How do you get pet heatlh insurance? I wonder if I can still get it for future bills?
yorkieskater

I'm very sorry you have a dog with health problems.
Is your breeder aware of them?
Do you feel your breeder knew the puppies were unhealthly?
I pray you dog will still be with you for many years.
Again...I am sorry your dog is not well.

I have two yorkies with health problems. The first one I got from a BYB and only paid $900. He has a collapsed trachea and a luxating patella in one hind leg. My other yorkie I got at 9 mths old has mild MVD. His breeder does bile acid test her puppies and his came back slightly elevated so she gave me the option of taking him for the deposit price I had already given her ($250) or she would refund my money. I wanted him so bad that I decided to take him and provide the best care I could give him. So far, his vet bills haven't been to bad. I took him to the University of Tennessee for evaluation and diagnosis. They were very reasonable. He is on a special diet and supplements for life.

I've just started treatment on my yorkie with the collapsed trachea. Once that's under control, I'll go to a specialist to look at his leg.

Funny, my first yorkie I had many years ago was so healthy and I did no research that time around.

I am sorry for those of you who are having health issues with your Yorkies.
Hope they all work out and your lives will be filled with joy for years to come.

I got Buddy from a broker ( no that now) and he is now 3 1/2. No health
issues thus far. I guess I'm one of the very few lucky ones.

I had a lot problems with my Yorkie, Katie, who has since passed away. :( I did not get her from a breeder (so I'm not sure if I should post in this thread because this is for people who got their dogs from BREEDERS, I got Katie from a pet store) but I've learned my lession and in the future, I will never buy from any pet store again. Katie was diagnosed with severe kidney disease at a little over a year old.

My Maltese, Codie, (also got him from a pet store) had a luxated patella in his rear left leg but we had surgery to fix it. He also has bad teeth and weak gums but I feed him good quality food, brush his teeth daily and he gets cleanings from the vet when needed. I'm trying to keep that problem in check ... I don't want him toothless by the time he's 5 years old. :p Thanks to the daily brushings, his teeth are usually sparkly white. He may not have the best teeth but he doesn't have ANY tear staining which is usually sooooo common in the Maltese breed! :p

On a positive note, my Cali (got her a breeder) is in tip top excellent health. :p (Sorry to digress but I always like to end on a positive note). :p

I've looked into pet health insurance but haven't purchased it yet. It doesn't cover a lot of problems (like it wouldn't have covered my Codie's luxated patella surgery). If you go to the website of the pet insurance, they will give you a list of things they do not cover for dogs and cats. It's a pretty long list but that doesn't mean the insurance isn't worth it because it has helped many people whose pets have different ailments.

I have it payroll deducted from work. It is VPI pet insurance through National Casuality Company. I have the superior plan - it covers office visits, shots, etc.

The do not cover preexisting conditions. Fortunately, Conner had none.

I bought Trace who ended up having Legg Perthes. I think that is doesnt matter how good of a breeder you are or how great your breeding stock it, there is always a chance of ending up with a puppy that has some time of health issue. It is how the breeder stands behind that dog that makes them reputable or not.

Be very careful with assuming that all is well if a pup is BA tested young and showed normal. A problem often may not show up until later and because the pup was BA tested it could absolve the breeder of responsibility when in fact, the pup had a problem just not severe enough for something to register.
I have also seen a BA test a bit above normal that was normal later.
BA tests are not as conclusive as many people, including uneducated vets in the matter, think.
A old time repro Vet I have consulted who also consults with Dr. Hutchings told me BA test only after 6 months of age, older is better and if no symptoms are present don't worry about it. I also tend to BA test small sized Yorkies but they don't go anywhere until close to a year of age already tested and spayed/neutered.
Yes, a reputable breeder should refund purchase price or take the puppy back if that's what the owner wants to do.

:thumbup:
I know exactly what you mean...And I am extremely careful about purchasing a puppy because I have a yorkie that has serious liver issues and bladder stones issues due to those liver problems, and I have researched all of this like a mad woman and continue to learn more everyday...He has seizures if he doesn't get his lactulose, and gets stones if this or that isn't exactly right.
When I bought my maltese, I waited until I could find one that was over 6 months old that had been spayed and bloodwork and normal tests from a repuatable breeder.
I don't believe that just because a 10wk old pup has normal BA, that means it can't have problems...They can have a problem that hasn't escalated yet. You know? And yes, there are times when it's slightly elevated but come back down within normal range the next time he/she is tested. Many things can cause slightly elevated BA's, even having given the dog flea medications the night before.
My point was that breeders should give the people the option to keep the dog and refund part or all of the money to help pay for medical bills if it's something like a portosystemic shunt.

You really have had to get educated real fast on this stuff and I am so sorry you went through all this with your little Yorkie.
Yes the money should be refunded and I would should something like that happen.
I no longer sell puppies less than 5 or 6 months old often older, already spayed/neutered etc. I am more sure of health issues at that age, size of the pup, temperment, and it is a much easier transition into a new home.
I find even selling an older one that I have run on for perhaps show purposes that didn't work out for me has no trouble bonding with a new owner and will say hello to me when they see me but run back to their new mom/dad.

Lorraine, I think that's absolutely wonderful!! There should be more breeders like you that are doing things the right way. My maltese was just as you described. She was 7 months old when we got her, and she had no trouble bonding with us at all. We bonded instantly, and she's a wonderful addition to our family :) After going what we have gone through, I would rather buy a puppy at 6, 9, even 12 months old from a breeder like you.

Can someone tell me what "LS" is? I did a search but can't find anything on it?

I am so sorry you are going through this with your baby...

I really appreciate your feedback. Some enquirers don't understand why it isn't a good idea to buy at 9 or 10 weeks or even 12 weeks. Yes it can work out but I just am not very willing to take that risk and I would rather have all the vacc's done by my Vet and they do the check ups at the same time of course. Most of them are already spayed/neutered and I know how well they take the anesthesia, have had the inhouse blood test done and I don't have to worry about someone wanting to breed. I BA test if they are small or I am just not sure about them or just because.
If someone insists on a younger pup, I wish them luck.
From my end, yes it is a lot of extra work and expense looking after puppies that long. Working wiht them, socializing them, getting them on a lead, cleaning up after them and feeding them. I don't have all that many at one time anyway usually. If I do have a couple of litters at one time, I dont have anymore coming up so can put the time into the ones I have.
I am glad it has worked out well with your Maltese. that is another breed that it is wise to buy it older as they too have the same potential for health problems if not more, than Yorkie have.

LS is Liver Shunt. Another thought to be genetic problem in Yorkies is Legge-Calves-Perthes which affects the tip of the long bone that fits into the hip socket.