Generally, most Yorkshire Terriers are generally healthy. These little doggos are also known for their glossy and floor-length hair with their feisty personality. Unfortunately, they are not superior dog breeds like any of the dog breeds are, because they can be prone to various health issues such as stress, allergies, or disease. Then maybe you begin to ask yourself, why is my Yorkie shedding?
Although not seriously a threat to life, if you observed your Yorkie is shedding or losing hair sometimes it’s just a natural process, like all dogs lose their hair. However, if the hair loss is something that’s continuous for a long period of time and you suddenly take notice that it’s getting worse, the best action you can do is to take your lovely pooch to a local vet.
There are various reasons why your Yorkie is shedding. This article will examine and provide some information with regards to the shedding in Yorkshire Terriers. We will also provide some effective tips and solutions on how to deal with it, so stay tuned and scroll down to learn more about this.
My Yorkie shedding
Do Yorkies Shed?
You might think that Yorkshire Terriers sheds a lot due to the nature of their hair. Actually, it’s quite the contrary.
One of the best things that Yorkies have is that they are known to shed minimally in a year compared to Corgis that are known for their notorious shedders. Much to your surprise right?
The reason behind this is that Yorkies only have a single coat. Also, the hair of Yorkshire Terriers is very similar to humans compared to other dogs.
Because other dogs have double coats that keep them warm during the colder seasons. In addition, their underlayer usually sheds in a year but will shed more especially when the winter is coming. This is their way to get ready with their new winter jacket.
Although in the case of Yorkie, as previously mentioned, their coat is much closer to human hair than dogs. If you are going to observe your Yorkie’s hair, it’s smooth, silky, and fine which is like human hair. But they normally shed lightly throughout the year.
With that, Yorkshire Terriers do shed but with minimal volume because they don’t have double coats. This means that their hair keeps on growing, that is why you notice that Yorkie’s hair length is considerably long.
Yorkies Are Hypoallergenic Dogs
Yorkies belong to the group of hypoallergenic dog breeds along with Goldendoodle, Bichon Frise, Besenji, to name a few. Among the advantage of hypoallergenic dogs is that they have a lesser chance to cause allergic reactions compared to other non-hypoallergenic dogs. However, this doesn’t mean that these dogs are completely allergy-proof.
5 Other Possible Reasons Why Your Yorkie Is Shedding (A lot)
Now we have recently learned that Yorkies do shed but not like the other dogs that have double coats. However, if your little pooch’s shedding is continuous to the point it’s excessive and you are seeing the skin, then that’s the time you need to take some action, by having a scheduled check-up to further examine the cause.
Some shedding or losing of hair might be a mild case and harmless, while other causes can be harmful to the point your dog’s health is at stake here. That’s why we have listed some of those common causes below. If you think your dog is experiencing some of these, call your vet immediately.
Pressure sores
Pressure sores are usually common in larger breeds, these types of conditions can create bald spots on your Yorkshire Terrier. In addition, pressure sores appeared in senior dogs who often spend time laying around in the same position. This commonly appears in your dog’s hips, elbows, and sometimes in their butt cheek.
This is a result of putting pressure on the said area. Also, if your Yorkie loves to sleep on a wood surface or hard tiles, they may likely develop pressure sores over time.
Treating pressure sores is actually simple. You just need to provide soft support in the areas where pressure sores usually appear (elbow and hips), you can invest in a dog bed that features high-density memory foam which is quite effective.
This is very applicable to older Yorkies, so try to adjust their bodies whenever they are in their favorite sleeping position and wedge a pillow beside the area in order to ease the pressure and make sure your dog’s skin and coat are well maintained.
Emotional Distress
Even emotional distress can make your Yorkie’s hair fall. Among that emotional distress are boredom, stress, and anxiety — more specifically separation anxiety.
Too much distress your dog will turn into habitual biting, chewing, and even licking.
In the worse case, habitual licking and other behaviors may lead to neurogenic dermatitis, which is an inflammation and irritation of the skin around the affected area. As a result, your dog’s skin might experience severe irritation and patches of hair loss.
Among the best treatment for this is through steroids and ointments. However, don’t just apply any of that treatment. Better to consult with your vet first so he can prescribe the right treatment.
When treated, the affected skin of your Yorkie will recuperate and return to a healthy state with less temptation to chew or bite.
That said, if you suspect your dog is having a symptoms of neurogenic dermatitis, much better to schedule a check-up and see further what might be the solution upon careful examination. Because this condition might have an underlying cause that’s more severe and can threaten your dog’s health.
Hyperthyroidism
Another reason that causes your dog’s shedding is due to hyperthyroidism. Although unlikely and rare in dog breeds, this can still harm your adorable Yorkie.
This health condition is linked with tumors. Having this, your dog might experience an increase in appetite, which leads to stress on their kidneys or heart and eventually will become severe and results in major health concerns.
Also, severe hypothyroidism can cause hair loss, diarrhea, anxiety, and other various symptoms. The best treatment for hypothyroidism is a change in lifestyle.
Meaning, you need to make sure that your pooch is having a wide variety of protein sources. A regular healthy diet with regular exercise will greatly prevent this type of medical condition.
However, if your doggo’s hyperthyroidism is linked with a tumor, this can be quite hard to address and it’s hard to deal with this alone. Instead of giving your dog a healthy diet, be sure to schedule a check-up and discuss this further with your veterinarian to somehow avoid any worst-case scenarios.
Fungal infections
Fungal infections are considered among the culprit of your Yorkie’s shedding. This is a type of skin infection and is likely to cause loss of hair due to ringworm. Although this is not the cause of a worm, the hostility of the fungus consumes the hair follicles and skin.
Dogs like Yorkshire Terriers are vulnerable to this fungal infection, wherein the root cause is due to the close contact of infected animals or contaminated objects.
Though not that severe compared to other fungal infections, what’s only alarming to this is that the ringworms may spread to other pets and even to humans. That’s why it’s best to immediately address this condition which is quite simple to cure. The usual treatment for fungal infection is a spray or topical cream together with medicated shampoo which effectively aids in stopping the spread.
Parasites
Fleas, mites, and ticks, are among the worst enemy of any dogs, and even Yorkshire Terriers is not exempted to this. Given that their smooth, silky, and delicate coats, irritation and scratching are often linked with these parasites which can result in their excessive scratching leading to hair loss.
Another common parasite that can cause severe discomfort and excessive scratching is the ear mites. Because ear mites are known in residing in the ear, your Yorkie may likely have irritation and infections. Your Yorkie’s excessive scratching can lead to a patchy loss of hair.
Mange is also among the worst enemy of dogs as this can cause significant damage to your pooch’s coat. This is a type of parasitic disease of the skin due to the mites that are residing within your dog’s hair follicles or under your dog’s skin. Mange will likely cause irritation and even patches of bald spots or loss of hair.
The best and effective treatment for these parasites is to ensure your dog’s strong immune system. Plain and simple. But to ensure your dog’s immune system is to make you sure you feed your dog with high-quality kibble food that contains well-balanced meal, necessary dietary needs, and rich in vitamins and mineral for immunity booster.
Final Thoughts
Have you figured out what’s the root cause of your Yorkie’s shedding? There are various reasons as to why your little pooch is shedding, which ranges from a natural process to mild cases, and to worse cases. But the best defense to prevent your Yorkie’s excessive shedding which is then caused by underlying causes is to make sure you are giving your Yorkie a healthy lifestyle.
Make sure you engage your little pooch to exercise which he really needs it as well as feeding a good quality kibble food and a regularly scheduled check-up with your vet.
Learn from this article: Are Yorkies Good With Other Dogs?
