Welcome to Annwn Yorkshire Terriers
Medical Information Centre
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Yorkshire Terrier Canadian Breed Standard
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Origin and Purpose: The Yorkshire Terrier is one of the most glamorous and popular of the toy breeds. It was originally bred in Yorkshire, England for the not-so-glamorous job of keeping down the rats in the coal pits and cotton mills. It was also used by the miners as a sporting terrier in rat-killing contests. If this seems a far cry from the dainty, profusely coated dog of today's show ring, it should be remembered that this all took place in the mid-19th century, when the Yorkie was bred to do the work of a terrier and when it weighed in the area of 15 lbs. The breed made a big hit with the ladies and soon was in great demand as a pet. General Appearance: That of a well-balanced long-coated toy terrier, readily identified by its straight-flowing silky body coat of bright shiny lustrous steel blue and clear-shaded golden tan. The hair is parted on the muzzle and from the base of the skull to the end of the tail. The Yorkie is square and well proportioned. The dog’s high head carriage and alert expression give the appearance of self-confidence, a sparkling and vigorous manner. Temperament: The keenly alert air of the terrier is characteristic. He is intelligent, friendly, and willing to please. Size: The weight not to exceed 7 lbs. (3 kg). Coat and Colour: Quality and texture of coat is of prime importance. The hair is glossy, silky, and fine in texture reflecting a certain brilliance and feels cool to the touch. The coat on the body hangs perfectly straight, not wavy, showing the outline of the well-bodied Yorkie. On the mature dog, the coat will eventually reach floor length. The fall on the head is long and tied in the centre with one bow. The hair on the muzzle is moderately long. Puppies are born black with tan markings showing a gradual progression to the colour of the mature adult dog to which the following colour requirements apply. Body Colour: The body coat is a bright steel blue, not light silver and not BLACK, not mingled with fawn, bronzy or black hairs. The blue extends over the body from the back of the neck to the root of the tail. Head, Chest and Legs: A clear golden tan deeper in colour at sides of head, at ear roots! and on the muzzle,with ears a deep golden tan. The golden tan hair is shaded from the roots down and does not extend down the back of the neck, nor above the elbows on forelegs or above the stifle on the hind legs. Head: Skull should be rather small and flat, not too prominent or round. Muzzle not too long in proportion to skull, set on a 90 degree angle to the head forming the stop. Nose jet black. Mouth either level or scissor bite with strong sound teeth. Eyes oval, dark and sparkling, having a sharp, intelligent expression, placed so as to look directly forward. They should not be prominent and the eye rims should be dark in colour. Ears small V-shaped, carried erect, set high on the head, with the hair trimmed short on the tips. Neck: Medium length, blending smoothly into the shoulders to create the elegant head carriage. Forequarters: Legs quite straight, elbows neither in nor out, pasterns strong and straight with ideal shoulder angulation of 45 degrees. Feet are round with black toenails. Dewclaws should be removed. Body: Topline must be level. The chest has a good spring of rib, oval in shape, with gradual rounding toward the base with sufficient depth for the elbows. The loin to be short and strong. Hindquarters: Sturdy, well-muscled hindquarters with proper angulation, sound stifles and hocks turning neither in nor out. Feet are round with black toenails. Tail: Dock to a medium length, with plenty of hair, darker blue in colour than the rest of the body, especially at the end of the tail, carried higher than the level of the back. Gait: Smooth and flowing, moving in a straight line, with a free and easy stride. Faults: Excessive shyness; cottony or wooly texture coat; black body coat on a mature dog; fawn or bronzy hair intermingled with blue; sooty or black hairs intermingled with the golden tan of adult dogs; overshot or undershot bite; rounded bat ears, cropped ears; roached back, sloping croup. Disqualifications: Ears held erect by tying the hair into the topknot. Any adulteration in the colour of the coat by artificial means. Information acquired and re-produced from: http://www.ckc.ca/Default.aspx?tabid=73&Breed_Code=YRT |
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Collapsed Trachea or Reverse Sneezing
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The trachea or windpipe is the tube that connects the throat to the lungs. It is made up of 35 - 45 C-shaped rings of cartilage that are joined by muscle and ligaments to make a tube-like structure. It serves the purpose of directing air into the respiratory tract.
