In the past, vitamins have been largely described by diseases resulting from their absence. It is recognized more and more that many of the subacute symptoms of the yorkie’s well-being may be attributed to the insufficient supply in the yorkie’s diet of one or more essential food factors.

It is to be emphasized that vitamins are to be considered a vital part of the yorkie’s daily diet, highly important to his health and well-being.

They are not to be considered as medication of some sort. Often, serious conditions which result from their absence in the yorkie’s diet may be remedied by the addition of the particularly needed vitamin – just as the effects of other starvation can be solved by adding little amount of food to satisfy his appetite.

Requirements of vitamins in the diet (from food) cannot be strongly emphasized. These vitamins may be in the food themselves, or they may better be added to it as a supplement to ensure a healthy supply.

Except for vitamin D, of which it is remotely possible though unlikely to supply too much – a surplus of this vitamin is quite harmless. They are somewhat expensive and we, as owners, have no reason to waste them; but if used in excess they are simply wasted with no subsequent ill effect.

It must also be realized that vitamins are various substances, each of which has a separate function. It is definitely not safe to add that a yorkie’s diet something out of a bottle or box indefinitely labeled “vitamins”, as our common practice.

We yorkie owners must know which vitamin we are giving, what purpose each is designated to serve, and the potency of brand preparation of each vitamin we are specifically using.

This does not mean that they must be fed separately. Several vitamins may be combined in a single label, tablet, or in liquid form. However, it is necessary for the yorkie to owner to be aware not only of the names of such vitamins contained, but the dosage as well.

Pharmaceutical companies take into consideration the costs of various ingredients and often, enough to formulate such vitamins and meet a price rather than to serve their nutritional purposes.

Any one of the quickly prepared vitamin is probably sufficient if given in large enough doses. It is much better to buy a product that contains an adequate amount of each of the needed vitamins as this method is much cheaper.

Vitamin A in the Yorkie Diet
What was formerly known as a single vitamin B has now been found to be a complex of at least six (and probably more) factors.

Some of them are in quantities which no doubt play major roles in every animal’s diet – including yorkies.

Various factors of this complex – each a separate vitamin – are designated by the letter B followed by a number, as B1, B2, and B6.

The absence of insufficiency in the yorkie’s diet of vitamin B, otherwise known as thiamin, has been blamed for retarded growth, loss of weight, decreased fertility, loss of appetite, and impaired digestion.

Prolonged shortage of vitamin B1 may result in paralysis, fluid accumulation in the tissues, and finally death – apparently due to heart failure. In some cases of such astonishing sickness in canines known as running fits has sometimes been charged to vitamin B1 deficiency, and in many cases but not all, the reason may be just.

It is not easy to estimate just how much B1 a yorkie requires per pound of body weight, since dogs as individuals vary in their needs and the activity of an animal rapidly depletes thiamin in its body.

Thiamin is not stored in the dog’s system for any length of time and requires daily dosage. It is destroyed in part by heat above boiling point,. It is found in yeast (especially in brewer’s yeast), liver, wheat germ, milk, eggs, and in vegetables.

However, few dogs or people obtain an optimum supply of B1 from their daily diet, and it is recommended that it be supplied to your yorkie everyday.

Another factor of the vitamin B complex – riboflavin, affects particularly the skin and hair. Yorkies fed a diet in which it is deficient are prone to develop scruffy dryness of the skin, especially about the eyes and mouth; the hair becomes dull and dry, finally falls out, leaving the skin rough and dry.

Riboflavin is present in small quantities in so many foods that a serious shortage in any well-balanced diet is unlikely. It is especially found in whey, which is why yorkies have smooth skin and hair whose diet includes cottage cheese.

While few dogs (like yorkies) manifest any positive shortage of riboflavin, experiments on various animals have shown that successively copious amounts of riboflavin in their diet up to about four times as much as is needed to prevent early signs of riboflavin deficiency results in good health.
Vitamin A in some form is an absolute requisite for good health, even for enduring life itself.

Symptoms of advanced deficiency of this vitamin in your yorkie are an eye disease which results to impaired vision, inflammation of the conjunctiva or mucous membranes which line the eyelids, and mucous membrane injury to the yorkie’s body.

