Most toy breeds suffer from some sort of genetic defect or the other. In fact except for a few naturally occurring small breeds, most other breeds have various health problems specific to the breed. The Yorkshire terrier is not immune to this and has a number of genetic problems. A few of the most common ones are listed below.

Legg-Calve-Perthes Syndrome – this is a problem where the upper part of the thigh bone of the dog will start to disintegrate very slowly. It is usually caused due to improper blood circulation to that area which causes the bone to die. The usual symptoms of this disease are limping or lameness. There is no alternative other than to perform surgery to remove the affected portion of the bone. This will result in that leg being shorter than the other but will restore nearly normal mobility to the dog.

Luxating patellas – This condition is also called slipping kneecaps where the kneecaps do not sit properly in the patellar groove either because it is too shallow or because the tendons and ligaments holding the knee in place are too weak. This results in the knee cap slipping to the side resulting in the loss of the use of the leg. This problem may manifest itself only occasionally or more often depending on the severity of the problem. Most dogs do not find this a problem and are able to manage although they will tend to favor the leg that has this problem. In severe cases surgery can be performed but the success rate is not that high. The easiest way to find out if your dog has this problem is to bend the leg while feeling the knee. If you feel it slipping then you know what the problem is.

Distichiae eyelashes – This is a condition where the eyelash grows out of a spot that usually does not have eyelashes, like a tear duct or the edge of the eye. This is more irritating for the dog than a health problem and will lead to constant tearing, and inflammation of the eye. In some cases it can lead to corneal abrasions and ulcers. You can try plucking the offending eyelash manually and if it does not solve the problem you can take your dog to a vet and get it removed through electrolysis.

It is important that you understand the health conditions and i