Not to mention Christmas time is the worst time to get a new puppy! Too much stuff going on. People coming over, or going out to parties, food being given or dropped on the floor, eating tinsel or ingesting other decorations or Christmas tree needles, eating pointsettias (which are poisonous BTW), the list goes on and on. Raising a puppy is such hard work, and then on top of it during Christmas? I would never.
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Originally Posted by gemy  I think you should be more concerned with getting a healthy puppy! The when will happen when the time is right.
I am going to elaborate on the health concerns of Yorkies and there are many! You want to investigate a breeder who health tests for these risks. And I guarantee you no-one will sell a puppy for $350 who actually does do all the health tests; they are pricey and will be factored into the cost of the puppy.
In relative order of frequency in the Yorkie 1. Luxating Patella or loose knees. The bane of most toy breeds!. Can be mild ie a grade one, or moderate to severe Grades 3/4. The higher grades usually require surgery. That cost alone is anywhere from $2000 to $4500 depending on the complexity of the repair required. /
All breeding pairs should have an LP evaluation and be free of LP. This will be shown on the health database CHIC.ORG 2. Retained baby teeth. Usually will need to be surgically removed, often done at the time of neutering. This can/will increase the cost of the surgery. Prices vary a whole lot by vet.
3. Hip Dysplasia and or Leggs Perthes. Currently on the rise. An FHO surgery is again somewhere in the neighbourhood of LP surgery.
Breeding Pairs should have Xrays done and submitted to Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for evaluation and be clear of hip disease.
4. Liver shunt and or Liver Disease. Quite prevalent in the breed. Extrahepatic shunts require surgery and again depending on the complexity surgery can range anywhere from $1500-$3000+ dollars.
5. PRA - Progressive Retinal Atrophy. Breeding pairs should be examined yearly by a Board certified opthamologist and be registered on the CERF data base. cerf.org - 6. Hyperuricosuria and related Bladder Problems. ie Bladder Stones. This is the one DNA test available that breeders can see if their breeding stock is a carrier, clear, or affected. 7. Allergies/Skin Problems/Digestion problems. These are all variable. Many yorkies can be fussy eaters, have allergies to different things, and have gas etc.
8. CT or Collapsing Trachea. Neither breeding pair should suffer from this disease. evaluation by vet recommended.
As you can see from this list the concerns are many. |
#1 Uni has LP in both knees, grade 2. She is on glucosamine supplements. One bag or bottle depending on the type I get that month are $20-40 and last a little less than a month. That's when I only have one dog. All my fosters have had some grade of LP. That's every single one, 100% of my fosters have had the condition. This is a genetic condition and if the parents have it, it WILL be passed onto the next generation. It could result in surgery, and if no surgery, lameness. Before that arthritis.
#2 Uni only had one, and it was only an extra $50 to have it removed during her spay. But I had one foster who was neutered too early and had two complete sets of teeth! He had horrible breath and dental health was zero.
#6 Had another foster who was surrendered bc she had very large stones that were left untreated for years. The surgery by that time was over $1000 not to mention the hospital stays and meds.
#7 We are dealing with finding the source Uni's allergy(s) now. Steriod shots and meds, rx shampoos, grain free food, not to mention stress on her and me, are several hundred dollars on top of the regular well vetting each year. This year so far on Uni alone is about $500.
All these issues, and I paid a lot of money for Uni from a broker
, now imagine buying a bargain basement yorkie. I don't even want to think about what could happen.
I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer here, but "regular vetting" is what most people can afford. It's the emergency vetting that a lot of people can't or don't factor into the price of getting a dog. It's not just about food and water and toys and love.