Dear Dr. Fosythe: My little Yorkie puppy Jack fell off the back of our truck last week and broke his foot. The poor little thing has been in a splint but we are hoping he will recover completely. How common are breaks like this in little puppies? How long will it take to heal?
B.K., Sonoma
Dear B.K.: So sorry to hear about little Jack and his tailgate party! When a little toy breed puppy falls from the back of a truck onto the ground the impact is similar to you or me falling from a six- or seven-story building. The injuries sustained can be catastrophic in some cases. It is not unusual for wriggly little puppies to hop out of their owner’s arms and flop to the ground in a split second. Because puppy’s bones are still forming and contain a high amount of cartilage, they tend to “bend” significantly and rebound quite well. However, puppies are still vulnerable to compression fractures and “greenstick” fractures. Compression injuries occur where small bones get smashed together while a “greenstick” fracture occurs when a bone is bent to the point of breaking slightly like a green branch on a tree.
The healing process depends on the type and number of break and the location. Are the breaks in an area that is weight bearing? If the main bones in the foot – the metacarpal bones, are involved, these are weight bearing bones and may take longer to heal than a finger-bone-phalanx. Puppies tend to be slightly anemic since their immune systems are not fully developed, and having a little less blood and slightly fewer immune cells circulating may cause them a little delay in healing. However, since they are growing rapidly during this time, their bones are growing fast and remodeling and ossifying, so this gives a pup an advantage that outweighs the other disadvantages of youth.
One thing is certain: Jack has certainly been through a traumatic event already in his young life. With enough love, attention, and staying close to the ground, he will undoubtely turn out to be a fine little “big” dog.
Dr. F
Dear Dr. Forsythe: We recently got our dream puppy, a beautiful Yorkshire terrier male. Since he is our mighty warrior, we’ve named him “Caesar.” The breeder told us to get Karo syrup to rub on his gums since this breed gets low blood sugar. How often do you need to do this? Also how much should we bath him? He is already becoming a little greasy even though we gave him a bath a few days ago.
Sabrina M, Sonoma
Dear Sabrina: Hail Caesar!! That is a perfect name for the warrior king in your home. The fact he only weighs two pounds is of little importance. It is the mighty attitude of the Yorkshire terrier which outweighs all else! Like the Chihuahua, how could life ever have existed prior to Caesar’s reign?
The common recommendations about Karo syrup for all Yorkie’s is a wives’ tail. They ordinarily do not need to have their gums painted with this sugar-syrup unless they have a condition that would cause them to become hypoglycemic: an insulinoma, diabetic crisis, anorexia, or some other fasting condition. If the puppy is active, healthy and eating a premium brand of puppy food several times a day, it is very unlikely he would need any type of sugar supplement. In fact, sugar supplements could make him fat or cause problems with his teeth.
However if the little pet is not eating, needs to be fasted for a procedure, is vomiting or not well for some other reason, Karo syrup can be gently painted onto his gums with a q-tip to prevent him from becoming dangerously hypoglycemic – low blood sugar. In this case, if your puppy is listless, can’t lift his head, or is no longer “mighty” Caesar, I would call your veterinarian immediately prior to relying on Karo syrup to save the kingdom.
As for bathing, once every two weeks is more than enough to keep a little toy breed clean. I recommend a soap hypoallergenic-free shampoo such as Episooth or Relief. This will not wipe off the Frontline or other flea medication you should be using, and it will keep the oils from building up on the coat. If you bath too frequently, you’ll strip off the natural oils from the skin and his body will start making too much oil and he will become more oily than normal. We like our Caesar well-dressed, not oily!! Thanks for a great question.
Dr. F
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