Greetings and advice needed
 

Hello Everyone-
Wanted to say hello and ask some advice...I am a new member.
Yesterday, I almost ran over a dog on the road near my house. I pulled over, and tried to get it to come to me, but it kept moving. Later, my neighbor and her kids were calling out to something, and walking towards me. I was washing my car, and suddenly there was the dog, in my yard. I scooped it up, and ascertained he was a male. My neighbor then came over and told me it was a Yorkie. I own a dog already, but he is a bigger boy (Lab mix), and I am unused to small dogs. I thought about it for two seconds, and then checked him for fleas (none seen after a flea combing). I got him inside, and he immediately stopped shaking/shivering (I live in West Alabama, and it is getting a bit nippy outside here). He then ran around the house, met the resident dog (who indicated nothing but friendly interest), and the two cats (my female, a Maine Coon, was disdainful, but the Am. Shorthair kitten was highly interested, until the Yorkie began to "boss" him-right off the bat.) I went out and got some more food, a bed, a harness and a leash, and a few small toys. He took to the bed right away, seems to like it. I bathed and blew dried him- very dirty. No fleas or other skin conditions noted. He was offered food, and ate like a horse last evening, twice. I took him for a walk, which he seemed to enjoy. He did his business outside, no accidents with frequent trips. He then bedded down and fell asleep. I jacked up the heat to keep him warm.
This morning, it appears that he vomited twice overnight. He got up and went out for his bathroom time, but evidences no interest in eating this morning. He went right back to his bed and curled up, which is where he is now.
I have no experience with toy breeds or Yorkies. I verified that he looked like the Yorkie pics online- but appears to still be a puppy (black and tan coat).
My estimate is that he weighs about 1-2 lbs, and looks to be about 3 months or a bit older. I have christened him "Myles". He is still intact (unneutered).
I am pretty pissed off that he had no tag or collar on, and could have easily been run over, attacked by some of the loose dogs around here, or scooped up by some of the big hawks who circle overhead. I like the little guy. He deserves better.
What do you all think? Is this sleeping behavior part of being in emotional shock, due to change? Is the vomiting due to my perhaps overfeeding him (it was food that came up, not bile or anything else). How much do you feed a little guy like this? As I said, my experience is with medium to large dogs, and don't have a clue, other than what I could find online (which for the most part, can be rather vague). What about this hypoglycemia I am reading so much about?
Help! Any ideas or advice would be appreciated.

You have a great heart for taking little "Myles" in. I would be upset too that he didn't have a collar or id on and was just running loose (especially at that young age). Yorkies are a great very loving breed. What kind of food are you feeding him? His throwing up could be due to the change in food as sometimes they can have very sensitive stomaches. Since he is so small, you want to make sure that you are giving a good food since every bite really does matter. You are right to worry about hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is when their blood sugar drops to a low range. It is dangerous because they can go into shock, seisures, or worse. Signs of this are extreme lethargic-ness kind of like they are in a daze. The best thing to do to keep them up is to feed every few hours. Since he is still a puppy, I would also get some Nutri-cal from the petstore for him. You just put a dollop on your finger and they lick it off, most cant resist the taste. By giving that every few hours as well, you should be good. I would look and ask around the neighborhood if anyone is missing Myles. After a while, if noone is claiming him, then congratulations! Myles will make a great addition to your family and even though you haven't dealt with small breeds before, it will come to you. You can always ask questions here on YT as everyone is so friendly and knowledgeable. Good luck and keep us posted, oh and welcome to Yorkie Talk.:)

He may be microchipped... it would be a great idea to bring him in and see if you can find his owner. I'm certain that a Yorkie running around is not a stray. I'm very glad you feel kindly enough toward this pup to give him a home but he may have a family that is very broken hearted and missing him. Please at least try to find them.

As for the vomiting, he may have stomach upset because of a change in food.

Welcome!!!!!
I am by no means an expert....really it's a learn as you go process. I believe the vomiting is due to him scarfing down the food since he was so hungry. hypoglycemia is when their blood sugar I believe drops, you need to make sure he is drinking water, get him some pedialite, and some stuff called nutrical, it will keep his blood sugar levels up while giving him nutrients to sustain his little body til he eats again, that little he needs to eat or have the nutrical if he won't eat, they can start to have siezures, and it's very frightning, but they could die if they are not treated right away with the nutrical, or as a last resort some karo syrup.

There are more and better experts on here that can really give you more details. There are so many different opinions and ideas about the food to feed, I feed mine Canidea because there is no corn or wheat . He needs to get checked by a vet ASAP, to make sure he is healthy, not only for him but for your animals sake too.

I agree with the above advice, except....Have him checked for a microchip before you make any firm decisions.

After that, I would take him to a vet asap for a checkup and to begin his shots (since you have no records).

The vet check is essential. You have to consider the safety of your other pets as well.

Best wishes. He sounds like a sweetie. :) Welcome to YT! :D

Having him checked for a microchip is a great idea!

