Despite her size, I’m sure your Yorkie forgets just how small she is and makes up for it with a larger-than-life character.
She’s probably full of energy, and is likely the sassiest dog on your block.
Unfortunately, if you’re reading this, you probably know that Yorkshire Terriers can deal with a variety of health problems.
But what if I told you a tiny compound called CBD could help you manage many of these problems?
You’ve heard of CBD right?
Someone maybe suggested it to you for your Yorkie. That’s how I heard about CBD.
But no matter how you got here, I’m going to take a closer look at CBD and show you all the health benefits it can provide to your Yorkie.
I’ll also tell you more about my personal experience using CBD with my Golden Retriever, Rosie, and recommend some CBD products I’ve tried myself.
Our Pick:
For very small dogs, our top choice is Honest Paws. It's a 100% Organic Full Spectrum Oil that has received a ton of amazing reviews.
Exclusive Bonus: Download a free checklist to find out if your Yorkie really needs CBD. Pet owners can get access here.
The Adorable Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terriers, as the name suggests, originate from Yorkshire, Northern England.
Scottish immigrants are believed to have brought the first terriers to England during the Industrial Revolution.
These terriers, however, were much larger than the breed we know today, and were often used to hunt rats.
These dogs were eventually crossbred with all kinds of other breeds.
Eventually, the terrier that was once a large, fierce animal developed into the small, almost “toy” terriers we know today.
These dogs have fascinating personalities; they can be sassy, arrogant, and even overly-jealous of their owners, but in their hearts they are loving, cuddly companions.
Early socialization, training, and good exercise are the keys to bringing up a healthy, happy Yorkie.
Common Health Problems Affecting Yorkshire Terriers
Yorkshire Terriers are healthy dogs, and generally live up to 13-16 years on average.
But, just like any other dog, Yorkies aren’t immune to disease.
They tend to deal with some behavioural problems, and can be aggressive or even possessive if not trained properly.
Apart from that, Yorkshire Terriers also tend to deal with hypoglycemia, liver shunt, and hip problems.
Below is a list of some of the common conditions affecting this breed:
- Collapsed Trachea: A collapsing or collapsed trachea is much narrower than a normal trachea and makes it hard for air to pass along the passage from the nose and mouth to the lungs. This makes it a hard for your dog to breath, and leaves them suffering from with dry cough, wheezing, and other symptoms.
- Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis: Put simply, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis is a form of severe diarrhea. It is usually also accompanied by vomiting and a loss of appetite. This is a serious condition and requires immediate medical attention as it leads to severe dehydration and possibly even death.
- Hypoglycemia: Hypoglycemia, also known as abnormally low blood sugar, is a common condition in small toy breeds like Yorkshire Terriers. Dogs with hypoglycemia usually deal with chronic low energy, weakness, fatigue, drowsiness, and fainting.
- Legg-Perthes Disease: This is another genetic condition seen regularly in Yorkies. If your Terrier suffers from this disease, he/she will experience lameness, pain, and will usually limp while walking. This is caused by chronic degeneration of the hip joint, usually right at the top of the femur. Legg-Perthes Disease is one of the key causes of arthritis in small dogs.
- Liver Shunt: This disease causes a lack of proper blood flow to the liver. This makes it difficult for the dog’s liver to function properly and cleanse the blood/body of toxins. Symptoms of livers shunt vary, including seizures, jaundice, muscular weakness, and more. This is considered a hereditary disease of this breed.
- Pancreatitis: Pancreatitis causes chronic inflammation of the pancreas. This is the result of cells in the pancreas attacking healthy tissue, causing it to become chronically inflamed.
- Patellar Luxation: Patellar luxation is common in small dogs and is caused by a genetic malformation in the hind legs. It causes the knee to become dislocated regularly and can lead to other joint problems (like arthritis).
- Retinal Dysplasia: Retinal dysplasia is an inherited condition in Yorkies. It causes abnormal retinal development, and eventually leads to other eye issues.
CBD for Yorkshire Terriers
Now that I’ve covered some of the common health problems that can affect your puppy, I want to talk a little bit about CBD.
CBD is a natural compound found in hemp and cannabis plants.
Now, I know what you’re thinking:
“There’s no way I’m giving my dog pot.”
But don’t worry, CBD is a completely safe supplement and has no psychoactive effects, meaning it won’t make your dog feel “high.”
In fact, CBD has many health benefits both for humans and pets, and can help your dog manage many symptoms and conditions.
Below I will discuss in detail how CBD can help with anxiety and aggression, along with a common disease found in Yorkies.
If your dog is suffering from something else, I suggest you review my complete rundown of some of the biggest advantages of using CBD for dogs here.
CBD for Yorkshire Terriers With Legg-Perthes Disease
Legg-Perthes Disease causes spontaneous degeneration of the head of the femur.
This in turn causes degeneration of the hip joint, often causing your dog to limp, become lame in the hind legs, and experience constant pain.
As a result, your normally active Yorkie might become lethargic, tired, and avoid going on walks or doing other forms of exercise.
In the long term, Legg Perthes Disease generally leads to osteoarthritis, which causes the hip joint to degenerate.
As a result, your dog will experience chronic inflammation in the affected joint, which will leave them dealing with constant pain.
Luckily, CBD can help you manage the pain and inflammation of the hip joint caused by Legg-Perthes and arthritis.
CBD has been shown to have powerful pain-killing properties while simultaneously fighting inflammation.
That’s because it affects the endocannabinoid system (or ECS), a natural physiological system that all mammals have.
