Help!! First time yorkie owner .. - YorkieTalk.com Forums

kglitter · 09-09-2011, 03:02 PM

Hey Everyone! I'm Kirby and my little guy's name is Gunner, he is 2lbs and 8 oz, and will be 8 months on September 19th. I have a couple of questions being that I am new yorkie owner. First question is what do you guy's suggest feeding yorkies. I was using wellness puppy, which he used to finish the whole bowl, but after about a month or so he stopped eating and wouldn't eat for days. I would also give him a 1/3 of wet food at night. Well eventually he stopped eating the wellness, I tried mixing it with things and adding some boiling water to stimulate the smell and also to try and make it softer. I then gradually switched him out to blue buffalo, they make a small breed puppy, which he seemed to enjoy. He would finish bowls, but now he stopped eating that. I still continue to give him wet food at night but I cut the can into threes, so he just gets 1/3. Someone at work uses a brand called "top quality dog food." Was just wondering if any of you have ever used or heard of it, he states his dogs love it, I was on the website and it seems legit the women uses all natural ingredients including meats and veggies, and it contains no fillers. Was interested in trying it!

My next question is about my little guys health. He was just neutered today. The vet wanted to wait until he was full grown, since he is such a tiny guy, but unfortunately he had a lot of retained baby teeth in his mouth which caused an infection, so they had to be pulled, so we also neutered him to avoid him having anesthesia twice. He is still taking amoxicillin for his infection and was also given pain medicine (tramadol) I believe I do have to clarify that. I really am hesitant about the tramadol because the vet said it has a sedative effect, what do you guys suggest, I just don't want to see him in pain. He's okay right now was following me around and giving kisses, but I just want him to kind of not move so much being that I'm sure he's so sore. Also, they gave me an E-Collar because they said he kept trying to chew his stitches, well since he's been home he hasn't tried to touch them, so I don't have it on him at the moment, I did however try to put it on him but he was getting annoyed because he could not sleep with it on so I removed it, he hasn't touched the area since. Just wondering if you guys had any suggestions on how to keep him comfortable during these next few days and help him achieve a speedy recovery. I just want to make sure he's okay they placed him on a strict rest. Do you guys use anything around the sutures, they said I could use benadryl cream around the area but recommended I use the E-Collar, I just don't want to use it if he is under my watch and not attempting to touch the are quite yet. Any suggestions would be beneficial, thanks guys!

Last thing, being that he is so young and already has had dental work done. My vet said on some of the adult teeth, there was some tarter which they removed and polished, I've tried to brush his teeth numerous times and he just will not let anyone near his mouth he goes crazy and I don't want to hold him to tight because I'm afraid to hurt him, he's so fragile! I've tried about 6 different bones for his teeth and he just does not seem to like any. What do you guys suggest.

Sorry for the long thread and any information would be beneficial

chestermama · 09-09-2011, 04:25 PM

Chester was neutered at 6 months and I dont recall any pain issues and he had no stitches and when he had teeth pulled he done okay with it as well. I would keep an eye on him, you will be able to tell if he is in pain, I had giving that stuff unless I know he is in pain, chester dont like his teeth brushed neither, it is trying to hold down a bowl of jello lol. Have you tried bully sticks alot of yters use them. Solid gold has their wee bit which is bison and small bites for the little ones, it is their adult food, good luck hopes he does well. I would take the cone off as long as you can keep an eye on him and keep him quiet

RachelandSadie · 09-09-2011, 04:34 PM

I like the brand of food called Acana. Basically the highest quality of food you can afford and find close by.

Blue Buffalo is pretty decent
Acana
Timberwolf Organics
Wilderness
Old Mother Hubbard
Evo and Innova (before Iams took over)
Fromm
Orijen
Chicken Soup for the canine soul

and there's the raw diets which work for some people too. Supposed to be better on teeth some claim.

The better the diet the better the teeth health i've heard, however brusing daily or every other day is a great habit to get into

also having chew toys and bully sticks to help them chew and break down placque is great. antlers and himalayin chews work great and dental chews from the vet sometimes work. i liked the CET veggie dent chews for mine. no rawhides they are a choking hazzard. no piggie related due to gastro problems for yorkies

for the neuter part, keep him comfy, keep his E-collar on him so he can't lick or tear them out, and give his pain meds regularly. he'll be fine! you can put him in a newborn onsie and snap the snaps around his tail or cut a hold for his tail to stick out. that helped sadie lots for her spay.

good luck and PM me if you need anything.

welcome to YT!

lovemy3babies · 09-12-2011, 07:34 AM

My Yorkie had a lot of tartar built up on her teeth when I got her at 10 months, and I gave her bully sticks and now most of the tartar is gone, so I would also recommend bully sticks. You can also get them at www.bestbullysticks.com. Plus she absolutely loves to chew on them!