Thanks all
 

Thanks for the good advice.
I am going to put up posters in the area, and place an ad in the local classifieds. I am concerned that someone might just want him due to him possibly being a purebred. I am pretty sure he is not from this area, as I have gotten to know most of the dogs around here pretty well. But, to act in his best interest, I shall give it a good shot by advertising with specific questions. I am upset that a puppy would not be supervised well enough to just wander off...he is not a fast runner at all. I would have been out day and night if my Lab mix vanished. :confused:
In the meantime, I will give him some of the Nutrical, and keep an eye on him. He is now seeming more alert and awake, but still drowsing off an on in his bed.
Keep the good insights and advice coming. I will need it in the coming days, whether he is reclaimed or stays here.
Can I just go to my vet and have him checked for a microchip, or do I need to go to a special place?
Matthew

I agree, as attached as you are already, he might be microchipped and belong to someone, who i HOPE is worried sick about him. if not... you have THE best breed you could ever ask for :) he is sleepign because he is stressed out! poor little guy. I would be offering him small amounts of food frequently so his tummy can get used to having food in it. keep in mind Yorkies have sensitive necks and you should use a harness instead of a collar. Also if it is cold there he should probably have a sweater on when he is outside. I also agree with the vet check.. make sure he has no bugs.. if he was out for long enough he may have drank bad water... after that.. watch out.. he is going to steal your heart and you'll have no idea what hit ya ;) can we see pictures?

I agree the vomiting could be due to the switch in food. I imagine what you are feeding him is different than what he was getting. Any back yard breeders that you know of in your area? Maybe he escaped! If you are unable to find the owner are you going to keep him? :) Thank goodness he found you. He sounds too small and young to have survived a cold night...

That was great of you to take him in however, I too believe that he most likely has an owner somewhere who is frantically looking for him. Chances are he is microchipped with id programmed on the chip.

Bella went to the groomers last week and it was a day or two before i realized they did not put her id back on!!! I was upset because it would be a couple of days before i could get there to pick it up.

I held Bella everytime we opened the door for halloween. If she got out and took off...she could have gotten lost!

The id could have also been ripped off by a branch if she was in the woods for a few days.

You can take the dog to a local vet and I bet they would scan the dog for free if you explained your story.
Please consider doing this.

Wow you just dont hear of someone finding a puppy that young. Someone was very careless. I wouldnt worry about the vomiting unless it keeps up. You definitely want t get him to a vet as soon as possible for a check up and shots

Thank God you took that poor baby in! I think the change in food definitely upset his little tummy. You've gotten a lot of great advice here, especially about the microshipping.

Somebody out there is missing their baby. If he's not microchipped, look around for fliers. After that, there not much else you can do.

Welcome to YT! But I totally agree with this post, you need to notify all your vets and animal shelters to see if someone is missing there baby.

I wish you the best of luvk, who knows, maybe no one will come forward and you got yourself a sweet baby!

Myles is so lucky to have come accross you. He must have sensed you are a softie.

Great advise has already been given so I'm not going to add to it... But I do have a request.

Can you please post a photo of him? Please?

Thank you!

PS: Welcome to Yorkie Talk! Glad you found us!

Welcome to YT!! :wavey:

The way I see it - one of two things are about to happen. You will either be unable to find the owner and will fall deeper in love with Myles and he will become a loved part of your family. OR you will find the desparate owner of Myles, but after falling in love, will have no other choice but to find another Yorkie that needs your wonderful home and family. I'd say either way, both you and Myles are blessed.

Welcome to YT! It sounds like you're doing a pretty good job so far. I believe that your vet should have a scanner that will read the pup's microchip (if he has one)..however, because there are many different types of scanners, you may want to take him to your local SPCA (I'm not sure what it's called in the US) or to another vet as well.

Best of luck to you and Myles!

Yorkies are the BEST and if you wind up keeping him you'll have loads of fun :D

I would withhold some vital information about him. Don't put it on the posters, etc... That way you have better chance of weeding out anyone pretending to be the real owner.

Most shelters and vets have readers/scanners for microchips, just call and ask first. My vet is small and doesn't have one, but he refers to our local rescue shelter.

I would also ask at the shelter if anyone has been looking for a lost yorkie. That's one of the first places I would check if Gizmo were lost.

Update an a picture of Myles
 

Well, first off I called and reported him as "found" with the local county wide animal shelter. Tomorrow we will both go to my vet and/or the shelter to get him scanned for a microchip. I am making flyers that I will put up around the area (most advice says within a 3 mile radius). I will also put a free ad in the local pennysaver. I will withhold some pertinent info to make sure the owners are who they say they are.
I just went to the pet store and got some nutri-cal, which he just lapped up like crazy. We then took a nice walk (about 1/2 a mile), and when we got back, he plopped himself down in the kitchen. I took this to mean maybe he was hungry, and I was right. He ate about a 1/4 cup of wet food. He then clambered up on the couch (not in his bed), and is deciding if he wants a nap or not.
Attached is a pic. If anyone is from Northport (Tuscaloosa) Alabama and recognizes him, give me a shout.
He is such a cutie...

oh man he is wayyy cute.....

