[tinkie]

This is an introductory post of sorts. I'm a new Yorkie slave to Tink, the 13 week old terror. I got her at a place that was much less than optimal. She was incredibly skinning, only weighing 1.4 oz, scraggly, and had a bacterial infection on her ear tips. My vet told me that she was "alarmingly thin" and that she needed to gain weight. She was an incredibly calm puppy... just laid around in my lap, never chewing anything... not doing anything much other than give me a few puppy kisses every once-in-a-while, scratch like crazy, eat 2 morsels, scratch some more and go back to sleep.

She became sick last Saturday and I had to take her to the pet ER. The vet said she wasn't going to make it through the day. 105 fever. He gave her a SubQ, antibiotic injection, and an injection to calm her tummy. He sent us home with a liquid antibiotic to give her for 10 days and a can of Hill's A/D. 30 minutes after we got home, her fever was down to 101.3 and running around playing, something I hadn't seen her do before. By that night, she was insane. Biting, chewing, chasing things, just a bundle of energy.

The next morning she was sick again. I gave her some karo and she bounced back. I was scared all day because she went up and down. Every time she'd go down, I'd give her some karo. The goal was for her to stay alive until I could get her to my regular vet on Monday.

Monday morning, she was a bundle of energy which was great as my husband was out of town and my son's car wouldn't start; so he took mine without asking. She stayed "well" all day. This morning was the same. It dawned on me Monday that Tink hadn't been scratching. I suspected the Purina One Puppy Chow the breeder told me to purchase; thus I spent Monday researching here on what all of you guys feed your yorkies. I also suspected that food as being part of the problem for her previous malaise and possible illness.

The more I read about feeding, the more confused I became. My son brought home 2 samples of Solid Gold Hundchen Flocken, but Tink turned her nose up at it. It also has barley; so I wasn't thrilled, but it was certainly better than the Purina One. She loved the Hill's A/D and refused any other food offered.

I read that the Taste of the Wild can be purchased at Tractor Supply. The only other Pet store that I've seen in this area is PetSmart and their food is unacceptable. I picked up the TOTW this evening and was disappointed at its great size. What amazed me was Tink's reaction. She went nuts when I brought it in, scratching at the bag like a mouse scratches to get into something. Her little paws were going a thousand miles an hour. I gave her a 1/4 nugget after breaking it and she chomped it right up. I'm hoping that this, along with some canned, and possibly mixed with another brand of quality dry puppy food (as well as a squirt of karo) will get her through puppyhood.

I'd like to thank all of you for your health and nutrition posts. I was so lost and scared until I read all the suggestions on this forum. I don't know what I would have done without it.