What Is A Dog's Average Lifespan? How Long Do Yorkies Live?

Gracelynn – Courtesy of Ashley F

Not too long ago, the University of Georgia conducted a more than two decades long study into the top causes of death in dogs. Of the nearly 75,000 dogs seen in the study, several hundred were Yorkshire Terriers.

As a result of the study, they found that the number one cause of death in Yorkie puppies – Yorkshire Terriers under the age of one year – is, not completely unsurprisingly, infection. More specifically, the following infections:

Distemper

Distemper is a highly contagious infection of the gastrointestinal tract, and/or the respiratory tract. Coughing and weakness are early signs to look out for, and it will develop into diarrhea. Eventually it will spread to the spinal cord and brain of the puppy, and at this point it will be fatal.

Leptospirosis

In spite of Leptospirosis being a deadly disease in the canine world, many areas do not promote compulsory leptospirosis inoculation. There are many possible forms leptospirosis can take, however the lethal strain will cause liver and kidney damage. It is contracted by way of infected urine, from woodland wildlife such as raccoons and skunks, for example. 

Parvovirus

Like Distemper, Parvovirus can be vaccinated against. Often simply referred to as Parvo, Parvovirus attacks the immune system and the gastrointestinal tract. You can expect some intense diarrhea and vomiting, causing a fatal dehydration pretty rapidly. It is incredibly contagious for any unvaccinated Yorkie.

For Yorkies of 1 year and older, the top causes were found to be the following:

Respiratory Disease

Respiratory disease is the leading cause of death amongst adult Yorkies, accounting for 16% of all deaths. Yorkshire Terriers hold the third highest rate of deaths by respiratory disease in dogs, behind the Bulldog at 18.2% and the Borzoi at 16.3%. The three types of respiratory illness that Yorkies have been found to be susceptible to are pulmonary fibrosis, brachycephalic airway syndrome, and collapsed trachea.

As far as senior dogs are concerned, gradual degenerative changes expected with old age that can disrupt normal lung performance can cause the lungs to become more vulnerable to airborne toxins and pathogens.

Remember that Yorkshire Terriers are very prone to collapsed trachea but there is something you can do to prevent it. Always use a soft no-pull dog harness instead of a collar on your Yorkie.

Cancer

Accounting for 11.% of all deaths, cancer is the second-most prevalent cause of Yorkie deaths, despite cancer not being a leading cause of death in most toy dog breeds. A variety of cancers, such as mast cell tumors, mammary gland tumors, lymphoma, bone cancer, and soft tissue sarcomas are all fairly common among Yorkshire Terriers.

If caught early enough, however, 50% of all cancers can be curable. If your female Yorkie is spayed, the risk of developing mammary cancer is greatly decreased.

Trauma

Trauma is the second leading cause of death for Yorkie pups, and the 3rd leading cause for adults. Almost 11% of Yorkshire Terrier deaths are caused by trauma, and as you would expect, almost all cases could have been prevented. Death by trauma included fatal injury to the head and/or body, involving injuries from:

• Being dropped
• Being stepped on
• Being tripped over
• Being hit by a car
• Being involved in a car accident as a passenger
• Being accidentally knocked down the stairs

All of these examples could have been avoided, and were it not for incidents like these the average Yorkshire Terrier life span would increase dramatically.

Congenital Disease

The fourth leading cause of death among Yorkshire Terriers is congenital disease. Congenital disease makes up 10.5% of all Yorkie deaths, and includes all disease and conditions that are present at birth.

Liver shunts, also referred to as portosystemic shunts, are something of a common occurrence in Yorkies. In the US alone, Yorkshire Terriers have a greater chance by a factor of 36 of developing liver shunts than all other purebred dogs put together. This condition causes an inadequate level of blood flow to the liver, and can sometimes be fatal. Despite being born with the condition, the pup may show no signs until the age of 1 or above. The following are some symptoms your Yorkie may show should their blood vessel may have been shunted:

• Weakness
• Poor growth rates
• Seizures
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Increased thirst
• Increased urination
• Excessive drooling
• Seizures
• Behavioral changes

Clinical indications can appear 1 to 3 hours after meals, as toxins regularly destined for the liver will instead reach the Yorkie’s brain.

It can be diagnosed via ultrasound, blood testing, dye studies or x-rays, and, for minor cases, treatment can be administered with medications, or by simply altering the Yorkie’s diet. While it is possible for some dogs to live with this condition so long as being treated by non-invasive means, the lifespan of the dog will be reduced dramatically. Moderate to severe cases are treated with surgery. Of those that show clinical signs and changes to procedure and don’t proceed with the surgical procedure, over 50% will die within a year. Luckily, the survival rate of the surgery is 95%. Of that, 33% will continue to have some blood flow issues, however only some 15% will show any clinical signs.

If you find that your Yorkie has a liver shunt the owner of this site strongly encourages you to check out doglivershunt.com. Rick can coach you on managing your dog’s liver shunt for a longer and happier life using natural means.