For those of you who have rescues...

[Princes mom]

I have a few questions about how you choose your baby. I was wondering if you felt comfortable that your baby was healthy,and were they honest with you about all health issues? Do they normally check for predisposed genetic issues? What problems, if any, did you have? Lastly, what did you check for and ask before buying your baby?
It's a shame that so many yorkies (or any dog for that matter) are rescues.

[orlnurse]

I have 2 rescues. I've found that with rescues sometimes things don't work out for some reason or another. With my first rescue Max, he chose us so it seemed that we didn't have much of a choice I chose Lily from another rescue and with her being a puppy mill rescue, I was scared for genetic disorders. So far she has a clean bill of health. Unfortunately I don't think that rescue groups usually don't check for genetic issues unless of course the dog is sick when they get them. They do get vet care and are released to a home when they are stable. With both of my rescues, I took them to a vet right away to get checked out, but I didn't do any blood work to check for genetic disorders. My thought was that if I'm going the "rescue" route, that I would take on any issues as they come. Its sort of a risk I guess, but it was important for me to adopt. Unless they were a surrender from a previous owner, they don't come with a health history and most times even their age is an estimate.

[RDB911]

I rescued Riley from the local humane society. They did a full exam and x-rays but no genetic testing was performed.

They were honest in letting me know he has a heart murmur. Which is only at a grade 2 of 6. It may never affect him in anyway. But I've prepared myself for the long road with Riley and any medical bills that may come up.

I agree with Lesley's statement below:

"My thought was that if I'm going the "rescue" route, that I would take on any issues as they come. Its sort of a risk I guess, but it was important for me to adopt. Unless they were a surrender from a previous owner, they don't come with a health history and most times even their age is an estimate."

[ladyjane]

While I cannot speak for all rescues, YHR does baseline lab work on every foster when it comes in. Those labs often give a clue if there is something going on medically with a pup. We also treat all presenting issues prior to adoption and that includes dentals. If a pup has issues that will require ongoing care and/or medications that we know of, we make people very aware. All medical records are given to the adopter. Our goal is to make the placement one that will last forever!

You really want to check a rescue out thoroughly. How long do they keep their fosters? If they are quickly turning them over in a couple of weeks, in my opinion you are running a risk of future problems. Not saying it is a bad thing as some rescues are interested in placing numbers. That works, but people need to be aware that in those cases they often will deal with unknown medical and/or behavioral issues.

If you are looking for a rescue and trying to avoid medical issues, then you need to ask questions about what the rescue does in terms of vet care. Most issues are going to show up in lab studies and good veterinary exam. Do they do dentals? That is a bugaboo of mine...I hate to see rescues adopting yorkies out without doing dentals if they are needed. Those dentals are so important for the health and well being of the pups!

I frequently hear of people voicing concerns about LS. While I realize a lot more yorkies than other breeds get LS, it is not common for them to have it! I have been fostering for five years now and have had many pups in my home....not one has had LS. (yes, I have been lucky) But, my point is that not every one in rescue has LS. And, we do not do BATs on every one of them. I have heard some people say that their pup had LS and it did not show up in routine labs. My personal belief is that this is rare as normally you will see ammonia levels and liver enzymes elevated in lab studies. Those are a clue! Then, you look further.

Things like luxating patella and collapsing trachea should be picked up on a physical exam.

If you go to a shelter for a pup, yes you are running a huge risk of medical issues.

[Princes mom]

Thank you all for the info! This is something to really think about.

[Lizzie07]

Lizzy was more of a rehome for me than a rescue, I guess. It was my intention to place her, but she stole my heart. I am grateful to have her. I didn't get any vet records with her, but I got her AKC registration, which in my mind was weird, because the vet records are more important to keep, IMO.

I've been a rescue rep with the Italian Greyhound Club of America for many years and I may be prejudiced, but I don't think there is a shelter that does a better job placing IGs than we do. Furthermore, we know more about the breed and any specific problems to the breed. We are doing it because we love the dogs and the breed and want the best for them. I believe this is the case with most breed rescues.

