[Golden Parti]

Wow, I have to say I had no idea that Alopecia was a problem in yorkies or any other breed of dogs. There do seem to be a huge number of websites listing Alopecia as a problem with yorkies. Back to the original post about improving the breed. Here is a list of things to watch for in Yorkies that I found on several different websites. If any of these are found in your dogs they should not be bred.

Breeders should note of the following health issues:

• Alopecia, or losing hair • Cataract, or loss of transparency of one or both lenses of the eyes • Cryptorchidism, wherein testicles do not descend into the scrotum • Dwarfism • Entropion, a disorder with the eyelid; lashes on the eyelid that irritate the eyeballs could lead to other complications • Glaucoma, a condition that causes an increase pressure within the eye • Hydrocephalus • Keratoconjunctivitis sicca, or the reduction of tear production • Low blood sugar • Patellar luxation, a disorder in the kneecap • Portosystemic shunt, or the accumulation of blood toxins in the liver • Urolithiasis, an infection of the urinary tract leading to the formation of bladder stones


Here is a photo of a yorkie suffering from Alopecia.