[ragincajun]

Hi all, new member here on the boards. Found quite a few Yorkie sites and this seemed to be the most in depth so I thought I'd join up.

I don't have a Yorkie...yet. However I am looking to rescue one from a regional shelter about an hour away. There are a few things I am a bit concerned about; however in reading up on Yorkies (and similar breeds) it appears these are mostly just "those things you have to deal with in this breed class".

The actual dog is a "Silky", although they (the shelter believes it's either a pure breed Silky or a mix with Yorkie). Anyway, we've done the home visit last weekend and then finally got to go to a PetSmart today to meet her for the first time. She seemed to have a good personality and wasn't aggressive with my other dogs (we brought them to meet her as well); although my Sheltie/Terrier mix wasn't keen on introducing herself today.

The primary issues that I'm concerned with are:
1. Kneecap dislocation: The foster said she does have this in her left hind leg. I have discussed with my vet and he said this is common in the breed, doesn't cause discomfort although it could lead to arthritis in later years.
2. "Hot Spots": She has several sores on her body and was constantly scratching. The foster said they have gotten her a cortizone shot which worked for a short time and then have her on Benadryl which doesn't appear to be working. They are also starting with their vet on looking into allergies (such as corn) to see if food may be an issue. I'm guessing this is something we'll have to continue with our vet; just wondering if it's common in the breed(s) or if anyone else has seen similar flare ups and what they have experienced as a reason. I did a thorough check and she didn't appear to have fleas.
3. Collapsed tracheas: Not particularly on this dog, but in the breed. Is this common? Is a harness the best solution to help avoid? Anything else I should worry about here?
4. Coat: I have looked at tons of posts about coats. Her coat today appeared very thin and stringy. The foster had done a "self groom" which I'm not worried about but the coat was very thin. This would be my first pet with a single coat and no undercoat so I'm not sure if this is normal.

I'm attaching two photos. The first (with the topknot) is the initial picture when the shelter took her in. The second is the best I could get today in the pet store just for comparison sake.


Any feedback on the above issues would be greatly appreciated. I fell in love with her just from her first photo and when I can finally take her home in another week or so I want to make sure I can do right by her and give her a forever home.