IGs are notorious for dental problems, like yorkies, and their teeth MUST be maintained. Nearly all the rescues I've fostered have to have dental, unless they are still puppies. If an IG is overweight, I have a thyroid test done, better safe than sorry. Also, unless I get vet records, I have to have immunizations and a heart worm test done. I also ask the vet to check patellas, but I have never had a problem with that.

I don't think you'd regret going the rescue route if you take the advice of Ladyjane. I've fostered so many great dogs that I truly think you are more likely to get a fabulous pet than not.

Good luck, whatever decision you make. I am sure you are the kind of person to love your new baby with all your heart no matter what. You are the kind of home a rescue would love to place a dog with.

[megansmomma]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

If you go to a shelter for a pup, yes you are running a huge risk of medical issues.

I'd like to elaborate on what I think this statement means.

When you go to a shelter is does not mean that you will adopt a dog with medical issues. I think what Linda is was trying to say (from my point of view) is that a shelter dog is not vetted as fully as a rescue dog. The dog (shelter) will be given very basic medical exam and UTD on vaccines and spay/neutered. Their job is to get dogs rehomed as quickly as possible. They have a lot of dogs in their care and a lot of people coming through looking at them to adopt. So things might be overlooked and show up later.

An example of this would be my friend who adopted her lab mix from a shelter and within 3 days she found a growth on his side that required surgery. A rescue/foster home would have noticed something suspicious like this and had it treated prior to adoption. But since he was with 70 other dogs and they were just providing basic care it was overlooked. In her case, the shelter did pay for the surgery that was required to remove the growth but many times that would not be the case.

A good rescue has the resources to address any issues medically that might arise and will give a much better health baseline, know temperament as well as a good medical history while in their care. IMO trying to compare a shelter vs rescue would be nearly impossible.

Let me add one more twist to your question. There are rescues that pull from shelters that treat, vet, foster and then transport to large shelters in the City of Chicago to rehome. I know of one that moves dogs from Southern IL where their chance of euthanasia is about 100% if left in the shelters and their program is very effective. Some are fostered in Southern IL homes until their medical needs have been accessed and treated. It really all depends on the area of the country that you live. Here in the Chicago area it is a rare occurrence to see a Yorkie in the shelters. But in other parts of the county (TX, CA, NC....) you can look just about daily and find shelters with Yorkies. I think (IMO) there is might be a different mindset regarding pet ownership. Also, there seems to be a lot less ByBer and puppymills in the city and suburbs of Chicago.

[Princes mom]

Originally Posted by Lizzie07

Lizzy was more of a rehome for me than a rescue, I guess. It was my intention to place her, but she stole my heart. I am grateful to have her. I didn't get any vet records with her, but I got her AKC registration, which in my mind was weird, because the vet records are more important to keep, IMO.

I've been a rescue rep with the Italian Greyhound Club of America for many years and I may be prejudiced, but I don't think there is a shelter that does a better job placing IGs than we do. Furthermore, we know more about the breed and any specific problems to the breed. We are doing it because we love the dogs and the breed and want the best for them. I believe this is the case with most breed rescues.

IGs are notorious for dental problems, like yorkies, and their teeth MUST be maintained. Nearly all the rescues I've fostered have to have dental, unless they are still puppies. If an IG is overweight, I have a thyroid test done, better safe than sorry. Also, unless I get vet records, I have to have immunizations and a heart worm test done. I also ask the vet to check patellas, but I have never had a problem with that.

I don't think you'd regret going the rescue route if you take the advice of Ladyjane. I've fostered so many great dogs that I truly think you are more likely to get a fabulous pet than not.

Good luck, whatever decision you make. I am sure you are the kind of person to love your new baby with all your heart no matter what. You are the kind of home a rescue would love to place a dog with.