When the these cartilage rings are flattened from the top to the bottom, the trachea is said to be collapsed. Quick breaths of air can cause the trachea to flatten and make it difficult for air to enter the lungs, similar to a soda straw being sucked on too vigorously. The development of this condition is not fully understood. However, these dogs have an abnormality in the chemical makeup of their tracheal rings. The rings loose their stiffness so they are unable to retain their circular shape. It is known that it occurs in certain breeds of dogs, notably Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Toy Poodles, and Yorkshire Terriers. Because of that, it is suspected that there is a genetic factor involved. Collapsing trachea or Reverse sneezing?: With reverse sneezing the pharynx (back of the throat) goes into spasms. The Yorkies finds it difficult to draw in air through the spasms, so s/he stands still, stretches out the neck, and may thrust the elbows out (like a bowlegged bulldog) as s/he honks, wheezes, or snorts. Often eyes open wide. The spasms will stop if the Yorkie swallows a couple of times. Close off her nostrils with your fingers so it has to breathe through its mouth for a few seconds. or Gently rub its throat. This works for some. Distract it by carrying the dog outside into the fresh air. Young puppies can reverse sneeze, but the first episode usually occurs in late adolescence. Stay calm and get the Yorkie to swallow with one of the methods described above. In a few seconds to a minute, s/he will run off to play. Reverse sneezing is harmless and needs no vet consultation and no medical treatment whatsoever. It is very common in toy breeds. Other signs, however, will help you distinguish the two conditions: If s/he makes these sounds when excited or after eating or drinking, or turns her/his elbows outward and extends its neck and gasps inward with a rhythmic snork! snork! snork!, this is reverse sneezing. If the Yorkie breathes through the mouth sometimes, or breathes with a raspy sound, or coughs reflexively when you simply rub the throat, it could have a collapsing trachea. If the cough is one or two expulsive outward bursts (forcing air through the trachea to open it), typically with a gag or empty retch at the end, s/he could have a collapsing trachea. The most common clinical sign of collapsing trachea is a chronic cough. It is often described as dry and harsh and can become quite pronounced. The term "goose honk" is often used to describe it. Coughing is often worse in the daytime and much less at night. The cough may also begin due to excitement, pressure on the trachea (from a leash), or from drinking water or eating. If you suspect collapsed trachea or are confused as to the difference between the two, contact you vet ASAP. Information acquired from: Animal Clinic Collapsing trachea in the dog Retrieved February 1998 from the WWW Potter, Clayton Dr. Heartland Veterinary Hospital Retrieved February 1998 from the WWW Chihuahua Kingdom Retrieved February 1998 from the WWW Richard, Michael, DVM Q&A-Dr Mike Retrieved February 1998 from the WWW Seranne, Ann (1980) The Joy of Breeding Your Own Show Dog New York Macmillian Publishing Company. |
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Luxated Patella
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Luxated patella is a disorder in which the patella slips out of the trochlear groove, usually to the inside (medial) side of the leg. It can be unilateral or bilateral, and mainly affects small and miniature breeds. It may cause severe pain, particularly at the onset of the disease when an affected puppy may be seen to run, then yelp and start to favor the affected limb. The disorder may seem minor, and the patella can be pushed back into place, but in most cases luxation recurs repeatedly. The disorder can also be very severe, with permanently fully flexed hocks and stifles with the animal moving the best it can, apparently unaware of the deformity. The disease is difficult to study, since a genetic susceptibility must be present in combination with an inciting factor such as running, jumping or sudden turns that causes the knee-cap to slip out of place. In some cases, the trochlear ridges are so low or eroded or the patella is so loose, it slips free with little or no effort. The disease usually occurs at 4 - 5 months of age, but may occur earlier or later than this age. The diagnosis can usually be made by palpation by a trained observer. X-rays are definitely helpful, especially in examining the trochlear ridges for prognostic purposes. Treatment usually consists of slipping the patella back into place. This correction is seldom permanent, and frequent relapses occur. Surgical correction using one of 2 or 3 different techniques is a more permanent solution. The choice of technique depends on the individual case. The disease occurs in West Highland White, Boston, Fox, and Yorkshire Terriers; Chihuahuas; French Bulldogs; Japanese and King Charles Spaniels; Poodles (miniature and toy); Pomeranians; Pekingese; and numerous other breeds. |
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Legg-Calve-Perthes
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Legg-Perthes is a non-inflammatory avascular necrosis of the femoral neck and head that usually occurs in small breeds of dogs. The first sign of the disease may be irritability, which progresses to a chronic hind limb lameness of apparent sudden onset. The lameness may decrease as the dog ages. Pain can be elicited when the hip joint is manipulated. Leg motion is reduced, and some muscle atrophy may occur. Either one rear leg or both rear legs may be affected. The age of onset is typically 3 - 11 Typical clinical signs and x-rays of the hip are diagnostic. There is no specific treatment. Some dogs recover reasonable function without treatment. In severe cases, removal of the head of the femur eases pain and helps restore function. Cage rest has been effective in fewer than 25% of the cases. Source: Westie Foundation of America http://www.capitalpaws.com/westiefoundation/ |
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Hypoglycemia
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If your new puppy is lethargic or comatose it may be caused by Hypoglycemia. This can be a life threatening condition brought on by the stress of its new environment and the resulting lack of nutrition. It usually occurs in puppies from newborn to 5 months old but older toy dogs could also get it.
New puppies can be stressed by lack of sleep and over-handling. They may refuse to eat because their food has changed or they don't know where the food is. Changes in the temperature of the room from what they are used to can also be the cause of stress. A lifeless or limp lethargic puppy with grayish-blue gums and tongue is another indication of Hypoglycemia. A sub-normal temperature, with the puppy seeming to shiver and shake requires immediate attention. If left untreated the puppy could go into a coma and may result in convulsions and possible death if treatment is withheld. Low blood sugar is the cause and the blood glucose level must be raised at once. Care from a Vet is the best choice but don't wait; every second counts. Mix Corn Syrup (Karo) or plain Sugar with equal proportion of water and, using a syringe, feed the pup 10cc orally and see your Vet. You may have to give your puppy this treatment four times a day if required and ok'd by your Vet. Hypoglycemia, treated in time, should leave no lasting affects and as long as the stress is eliminated it shouldn't occur again. |