Ringo1 · 09-12-2011, 08:18 AM

Lucy did not have a collar after her spay. I worked at home; she never bothered her stitches and we just did not need it.

I don't see anything wrong with some pain control for the first few days. After that, yes, you might want them to feel a little twinge of pain if they start getting too rowdy before they should.

Your guy is so little that you do have to be sure he is eating and drinking because he will dehydrate quickly.

Sometimes it is hard to find a good food. At some point - you just want to find ANY food they will eat. Right now Lucy eats the Wellness small breed senior version. She loves it but I'm not crazy about the protein level due to her own health issues.

A lot of folks have been successful with Royal Canin for their picky-eater yorkies but it's probably not one of the '4 star' foods. But, hey, if he won't eat anything else . .

Lucy also loves the Wellness canned chicken, turkey and Ringo loves lamb and beef but your little one doesn't like the 99% meat canned Wellness mixed with the kibble? If not, Lucy also loves cooked carrots mixed with her kibble; cooked green beans; a little bit of scrambled egg; parmesean cheese; buttered noodles (cut up real small) . . . I'm sure there's more but can't think of them.

She is a picky eater as well.

I can't help you with the teeth. There is a product that my Vetsold me that deposits like a waxy substance on their teeth that prevents plaque from forming. But Lucy HATED it. She wouldn't eat for a day after I put that on there.

Lof of folks have success with it though so you might ask your Vet. It was originally marked for humans but the manufacturers quickly found out that people didn't like that waxy feeling either.

Keep us posted!

Yorkiedaze · 09-12-2011, 09:32 AM

I'd put that little think on real food. He would gobble at every meal and be much healthier for sure.

If you have a sling, then just carry him around during the day, and then keep him in a tiny crate on your night stand at night so you can hear him if he whimpers. I wouldn't put anything around his stitches that would not be good for him in case he does lick it. It should heal on it's own in just a few days.

As for something to chew, try the small Himalian chews from Ryan RDB911 here on YT. Cheap!! Puppy Training Pee Pads by the Case + Free Shipping

Good luck with your baby. I know he will thrive and do beautifully!

09-09-2011, 03:02 PM	#1
kglitter YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 4	Help!! First time yorkie owner .. Hey Everyone! I'm Kirby and my little guy's name is Gunner, he is 2lbs and 8 oz, and will be 8 months on September 19th. I have a couple of questions being that I am new yorkie owner. First question is what do you guy's suggest feeding yorkies. I was using wellness puppy, which he used to finish the whole bowl, but after about a month or so he stopped eating and wouldn't eat for days. I would also give him a 1/3 of wet food at night. Well eventually he stopped eating the wellness, I tried mixing it with things and adding some boiling water to stimulate the smell and also to try and make it softer. I then gradually switched him out to blue buffalo, they make a small breed puppy, which he seemed to enjoy. He would finish bowls, but now he stopped eating that. I still continue to give him wet food at night but I cut the can into threes, so he just gets 1/3. Someone at work uses a brand called "top quality dog food." Was just wondering if any of you have ever used or heard of it, he states his dogs love it, I was on the website and it seems legit the women uses all natural ingredients including meats and veggies, and it contains no fillers. Was interested in trying it! My next question is about my little guys health. He was just neutered today. The vet wanted to wait until he was full grown, since he is such a tiny guy, but unfortunately he had a lot of retained baby teeth in his mouth which caused an infection, so they had to be pulled, so we also neutered him to avoid him having anesthesia twice. He is still taking amoxicillin for his infection and was also given pain medicine (tramadol) I believe I do have to clarify that. I really am hesitant about the tramadol because the vet said it has a sedative effect, what do you guys suggest, I just don't want to see him in pain. He's okay right now was following me around and giving kisses, but I just want him to kind of not move so much being that I'm sure he's so sore. Also, they gave me an E-Collar because they said he kept trying to chew his stitches, well since he's been home he hasn't tried to touch them, so I don't have it on him at the moment, I did however try to put it on him but he was getting annoyed because he could not sleep with it on so I removed it, he hasn't touched the area since. Just wondering if you guys had any suggestions on how to keep him comfortable during these next few days and help him achieve a speedy recovery. I just want to make sure he's okay they placed him on a strict rest. Do you guys use anything around the sutures, they said I could use benadryl cream around the area but recommended I use the E-Collar, I just don't want to use it if he is under my watch and not attempting to touch the are quite yet. Any suggestions would be beneficial, thanks guys! Last thing, being that he is so young and already has had dental work done. My vet said on some of the adult teeth, there was some tarter which they removed and polished, I've tried to brush his teeth numerous times and he just will not let anyone near his mouth he goes crazy and I don't want to hold him to tight because I'm afraid to hurt him, he's so fragile! I've tried about 6 different bones for his teeth and he just does not seem to like any. What do you guys suggest. Sorry for the long thread and any information would be beneficial

09-12-2011, 07:34 AM	#4
lovemy3babies YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 799	My Yorkie had a lot of tartar built up on her teeth when I got her at 10 months, and I gave her bully sticks and now most of the tartar is gone, so I would also recommend bully sticks. You can also get them at www.bestbullysticks.com. Plus she absolutely loves to chew on them! __________________ Hi from Oklahoma City from me and the girls: Holly, Lacey & Tinker Belle Last edited by lovemy3babies; 09-12-2011 at 07:36 AM.