Thank you so much for the information, and your kind words. My husband told me today to remember that there are never any guarantees, even from a reputable breeder. Prince had excellent bloodlines and was very healthy...until he got a collapsing trachea. (His parents, grandparents nor bio brother has it.) I've met them all.
We're still thinking about it. I've filled out an application at one place to have on file. I have a hard time imagining any dog without a good family to love him/her.

[gemy]

Just to clarify a bit, there are NO true genetic tests for Yorkies. That means, there has been no identified gene marker, for any of the major health issues Yorkies can suffer from, be it Liver Shunt, Luxating Patella, PRA, kidney disorders, etc.

A full blood panel, can point the way for more tests to be done, and as LadyJane said, physical exam from an "experienced vet" can identify LP and guesstimate the degree of severity, can check heart and ears, and teeth. I don't think that rescues and I'm sure shelters don't test for PRA, so that could rear it's head. Progressive Retinal Atrophy is thought to be a genetic disorder, which will eventually cause blindness in the Yorkie.

I think if you are interested in a Yorkie be it from a rescue or from a shelter, you still have some associated health risks common to Yorkies. But what is very good about rescues like YHR is that they do do the full blood panel, and will do further tests as warranted.

The historical incidence of any of these conditions in Yorkies, is not truly known. The databases that collect this health information, show a very low population of Yorkies, to whit on the CHIC database, there were only 38 Yorkies registered with them. Given the population and popularity of Yorkies out there that is an amazingly small number.

Breeders of Yorkies need to be encouraged to submit there health testing results to the appropriate databases, so we can all truly begin to understand what is going on in this breed.

Anectodal evidence is very limited. But given at the minimum there are at least a few hundred thousand Yorkies registered with the AKC, and only 38 CHIC numbers issued, we have quite a long way to go, in the collection of any meaningfull statistics.

[Princes mom]

Wow...I had no idea. (This was nine years ago.)

Pet Orphans - Atlanta's Dog and Cat Adoption Website

[lisa_j]

My Jax and Freedom are both rescues. I chose to adopt Freedom knowing he was a larger yorkie. Jax was both diabetic and blind at adoption and I knew that and was fine with it. Rescue me yorkie was honest and right to the point with my 2. I knew and expected what I got, could not be happier either!!!!!

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by lisa_j

My Jax and Freedom are both rescues. I chose to adopt Freedom knowing he was a larger yorkie. Jax was both diabetic and blind at adoption and I knew that and was fine with it. Rescue me yorkie was honest and right to the point with my 2. I knew and expected what I got, could not be happier either!!!!!

Exactly as it should be! Thank you for sharing your story and bless you for adopting Jax and Freedom! In my opinion, there is no better pet than one that has been rescued. I do believe they know that they are being given a second chance.

[bellemarie]

i know this is a little different from what your wanting to know- but i feel its important to add...
my dexter was a resuce 2 years ago. he is a chihuahua and wasn't left at a shelter, he was taken to my 'mentor' and dropped off with a slight explaination of why... the woman was leaving for england and couldn't take him with her- but also had been told by neighbors that dexx couldn't be left with her son and husband either. the man had a new gf, and she had a big dog who used him as a chew toy; when this happened they just covered him in tcp (the disinfectant) and left him to it. they couldn't be bothered feeding him properly so he was only getting table scraps. and worst of all, he had been grabbed by the leg by the son and thrown against a wall because he was in the way...
i was asked to take him and was worried what he would behave like after being treated soo bad- but agreed to take him for a little while to see.
1st vet visit came the next day...
he had a Terrible gum infection that had very nearly gone to his jaw- he needed an injection of antibiotics into it for 3 days and tablets for a week- and that dealt with the infection in the bite marks too. which are now nothing more than faint scars
because of the poor diet, which he also needed a special food to help with his severe weight problem,
he also needed his shots (just incase) and as for the leg, when it was broken it wasn't professionally strapped- a lollipop stick and masking tape was used on it so it is very badly bent under the knee- and will probably need amputated in a few years as every winter it causes him to limp because of the arthritis building up.
he is the most expensive dog (health wise) i have ever owned but he's worth it just to see the appreciation and love he gives; no-one (with a good heart and love of dogs) can sit on the sofa without him on their knee- his experience has taught him to tell the good from the bad (useful for when placing puppies ) and although he still has his annoyances (like a fear of plastic bags so he has to wee on them) i couldn't give him up- it would destroy him and me!

