, and a change in diet or
feeding schedule may bring on hypoglycaemia. Low
blood sugar can also be the result of a bacterial
infection, parasite or
portosystemic liver shunt. Hypoglycaemia
causes the puppy to become drowsy, listless
(glassy-eyed), shaky, uncoordinated, since
the brain relies
on sugar to function. During a hypoglycaemic
attack, the puppy usually has very pale or
grey gums. The
puppy also may not eat unless force-fed. Hypoglycaemia
and dehydration seem to go hand-in-hand, and
force-feeding or injecting fluids may also
be necessary. Additionally, a hypoglycaemic
Yorkie may have a lower than normal
body temperature and, in extreme cases,
may have a seizure or
go into a coma. A
dog showing symptoms should
be given sugar in the form of corn syrup or
Nutri-Cal and be treated by a veterinarian immediately,
as prolonged or recurring attacks of
hypoglycaemia can permanently damage the
dog's brain. In
severe cases, it can be fatal.
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