1st time yorkie mom, cpl of "opinion questions"
 

Hi! I finally got my first yorkie baby and I love her to pieces already (been putting it off for awhile waiting for kids to get a little older). Just wanted some opinions on what is the best age to get her spayed. Everybody told me different ages but I want opinions from people who are best experienced with yorkies specifically, which woud be people on here. I was thinking about 5 months old since they're so small. Thanks for any suggestions. :)

Hello there! I have a male, Jack, and he was just neutered today - he is 8 months old. Any way, I have no advice for you as you have a female but wanted to welcome you to YT! I'm sure some of the more experienced members and those with females will let you know their opinions. :thumbup:

We talked it over with the vet, and he wanted to wait until Joey had enough of his permanent teeth come in so that he could pull the remaining baby teeth. Yorkies have a hard time losing all their milk teeth on their own, and since they have to be put under, many vet like to do this at the same time. I don't know that much about females, I thought the latest research said before the first heat, but others will know more. Since Yorkies are prone to tartar and some start losing their permanent teeth at the age of three because of gum disease, I think it's really important to be diligent with dental care. Congrats on your new baby!

Between 6-8 months depending on the teeeth...if you need any pulled, it's best to do it while they're already under for the spaying.

Oh, thats right I almost forgot about maybe needing teeth pulled. I've spent the past almost 2 years reading everything about Yorkies so I would be prepared when I got her, and as soon as I have her I forget it. It's cause shes too cute I can't think straight, she's snuggled on my lap right now. LOL.
Another question, any opinions on pet insurance for medical care?

I have mixed feeling on pet insurance, if you got her from a reputable breeder, it's probably better if you set aside so much money a month for health care, after all, that's the way insurance companies make money, they spend less than they take in, and they are paying lots of employees, not just medical care. For people who've bought from pet stores and iffy breeders and who are on a tight budget, insurance might be a good choice. Some people have said it varies so much by company, and their plan didn't pay for needed services, or limited their choices of vets. Another option is a special credit card that can be used for vet services, and no interest rates for 18 months. Credit Care is the name of the company, but not everyone can get a card there, your credit history has to be pretty good. CareCredit Veterinary Financing for Pet Care, Pet Surgery, Vaccinations & Other Veterinary Medicine Procedures

I agree. Make sure if you do get insurance to get a company that will cover genetic diseases, most will not. Such as if you get the puppy plan from Banfield, it only covers shots, spay/neuter, etc, does not cover broken legs etc. Other insurances will cover broken legs other accident stuff, but not genetic disorders such as surgery for luxating patella, liver shunts, etc each company if different.

You have to have pretty good credit for a care credit card? I got one! HAHAHAHA!!! :)

Oh yeah, I didn't even answer your question. about 6-8 months, but some yorkies get their first heat early, some late. Uni didn't get her first cycle till 13 months! But make sure you don't spay during a heat, and make sure to get blood work done before hand too. You can check out the stickies in the health and diet forum about anesthesia protocol too.

I have a female and we had her neutered at 6 months and also had the last of her baby teeth pulled. She only had to have 3 pulled. But, I was told to have her neutered before she went into heat.

I had my little one done at 6 months , she did great and had already lost her baby teeth on her own.

Wow, I didn't know most wouldn't cover genetic disorders; most of the illnesses I read about here are genetic. Lol, so YOU were able to get a card, great, from now on I'll just say, "ANYONE can get a card!" :D

Pet Plan , Embrace and one other cover genetic as well as broken bones.. here is an article for an interesting read.. I have Embrace and I am glad I have it...

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...rifaj-dvm.html

I enrolled mine with pet insurance earlier last year and I have had a great experience with it thus far.

I signed up with Trupanion pet insurance and they offer full coverage, they pay 90% of the vet bill, their premiums don't increase with the pets age, and they cover congenital and hereditary problems.

It has already paid for itself since he got really sick and needed surgery a few months ago and all his meds were paid for. I don't even want to think about what I would have done if I couldn't afford all that on my own. I got reimbursed within a few days for it all and it was stress free.

Trupanion covers all diagnostic tests, surgeries/procedures, and medications 90%, and also emergency vet visits and specialists. I have found that some other pet insurance companies are more restrictive on how much they pay if you go to specialists.

If you are shopping around, I would definitely recommend avoiding routine coverage (regular exams, vaccines, etc), because you are just paying the costs through higher premiums thus not saving any money, but in most cases, losing money.

I believe that pet insurance is definitely a good idea, even more so for puppies and kittens. You never know when they will get into an accident, or get sick all of a sudden. Definitely worth the peace of mind.

A really great site I found for unbiased reviews while reading up on pet insurance is (www.petinsurancereview.com)

Source(s): Pet Insurance by Trupanion - Dog and Cat Pet Health Insurance

We are waiting to spay Eva until after her first heat. We came to this decision after a lot of reading and learning. There are benefits and risks both ways, we chose to trust nature and let her fully mature first. It is a decision you need to just research and then go with your gut. Good luck with your decision.

Thanks for all the great advice.