Size Correlation With Health-- Anyone Else Curious?

[PennysMum]

I'm curious to see if the community here could help with some data. I know I keep seeing people post that the larger yorkies are healthier, and then other people reply saying that isn't necessarily true. Would anybody be interested in trying to pull together a group of statistics that we could plot against each other to see if there really is a correlation between size and health?

Maybe if we had people who have lost yorkies note their weight, and the age at which they passed away? Those two numbers could be plotted against each other. If we get enough feedback, we might actually have some supporting evidence one way or the other as to whether the size of the yorkie really impacts life expectancy. It wouldn't be a comprehensive picture of total health, but it might prove interesting in any case.

[browniesmom622]

Every Dog is different Health depends on how they were bred & raised, Not size.
Now i think Smaller yorkies are more fragile Because Sickness & injury is harder on there tiny body's.

[JeanieK]

I agree that smaller yorkies are more fragile due to their delicate structure. However as far as the tiny ones go, you have to ask yourself why they are so tiny.

As with abnormally humans, the conditions that make them abnormally small might also be causing serious health issues.

I also have been curious as to the longevity of the smaller ones. From those who have small ones, how old are they? And if you have had one that has gone to Rainbow Bridge, how old were they? And what did they die from? Has anyone had a tiny die of old age?

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by PennysMum

I'm curious to see if the community here could help with some data. I know I keep seeing people post that the larger yorkies are healthier, and then other people reply saying that isn't necessarily true. Would anybody be interested in trying to pull together a group of statistics that we could plot against each other to see if there really is a correlation between size and health?

Maybe if we had people who have lost yorkies note their weight, and the age at which they passed away? Those two numbers could be plotted against each other. If we get enough feedback, we might actually have some supporting evidence one way or the other as to whether the size of the yorkie really impacts life expectancy. It wouldn't be a comprehensive picture of total health, but it might prove interesting in any case.

This wouldn't be a good scientific study for several reasons; dogs that are way over standard could also have been breed by poor breeder skewing the statistics. Also dogs suffering from liver shunt would be unduly small. When you do a study such as this you have to match all variables, and the study has to be random. Yours would be a survey, but would not give any truly valid data.

Good breeders tend to keep track of their offspring, and talk to other breeders; they might be the ones to listen to, and in general you are safest not going below 4, but there are always exceptions.

[QuickSilver]

I know this is not scientific at all, but Thor is 2 1/2 years old and 3 lbs. He is exceptionally vigorous for a yorkie. I try to make sure he gets 90 minutes of exercise a day, and that's just enough to keep him relaxed and relatively non-barky the rest of the day. I think he'd be happy to have another daily hour of hard play.

In other words, he seems very healthy to me.

[Patti]

My biggest is my sickest, She has MVD, allergies and was very sick as a puppy. My other 2 are smaller and healthier.

[LuvmyYorkies2]

I guess if you set the study to be for the dogs that have had no known or pre-existing health issues....whether small or on the larger size. I too would like to know. I have a 2lbs 15oz girl and my others are 7 & 8 lbs. All are very healthy thus far, no pre-existing conditions, etc. If a dog has a condition already, I wouldn't think we could use that as comparison.

[hugz4all4]

Not a yorkie.. cause I havent ever owned one but I had a 3 pound toy poodle that lived to be 14 years old and was up untill the last few years very healthy. I dont think size has anything to do with how healthy a dog is. The tinier the dog the more fragile it may be but it doesnt nesscarily mean that its gonna be sick cause it only weighs 2 pounds. I think poor breeding has alot to do with how unhealthy a dog can be.

[Miao]

I'm really curious to hear about those who have had small/large yorkies pass of old age too.

The other day, my hubby was talking to a parking attendent who said he had a yorkie at home that looked just like our baby except a little bigger. He's about 8-10 lbs where our girl is about 6lbs, give-take an ounce. He feeds him "a piece of steak every day" and he jumps on/off furniture all the time, and healthy as a horse, and still acting like a puppy at 15 years old...

Before I got mine, we came upon a woman with what appeared to be maybe a 5lb girl who had excited trickle problem, but other than that, and her early housebreaking headache, the woman said that her 7 yr old has always been healthy as can be too, and she got her from a friend who had an "oopsie" with her pets. She said it's just "luck".

Also, around that time, came upon a longer bodied but short legged skinny 3.5 lb 2 yr old at the pet store. The owner said they answered an ad from an old woman who only had one litter. They so far had no health problems with their girl.

LOL, see, I can't help but be nosey whenever I spotted one before, and also after I got my girl because I'm always amazed at how cute, well behaved and healthy others' "kids" are and I want(ed) one from the same source and learn the magic they used!

[Ladymom]

Originally Posted by Nancy1999

This wouldn't be a good scientific study for several reasons; dogs that are way over standard could also have been breed by poor breeder skewing the statistics. Also dogs suffering from liver shunt would be unduly small. When you do a study such as this you have to match all variables, and the study has to be random. Yours would be a survey, but would not give any truly valid data.

Good breeders tend to keep track of their offspring, and talk to other breeders; they might be the ones to listen to, and in general you are safest not going below 4, but there are always exceptions.

I agree. Getting a puppy from a reputable breeder who health tests and breeds to the standard is the best predictor of a a healthy adult.

[Diego]

Zsa Zsa was 3 lbs and she died at 14 years old . Caillou was 2 lbs and he died at 16 years old .
My friend Micheline have a 1 lb 6 oz yorkie girl that have 10 years old .

[PennysMum]

I know it isn't very scientific-- I was just curious if there really was any kind of statistical correlation. Someone I was talking to the other day was very adamant about the very small dogs having a lower life expectancy that the large ones-- I was really just looking for a survey rather than a scientific study.

[wemple2]

I've only lost one Yorkie...he was heavier and on prescription diet food, he was about 10 pounds when he died at 11 years old. Vet said he died of old age???

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by PennysMum

I know it isn't very scientific-- I was just curious if there really was any kind of statistical correlation. Someone I was talking to the other day was very adamant about the very small dogs having a lower life expectancy that the large ones-- I was really just looking for a survey rather than a scientific study.

You can't have "statistical correlation" without following the rules of science for collecting the data. I don't mean to sound negative, but sometimes no information is better than poor information. I think there are studies done on this, and from what I've read your friend is correct, but you really can prove her wrong by doing a survey.

[amandawash]

Originally Posted by PennysMum

I know it isn't very scientific-- I was just curious if there really was any kind of statistical correlation. Someone I was talking to the other day was very adamant about the very small dogs having a lower life expectancy that the large ones-- I was really just looking for a survey rather than a scientific study.

Actually there is scientific research that larger dogs have shorter life expectancies (sp? I'm tired..) than smaller dogs. i.e. a yorkie is expected to live between 12 and 15 years and a great dane 7-9 or whatever it is.

My larger one is much more high-maintainance (health-wise) than my tiny. That's just my experience though.