What is an allergy and how it affects our Yorkie?
One of the most common health problems affecting our doggies are the allergies. When your Yorkie suffers from an allergy, its immune system reacts too sensitive to foreign substances (allergen and antigens) that have contact with him.
This hypersensitivity is evident in three conditions. The first and most common one is the skin rash. It can be local (at a particular place) or overall (affects the entire body of the Yorkie).
Another condition can influence the respiratory system. In that case, you may see a cough, sneezing, and difficulties with breathing. Also, you may observe some secretion coming out from your Yorkie’s eyes and nose.
The third usual allergy appearance affects the digestive system, and the general symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea.
What types of allergies exist?
Five types of allergies are officially known – caused by contact, from fleas, from food, from bacteria or medicines.
Each type has a common appearance with the others, and at the same time, each has its own form.
Food allergy
The immune system of your Yorkie reacts negatively to a particular food or food ingredient.
What are the types of food that usually cause food allergy?
All kind of food or food ingredient can cause a negative reaction. However, the most common causes are the proteins in the dog food.
Mostly, the proteins which you can find in the dog food are extracted from beef, chicken, lamb and horse meat.
Is it true that the dog food made of lamb is hypoallergenic?
A few years ago you wouldn’t be able to find a dog food with lamb on the market.
But then the producers claimed that this ingredient must be included because it gives the best results on the allergy tests.
That is why the dog food with lamb has been accepted as hypoallergenic.
And here we want to mention ones again, each dog and each Yorkie have different organisms and react differently to the various foods, medicines, and ingredients.
Therefore we cannot accept all statements by the experts as true in every case. It is your responsibility to take care and observe your Yorkies reactions to the various substances.
You should be aware that Yorkies are not born with their allergies. They rather suffer from them after the regular consumption of particular foods.
Most often, allergies occur as a result of high quantities of proteins in the nourishment.
The food allergy happens with all the clinical conditions we’ve mentioned above, including couch, eating disorder, problems with the respiratory system, etc.
If you notice some of these symptoms with your Yorkie, we suggest an immediate food allergy test. The tests are made by specific hypoallergenic diets.
Your Yorkie’s organism will need about four weeks to be cleaned up from all the substances he consumed, and the diet will continue between four and ei
ght weeks (and even more if needed).
If the sweetie is getting better, your vet will give you instructions on how to proceed.
If you don’t follow the diet strictly and continue giving some leftovers from the table or sweets, you will not see the desired results.
That is why you should completely restrict them during this period.
Note
If the water in your area is not clean enough, think about installing a special filter on your sink.
Another way to clean up the water is to boil it, but it takes a bit more time. If you consider the water not – drinkable for you, then it is not – drinkable for your Yorkie too.
Last update on 2018-08-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
11 Comments
I’m a new mommy to a 2 month old yorkie..i started feeding her on Puppy Cesar classic in meaty juices
(wet food)
I want to later on try dry good also
Which brand or kind do you recommend .
Thank you
Myrna
Hi Myrna!
Acana and Orijen are both very good brands. Their dry food is 100% grain free and has all the necessary vitamins your little baby needs.
No matter if you choose one of those two or another brand, the most important thing is to watch the ingredients on the back of the package. Make sure the food is grain free.
After you change the food, in a couple of months it is the best to make blood tests to your doggie, this is the best way to see how the food is reflecting his health.
Regards!
My YOURKIE has crust on his eyes & I have to wet his eyes so I can easily scrap off the crust. I have to do this about 2 to 3 times a day depending on the time of day. I need to know what I can do to help him with the pain & aggravating crust on his eyes… Thank you for any assistance you can help me with…
My yorkie has the same symptom. His is related to an allergy..something I fed him.. He gets an injection from the Vet. It has happened several times. I think that I found the culprit.
Thanks very much. I learnt alot to readjust the bad habits i was unaware of and to ensure the proper procedures to help maintain a healthy life style
I have 5 month old yorkie poo she is on chicken blue grain free puppy food i gave her some can beef for change now she sick throwing up is she sensitive to heavy food should i just give her chicken food
Hi Eleanor,
I would stick to the grain free puppy food and not give anything else. If you would like to change the food, you should make it slowly, everyday you add some of the new food to the old one.
But in any case you must contact your vet for advice about the throwing up. Please, do so sooner.
Good luck!
I have a 16 month old Yorkie,she has been scratching herself to death the last few months, mostly in the morning is the worst,me and my mum have tried everything, apparatus from stopping given her meat,we stopped chicken,and started beef,that didn’t work,we have her on dried food to,which is por & potato sensitive,we give her treats to,and they are beef,& lamb,and we also put her on tablets proscribed by the vet,to stop her scratching,but no good,she scratches her stomach,legs,ears and chin, should we just stop given her anything that has meat in and all meats ? Any advice would be great please, driving us mad,she also sleeps with cotton blankets, many thanks Bernard.
Hi Bernard,
Reasons for scratching can be numerous. Did you consult with a vet?
Roddy from Yorkie.Life
Hi Roddy,yes we have,and they gave us tablets,but they don’t really work,she just doesn’t scratch as much on them,it has to be food related, because of where she scratches,we are just going to stop giving her any meat from today,and just dry fish food,my cousin had the same problems with her dog, stopped all meat,and put her on dry fish food,took her a few days to get used to,but now she doesn’t scratch herself,and good as gold now,so hopefully it will work with our Molly, please god,cheers Roddy.
My yorkie was allergic to chicken and eggs. Had to make sure his food/treats did not contain these. Been on James Wellbeloved grain free dry/wet food and only give treats from them as well. He has stopped scratching and much happier.