Last Updated on May 3, 2022 by Fabiola L.
No doubt, living with a Yorkie is amusing and joyful. But always keep an eye on the health of your pet. Yorkie breathing problems are common, and you need to understand them and react accordingly.
Like every other breed, Yorkies tend to have health problems. Many of them are related to genetics. That doesn’t mean your Yorkie will have any of them, but always consult with a veterinarian to do an in-depth examination and discuss the results.
Small breed dogs tend to have breathing problems, as we specified. Yorkie breathing problems are common just for the fact that they are a small breed. So, if you spot that your Yorkie is acting weird and has difficulties breathing, don’t panic and react appropriately with calm.
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Yorkie Experiencing Shortness Of Breath
If you spot difficult breathing in a Yorkie when playing with it, always consider visiting your veterinarian. Yorkie breathing problems and a Yorkie having shortness of breath are two different scenarios.
Common indications for shortness of breath are:
- Breathing with a wide mouth
- Quick and brief air intakes
- Noisy breathing
- Check their gums – If they are grey or blue instead of pink is a leading sign of shortness of breath.
- Tongue in blue or purple color instead of pink.
If you spot your Yorkie breathing fast, stop any activity which stresses them and gives anxiety to your Yorkie. Make sure your Yorkie has a free air intake. Otherwise, check for objects behind its tongue. If there is a nose discharge, consider wiping it. The next step is taking your Yorkie to the vet.
Learn more about what to do with Yorkie eye discharge.
When taking your Yorkie to a veterinarian, focus on acute issues like pneumonia, kennel-cough, or anemia. If any of these sudden diseases are the case, the veterinarian will give you remedies. These situations last for a brief period, and your Yorkie happiness will be back in no time.
Usually, Yorkies breathing problems are related to heart disease or tracheal collapse. Your Yorkies’ chronic breathing problems can be restrained or even healed.
Is Your Yorkie Making Weird Breathing Noises?
Chronic breathing problems are related to the genetics of the breed. Many of the miniature and toy breed dogs tend to have them. If your Yorkie makes weird noises when it’s breathing, get it to the vet.
One of the heart-related issues is a condition called Patent Ductus arteriosus. That condition is related to a sizeable inflow of blood to the lungs due to a vessel not being closed after birth. Signs that you may see are:
- Fatigue while exercising your Yorkie
- Weight loss
- Reduced intake of air
- Fragile hind limbs
- Seizures
If this condition is active in your Yorkie, a surgery recommendation is needed to close the complicated vessel.
Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death among Yorkies. As an owner, you should do heart checkups every year. The veterinarian will check for heart murmurs and suggest a way to resolve the problem if that’s the case.
If the diagnosis is early in the life of your Yorkie, prescribed medication is needed to avoid surgery.
Yorkie Breathing Problems – Tracheal Collapse
Collapsing of the trachea is a chronic disease. That’s irreversible and progressive. The trachea is a soft tube connecting the mouth and lungs of your Yorkie. Build up from rings that provide airflow when the dog is breathing, coughing, or moving.
These rings are C-shaped while the empty part faces toward the top. When this disease is active, these rings start to weaken and collapse progressively. As time goes by, these rings get fragile until they get flat and the trachea collapses.
Tracheal collapse can get deeper into the bronchioles, eventually resulting in severe airway injuries to your Yorkie.
As we mentioned, small breed dogs are affected by this disease, such as the Yorkie Terrier. This disease is active in dogs that are middle-aged or older.
Yorkies that are overweight or their owners are active smokers tend to show clinical signs of tracheal collapse.
- Wheezy noises when breathing inward
- Coughing and turning blue when excited
- Harsh dry cough
- Lack of willingness to exercise.
Observation Of Yorkie Breathing Problems
Diagnostic is needed so you can be sure about the situation of your Yorkie. Bloodwork and chest x-rays are mandatory if you see signs. Other than these two tests, consider a camera check of the trachea or ultrasound of the heart.
In the early stages of the disease, managing the medical image is recommended. That includes weight loss, sedation to stop coughing, or treatment with antibiotics. If your Yorkie doesn’t respond to medical management, surgery is needed.
The surgery usually is with the implementation of a ring stent to hold the trachea open. That way, there is no need for a surgical incision, meaning your Yorkie will have less recovery time this way.
Another approach is by placing rings outside the trachea, but it’s not recommended for older Yorkies cause of surgical incision
Post-surgery treatment includes medical checkups, avoiding exposure to smoke, using a humidifier in your home, and limiting activity in the first two weeks.
There is no known prevention of this disease, but 70% of the dogs treated with medical management show signs of improvement.
Yorkie Wheezing – Relation To Allergies
Even though wheezing could be a symptom of tracheal collapse, usually it’s connected to allergies, such as powders and dust.
During reverse sneezing, your Yorkie produces a loud snorting sound. That can be alarming to you and as well be harmful to the dog.
As an owner, if you spot reverse sneezing, try to calm your dog by massaging the throat, holding its nostrils, or even blowing air into its face. Other than this, you should get the Yorkie in a chilly place with fresh air, which could be helpful.
In many cases, wheezing is not a disease, and it doesn’t need medications. Some vets recommend inspecting the surroundings to spot the cause of this problem. In rare cases, there is a need for antihistamines.
Learn more about How To Remove Yorkie Bad Breath Naturally – 4 Easy And Amazing Tips
Final Thoughts
In many cases of Yorkie breathing problems, vet appointments are necessary. Don’t wait for anything awful to happen. If you detect some of the symptoms, consider trying some of the ideas we mentioned. Always go to a vet for a detailed checkup after any situation.
If you have any other questions about this topic, feel free to comment down below. Always keep in mind your Yorkie’s safety and happiness.
Read more about Yorkie Knee Problems.