.... hmmm yes i think he's mine. :) pretty sure :p

I hope his real parents step up pretty soon. You could always go to the local pet store too and put up a flyer. There is a lost/found board at my Petsmart.

Myles is soooooooo adorable! By the length of his hair, I would say that he might be older than three months. I'm no expert, just my opinion. How old would you all say he is just by the pic?

puppy
 

It's very hard to tell from a photo but he sure doesn't look like a puppy (young). I would sure try very hard to find his owner before you get too attached. Someone is probably very upset. I don't always keep collars and tags on mine because they seldom go outside except on a fenced in deck, but if one of them did somehow escape I'd be crazy with worry.

Age
 

I have no idea how old, just a guess. I did notice that the hair on his back is getting a bluish sort of tint to it...not much, but enough to notice in the sunlight.
I am terrible at guessing age by size...but can do it much better with larger breeds. Bear in mind that my current "pup" (6 years old) was the size of Myles when he was two months old. Attached is a pic of him as well. His name is T.J.
Myles is snoozing away right now...that walk and lunch set him up for a good nap time.
Both dogs seem to be getting along just fine so far.
Hope that if he is missing, someone steps up in the next week or two. I will keep trying! If no response after a good attempt, I will keep him.

No matter how it turns out, he is so lucky to have found you!! You are wonderful...... thanks for sharing the story with us.

If someone claims Myles, I would check them out to make very sure that they are the legit owners. And if they are legit then I would check them out even more before returning Myles because a little puppy like that has no bussines wandering the streets.

You bet I will, Serenity.
In the meantime, I found a great service online- FidoFinder.com. Listed him there just on the off chance someone will be check there. You can register your dog too before he/she wanders off.

I would make them show pictures as proof of ownership if someone comes forward.

I totaly agree with this post. If the owner comes forward. I would ask why this little guy was off on his own. Great job on bring him into your home, that is very thoghtful.
Welcome to YT also. He sure is a handsome little guy

The big dog and I took our daily 2 mile walk today, and filled about 45 mailboxes with a flyer for Myles. I did not mention the breed or other ID'ing things, just a lost dog, and that they must ID the breed, colors, original name, gender. I expect to get slammed with calls, but that is OK if it finds "Myles" his home again.
I have noticed he is not a "touchy feely" kind of dog, at least so far. I suspect he is stressed feeling a bit down. He likes to be stroked and rubbed, but is very protective of his belly area. He laid on my chest for a few minutes, then up and back to his bed. Poor guy.
Tomorrow we go to the shelter for a microchip check.
Will update as things progress.
Thanks to all of you for the help, info, and support.

You really are such a nice guy to be taking care of Myles the way you are. I think I'm a bit prejudiced against whoever owned him and didn't take enough care of him that he ended up wandering the streets that I would like it very much if nobody turned up and Myles just stayed with you. I'm a sucker for happy endings.

Day 3
 

Me too, Serenity. But after considering all the good advice I have gotten from here, I will do my best to get him home. Although he is very smart, and goes right back to my door after potty time.
Well, he appears to be perking up a bit. Yapping at Kenneth the kitten (who looks at him like "bring it on"- but no issues yet). Last night, the kitten and my big boy got into bed with me, and I was drifting off to sleep...then I heard a pathetic whining coming from...right next to the bed! There was Myles-got out of bed and came into the bedroom. I got his bed, and got him settled at the foot of the bed. Out like a light in less than 5 minutes. Both dogs decided to sleep in, and were right where I left them when I got up. This morning, he ate his breakfast (wanted it on the couch, but I refused, so he came to bowl), and did both his businesses outside. Came in and got on the back of the chair, enjoyed a tiny healthy biscuit (Mother Hubbard), and then got down, got into the other chair, and began wrestling with the blanket- pulling it around him, yapping, rolling about. Very funny to watch. Big dog TJ must have thought this was fun too, as he ran and got his ball and began to pester me for playtime. I then gave each of them their Kong toys (Myles has a little tiny one), stuffed with a bit of peanut butter. Myles went nuts, and cleaned it all out. So he seems to be acting less "traumatized" and more like himself (as if I know what that is!)
I just called my vet, and found that they do, in fact, have a microchip scanner. So in a little bit, we will go over there and get him scanned. I will take a flyer to the vet as well for posting.
Danger- getting attached-Danger :eek: I have never considered myself a "small dog person"- the ones I have known have been yappy, poorly trained, and overly spoiled (beyond just good love and being a member of the family-I would never let a member of my family bite me, or pee on a person. LOL)
I will keep updating as things progress.
And yes...I am getting my first calls for the flyers. As of now, only a Lab has been inquired about.
Matthew