Healthy Yorkies
 

I am still searching for my healthy, sweet, silky female Yorkie pup. I thought I had found her and the breeder was just not willing to go into detail about the pedigree and incidence of any disorders or problems such as LP or Liver Shunt. The breeder would not tell me whether or not she had knowledge of these things ie: health problems like LP or LS in the bloodline....so that led me to believe there was something she knew about the bloodline and was not telling me. :( These disorders were listed in her contract; so to be sure she was aware of what they are. She had been breeding Yorkies for 20 years.


Has anyone owned a Yorkie for years and not had any major health issues?

Is expecting to find a healthy Yorkie unrealistic? So far it seems as if I am looking for a needle in a haystack.

Climbing down from my soap box.....:rolleyes:

I have two that are 3 who havent had any major health problems. Chachi got mange but it was easily treatable. I am glad mine havent had any problems because I only had a 72 hr health guarantee. My yorkies were very reasonable priced and with that you usually dont get a good health guarantee so its the chance you take. I think most people are like me and have healthy yorkies

Buddy just turned 4 and has no health issues at all. Thanks heavens.

So sorry to hear about the loss of your Yorkie.

It is good to hear he was a healthy Yorkie.

I will continue my search, knowing a healthy Yorkie is possible to find :)

It's always a chance you take. Genetics can jump up and come into play when least expected. No one can guarantee you that something will not happen. One year guarantees are most common.

Rusty is three years old and thankfully no problems with him.

I was afraid to buy a purebred for this reason. I thought mutts were healthier, but after much research I found this not to be true. I think you are wise, to be careful. Have you checked with the Yorkshire Terrier Club of America for referrals? http://www.ytca.org/breeder4.html They are required to do health screening. This is such in important topic; I would hope people would do business only those breeders who do health screening. It is simply devastating to have a dog that has one of these major heath threats. We really need to support good breeders, and there is the side effect of getting other good qualities such as silky coats, etc.

Yes, I have been to the YTCA website.
I will be meeting a breeder this week that is in the YTCA.

I had started talking to the breeder mentioned in this thread before I discovered YTCA.


Do you know any details of the testing that YTCA requires of their members?


I am choosing to support only a reputable breeder. :) I think that breeder will be one of the best that YTCA has to offer :)

Thanks for your input!!

I have two yorkies that are almost three and one that is just a year... we haven't had a single health concern with any of them. :)

Good luck!

The YTCA doesn't have a requirement on health screening but do say in their code of ethics that their members should be screening. I'm going to tell you though that many do not health screen like they should be doing. So ask lots of questions.

I'm like you...I don't want to just hear "no we havent had any problems" ESPECIALLY if they've been breeding for 20 years! I almost guarantee there has been some problem before. I'd rather hear "we had this problem and this is how we fixed it". Even the best breeders that do health screen may get a puppy with a problem, but it's what they do then that shows whether or not they are ethical. Do they lie about it and just act like it never happened or do they spay/neuter the dogs in the line and start over? I can understand why a breeder wouldn't want it to be common knowledge if they had certain problems because gossip is pretty rampent in the yorkie world, but they really need to be up-front with potential buyers. I want to hear the truth...

Good Luck in your search. It's a very very difficult one, I know. Even among YTCA members, there are a few that I would definitely not buy from. You've really got to be cautious. Ask to see proof of any health testing if they claim to have done it...don't just take their word for it

:)

Thanks- that's wonderful to hear. I knew there had to be some healthy Yorkies out there somewhere ;)

Lacy is healthy except for grade 3LP in her right leg and 2LP in her left. But no other major issues at all so far, and I really hope it stays that way. I've heard that some have "genetic time bombs" that don't show up until the dog starts aging..hope that doesn't happen to us. I feel very fortunate that she's as healthy as she is considering she came from a BYB...never again though..only from a breeder that health screens

You read my mind
 

I could not have said it better myself.

I want to hear the truth as well. I would much rather a breeder show his or her high morals and ethics by offering the truth and showing how they handled situations such as LP or Liver shunt in the past rather than pretend it doesn't exist if it is not mentioned. I also want a breeder that will be proactive and offer the most up to date health screening available.

The more breeders I speak with; the more clearly I am able to distinguish between who is breeding because they truly care for and are trying to improve the quality of Yorkshire Terrier Breed, and the breeders who could care less about what qualities they are breeding into their yorkies or what happens to the yorkie they are selling (for an outrageous amount of money) after it leaves their sight.

I care enough about the breed not to support someone that cares very little.

Healthy
 

Our Jolie' is very healthy....vet says her puppies are too...I hope they stay that way!!:aimeeyork

Very well put, I love the last line.