Yorkshire Terrier Dental Problems: Is This Serious?
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Small Animal Veterinarian
Dr. Karyn is a small animal veterinarian originally from Australia, now based in the UK. She holds degrees in Veterinary Science (2010) and Zoology. When not helping pets, she tends to her 5 cats, 5 dogs, and garden!
The Question
My 5-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, Sophie, has been showing some worrying signs lately. I'm really concerned about her mouth, as I know Yorkies can be prone to dental issues. She seems to be having some trouble with her teeth. Is this a common problem for her breed at this age, and is it something serious I need to address urgently?
Quick Info about Sophie
📹 Vet's Video Reply (scroll down to see text answer)
Hi Joshua, Thank you so much for writing in. What you're describing certainly does sound like a problem with Sophie’s mouth, and Yorkies do tend to suffer with their teeth. Avoiding hard food and having trouble eating all points to an issue in or around the mouth. If she was feeling sick, I would expect that she would avoid the food bowl altogether rather than just avoiding certain types of food. And that foul smell is almost certainly going to be due to infection. A broken or infected tooth is very much at the top of my list, but there are other possibilities as well, such as an injury in the mouth, painful jaw, or even something growing inside the mouth. There are a few other reasons that she might be avoiding her food, but I agree with you that her teeth are the most likely culprit. The first thing I would recommend is to see if you are able to examine Sophie’s mouth yourself. This is usually much easier with two people, so that one can hold onto her while you have a look and a feel around the mouth. You might spot something obvious that you can either address right away, or at least get a better idea of what's going on. However, I think it's pretty likely that you're going to need to get Sophie in to see the vet pretty soon, as she might need a dental treatment. In the meantime, you can try offering her small chunks of meat (eg. plain cooked chicken, depending on her diet restrictions or any allergies) that she can pick up and swallow without chewing. Canned food might seem like an obvious choice for a painful mouth, but wet food is harder to direct and avoid touching sore spots, so small pieces that can be easily swallowed are best. This is also a good option for dogs that have had teeth extracted. If you want to discuss this further before booking Sophie in to see your vet, you can book a one-on-one consultation with a vet at Pangovet.com, but if she still isn't eating properly, I suggest that you take her for a physical appointment ASAP. I hope this helps and that Sophie is feeling better soon! Dr Karyn