so even though you may end up with a couple of extra vet costs, if you get the dog insured with a good company (that will cover things for life), what you get in return is in so many ways more rewarding than that little extra cash!

[Princes mom]

Originally Posted by bellemarie

i know this is a little different from what your wanting to know- but i feel its important to add...
my dexter was a resuce 2 years ago. he is a chihuahua and wasn't left at a shelter, he was taken to my 'mentor' and dropped off with a slight explaination of why... the woman was leaving for england and couldn't take him with her- but also had been told by neighbors that dexx couldn't be left with her son and husband either. the man had a new gf, and she had a big dog who used him as a chew toy; when this happened they just covered him in tcp (the disinfectant) and left him to it. they couldn't be bothered feeding him properly so he was only getting table scraps. and worst of all, he had been grabbed by the leg by the son and thrown against a wall because he was in the way...
i was asked to take him and was worried what he would behave like after being treated soo bad- but agreed to take him for a little while to see.
1st vet visit came the next day...
he had a Terrible gum infection that had very nearly gone to his jaw- he needed an injection of antibiotics into it for 3 days and tablets for a week- and that dealt with the infection in the bite marks too. which are now nothing more than faint scars
because of the poor diet, which he also needed a special food to help with his severe weight problem,
he also needed his shots (just incase) and as for the leg, when it was broken it wasn't professionally strapped- a lollipop stick and masking tape was used on it so it is very badly bent under the knee- and will probably need amputated in a few years as every winter it causes him to limp because of the arthritis building up.
he is the most expensive dog (health wise) i have ever owned but he's worth it just to see the appreciation and love he gives; no-one (with a good heart and love of dogs) can sit on the sofa without him on their knee- his experience has taught him to tell the good from the bad (useful for when placing puppies ) and although he still has his annoyances (like a fear of plastic bags so he has to wee on them) i couldn't give him up- it would destroy him and me!

so even though you may end up with a couple of extra vet costs, if you get the dog insured with a good company (that will cover things for life), what you get in return is in so many ways more rewarding than that little extra cash!

How sad! I am so happy you have him. We didn't have Prince insured, and his vet visits were also very expensive and numerous, but we didn't care. He was our baby and we would do anything that would help him.

[Patti]

I got Nikki from an elderly friend that had a stroke and ended up in a nursing home until her recent passing. She got Nikki as a rescue 3 years ago. He came from a yorkie rescue. When I had his vet records transferred to my vet, they gave me his adoption paper. On there it mentioned he had Lp in his right rear leg, Nuclear sclerosis in both eyes (age related) and dental loss. When I first met Nikki about 16 month ago his breath was so bad you couldn't get near him. His owner was not able to afford his vet care so I took it over. He needed all his teeth pulled as they were rotted to the bone. He also needed extensive gum work. I was really surprised that he was let out for adoption with those terrible teeth. Poor Nikki suffered for 2 years that we know of before getting his teeth all taken out. He is a tough little guy who is estimated to be 16 years old now and other than his teeth and has no other major issues.
As far as shelters, the one I volunteer at goes the extra mile as far as vet care for every cat and dog. I do all the data entry for the Animal Health dept so I see everything they do. These dogs and cats are taken to the specialists when needed and are vetted for minor things like sneezing and runny noses. The staff is a very dedicated loving group and they know each animal and their needs. This may be the exception but I have been very impressed with this shelter.