09-12-2011, 08:18 AM	#5
Ringo1 Ringo (1) and Lucy too! Donating Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: On the Edge of Glory Posts: 3,447	Lucy did not have a collar after her spay. I worked at home; she never bothered her stitches and we just did not need it. I don't see anything wrong with some pain control for the first few days. After that, yes, you might want them to feel a little twinge of pain if they start getting too rowdy before they should. Your guy is so little that you do have to be sure he is eating and drinking because he will dehydrate quickly. Sometimes it is hard to find a good food. At some point - you just want to find ANY food they will eat. Right now Lucy eats the Wellness small breed senior version. She loves it but I'm not crazy about the protein level due to her own health issues. A lot of folks have been successful with Royal Canin for their picky-eater yorkies but it's probably not one of the '4 star' foods. But, hey, if he won't eat anything else . . Lucy also loves the Wellness canned chicken, turkey and Ringo loves lamb and beef but your little one doesn't like the 99% meat canned Wellness mixed with the kibble? If not, Lucy also loves cooked carrots mixed with her kibble; cooked green beans; a little bit of scrambled egg; parmesean cheese; buttered noodles (cut up real small) . . . I'm sure there's more but can't think of them. She is a picky eater as well. I can't help you with the teeth. There is a product that my Vetsold me that deposits like a waxy substance on their teeth that prevents plaque from forming. But Lucy HATED it. She wouldn't eat for a day after I put that on there. Lof of folks have success with it though so you might ask your Vet. It was originally marked for humans but the manufacturers quickly found out that people didn't like that waxy feeling either. Keep us posted! __________________ Mommy to Lucy, Ringo, and Matthew

09-12-2011, 09:32 AM	#6
Yorkiedaze My hairy-legged girls Donating Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: lompoc, ca. Posts: 12,228	I'd put that little think on real food. He would gobble at every meal and be much healthier for sure. If you have a sling, then just carry him around during the day, and then keep him in a tiny crate on your night stand at night so you can hear him if he whimpers. I wouldn't put anything around his stitches that would not be good for him in case he does lick it. It should heal on it's own in just a few days. As for something to chew, try the small Himalian chews from Ryan RDB911 here on YT. Cheap!! Puppy Training Pee Pads by the Case + Free Shipping Good luck with your baby. I know he will thrive and do beautifully! __________________ AZRAEL RAZAEL JILLI ANN

09-09-2011, 04:25 PM	#2
chestermama YT 3000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: washington Posts: 3,383 Blog Entries: 1	Chester was neutered at 6 months and I dont recall any pain issues and he had no stitches and when he had teeth pulled he done okay with it as well. I would keep an eye on him, you will be able to tell if he is in pain, I had giving that stuff unless I know he is in pain, chester dont like his teeth brushed neither, it is trying to hold down a bowl of jello lol. Have you tried bully sticks alot of yters use them. Solid gold has their wee bit which is bison and small bites for the little ones, it is their adult food, good luck hopes he does well. I would take the cone off as long as you can keep an eye on him and keep him quiet

09-09-2011, 04:34 PM	#3
RachelandSadie No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 5,748	I like the brand of food called Acana. Basically the highest quality of food you can afford and find close by. Blue Buffalo is pretty decent Acana Timberwolf Organics Wilderness Old Mother Hubbard Evo and Innova (before Iams took over) Fromm Orijen Chicken Soup for the canine soul and there's the raw diets which work for some people too. Supposed to be better on teeth some claim. The better the diet the better the teeth health i've heard, however brusing daily or every other day is a great habit to get into also having chew toys and bully sticks to help them chew and break down placque is great. antlers and himalayin chews work great and dental chews from the vet sometimes work. i liked the CET veggie dent chews for mine. no rawhides they are a choking hazzard. no piggie related due to gastro problems for yorkies for the neuter part, keep him comfy, keep his E-collar on him so he can't lick or tear them out, and give his pain meds regularly. he'll be fine! you can put him in a newborn onsie and snap the snaps around his tail or cut a hold for his tail to stick out. that helped sadie lots for her spay. good luck and PM me if you need anything. welcome to YT!