Studies show that the endocannabinoid system is a big player in managing inflammation and pain, as well as a plethora of other bodily functions.
And the evidence proving CBD’s pain-killing and anti-inflammatory properties doesn’t just come from studies.
Both human patients and pet owners have started using CBD supplements like oils, treats, and topicals to fight the inflammation caused by a variety of conditions.
I used CBD with my dog Rosie, for example, who suffered from hip dysplasia and cancer.
Rosie’s hip dysplasia eventually led her to develop arthritis in her hip joint.
As a result, she was in constant pain and became a lazy, lethargic dog.
Seeing the effect the condition on Rosie was devastating.
She was always an active dog and enjoyed all kinds of exercise.
But as her condition developed, Rosie changed.
Most days she’d just lounge around the house with her head hanging off her bed, only getting up to quickly go outside and do her business.
She’d struggle to get up or lay down due to the pain in her hip, and would also avoid going for walks with us.
On the rare occasion we’d manage to get her out of the house for a walk, she’d only last about 5-10 minutes before wanting to head back home.
But once I started her on CBD, that all changed.
First of all, I noticed her struggle less as she got on or off her bed, which was a really promising sign.
She also seemed to be noticeably happier.
As we continued the treatment, Rosie’s condition only improved.
Within just a few weeks, I noticed her eagerly waiting by the door when I grabbed her leash.
Once we left the house, I was surprised by just how much her stamina had improved in this short period of time.
My vet also noticed huge improvements in her condition, and told me the swelling and inflammation around her hips was noticeably reduced thanks to the CBD.
Thanks to more and more digging, I also learned that the CBD can help suppress pain signals in the brain. View the research on that here.
To learn more about the pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD, make sure to check out my article on CBD for dogs with inflammation and joint pain.
CBD for Small Dogs With Anxiety or Aggression
Yorkies and other terriers are known for their eccentric personalities.
While they are loving and friendly dogs, they sometimes deal with aggression, anxiety (especially from loud noises or separation), and other behavioural issues.
These issues are extremely difficult to deal with as a pet owner, not to mention the stress they produce for your furry friend.
Separation anxiety, for example, goes well beyond a dog feeling “lonely” while he/she is home alone while you do the grocery shopping.
Separation anxiety causes an overwhelming emotional response for the dog, causing them to act in ways that they normally wouldn’t.
If your Yorkie deals with separation anxiety, you’ve probably come home to chewed up furniture, wee or feces on the floor, or holes in the backyard.
You might also find your dog trembling or panting when you get home.
Other behavioral issues Yorkie owners tend to deal with is aggression.
The Yorkshire Terrier is far from a submissive or docile dog.
Thanks to their big personalities, these dog’s can be proud, self-confident, and even dominating if not trained properly.
If your Yorkie deals with aggression, she might bite, growl, or bark at you, as well as respond negatively to any training you try to provide.
It might also affect your dog's ability to socialize with other dogs or humans, which only exacerbates the underlying problem.
Luckily, CBD has been shown to really help calm both anxiety and aggression in dogs.
Again, this has to do with the fact that it stimulates the endocannabinoid system (ECS).
The ECS has been shown to be heavily involved in helping humans and animals control their moods, emotions, and responses to stress.
In fact, CBD has become a popular treatment option for anxiety, depression, and other mental conditions affecting humans.
It is believed to do so in 2 main ways:
First of all, CBD is believed to increase serotonin levels in the brain.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in helping us regulate our emotions.
By temporarily boosting serotonin levels in the brain, CBD can help fight symptoms of anxiety in your dog, which can help them deal better when left alone and also help calm aggression.
Secondly, CBD can also promote the growth of healthy brain cells in the hippocampus.
The hippocampus is a really interesting part of the brain that helps your dog form memories and also better understand the context of social situations.
If, for example, your dog responds aggressively to you every time you make a sudden movement with your hand, this is likely because they associate that behaviour with a negative/traumatic event from their past.
By stimulating healthy neurogenesis in the hippocampus, CBD can help calm a dog’s anxiety or aggression by helping them better analyze situations and respond accordingly.
Are Other Yorkies Having Success With CBD?
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve personally seen great results using CBD with Rosie.
But I’m not alone.
All types of dog owners are using CBD pet supplements to help their puppies manage many ailments and conditions.
Max, for example, uses CBD for pain and anxiety.
After surgery he was prescribed medications which were known to cause various side effects. His owner wanted a more natural solution for pain medication.
Max started with CBD treats and it was clear he was in much less pain. Not only did CBD manage his pain, but his owners also stated that he became less anxious and slept better.
Muffin, is another senior Yorkie using CBD to deal with pain.
Muffin had an old knee injury and as she got older, she needed to be carried around more and more.
Noticing she was in pain, Muffin's owner started her on CBD and saw amazing results in just a few days! She's been moving around much better since beginning with these supplements.
Using CBD With Your Terrier
I know I’ve covered a lot of ground in this article, so lets recap.
Hopefully, this article has taught you more about the common health problems that might affect your dog.
More importantly, I hope you’ve learned more about CBD and how this little compound can help you and your pup manage many of these conditions.
If you’re keen to give CBD a try, I highly recommend using King Kanine CBD products, which I used with my dog Rosie.
Alternatively, also consider trying Canna-Pet, another brand of CBD pet supplements I have also tried and tested.
For more information about my experience with CBD, make sure to read my full reviews of both of these brands and see my top 5 CBD oil rankings.