Less easily recognized symptoms are: apparent decrease in resistance to bacterial infection (especially of the upper respiratory tract), retarded growth, and loss of weight.

Diseases due to vitamin A deficiency may be well established while the yorkie is still gaining in weight. Lack of muscular coordination and paralysis has been observed in dogs and degeneration of the nervous system.

Some young yorkies deprived of vitamin A become wholly or partially deaf.

Vitamin A potency is usually calculated in International Units, which it has been estimated that the dog requires about 35 per day for each pound of his body weight. Such parts are not as utilized are not lost, but are stored in the liver.

A yorkie that is well-fortified with this particular vitamin can well go a month or more without harm with none of it in his diet.

It is for content of vitamins A and D that cod liver oil (and oils from other fishes’ livers) is fed to puppies and growing children. Fish liver oils are an excellent source of vitamin A, and if a small amount of them is included in the diet, no anxiety about deficiency of vitamin A need be entertained.

In buying cod liver oil, it pays to obtain the best grade possible.

Another source of vitamin A is found in carrots, but is almost impossible to get enough carrots in a dog to do him any good. It is better and easier to use a preparation known as carotene, three drops of which contains almost as much vitamin A as a bushel of carrots.

Other sources of vitamin A are liver, kidney, heart, cheese, egg yolks, butter, and milk. If these foods or any one of them are generously included in the adult yorkie’s daily maintenance in meals, all other sources of vitamin A may be dispensed with.

Food portion for yorkie puppies, however, and for pregnant or lactating yorkies should be copiously fortified either with fish liver oil or with tablets containing vitamin A.

Vitamin B in the Yorkie Diet

What was formerly known as a single vitamin B has now been found to be a complex of at least six (and probably more) factors.

Some of them are in quantities which no doubt play major roles in every animal’s diet – including yorkies.

Various factors of this complex – each a separate vitamin – are designated by the letter B followed by a number, as B1, B2, and B6.

The absence of insufficiency in the yorkie’s diet of vitamin B, otherwise known as thiamin, has been blamed for retarded growth, loss of weight, decreased fertility, loss of appetite, and impaired digestion.

Prolonged shortage of vitamin B1 may result in paralysis, fluid accumulation in the tissues, and finally death – apparently due to heart failure. In some cases of such astonishing sickness in canines known as running fits has sometimes been charged to vitamin B1 deficiency, and in many cases but not all, the reason may be just.

It is not easy to estimate just how much B1 a yorkie requires per pound of body weight, since dogs as individuals vary in their needs and the activity of an animal rapidly depletes thiamin in its body.

Thiamin is not stored in the dog’s system for any length of time and requires daily dosage. It is destroyed in part by heat above boiling point,. It is found in yeast (especially in brewer’s yeast), liver, wheat germ, milk, eggs, and in vegetables.

However, few dogs or people obtain an optimum supply of B1 from their daily diet, and it is recommended that it be supplied to your yorkie everyday.

Another factor of the vitamin B complex – riboflavin, affects particularly the skin and hair. Yorkies fed a diet in which it is deficient are prone to develop scruffy dryness of the skin, especially about the eyes and mouth; the hair becomes dull and dry, finally falls out, leaving the skin rough and dry.

Riboflavin is present in small quantities in so many foods that a serious shortage in any well-balanced diet is unlikely. It is especially found in whey, which is why yorkies have smooth skin and hair whose diet includes cottage cheese.

While few dogs (like yorkies) manifest any positive shortage of riboflavin, experiments on various animals have shown that successively copious amounts of riboflavin in their diet up to about four times as much as is needed to prevent early signs of riboflavin deficiency results in good health.

Vitamin E in the Yorkie Diet
According to some, vitamin E is the so-called fertility vitamin. Whether it is needed for dogs has not as yet been determined. Rats fed upon a meal from which vitamin E was wholly excluded became permanently sterile; but the finding id not believed to apply to all animals.

Some dog owners have said that feeding their dogs wheat germ oil – the most abundant source of vitamin E – has helped to prevent premature birth, helped to produce larger and healthier puppies, has increased fertility of stud dogs, improved their dogs’ coats and furthered the betterment of their overall health.

Whether vitamin E or some other substance in wheat germ oil is responsible for these alleged benefits is impossible to say.

Vitamin E is so widely found in small quantities in foods that the hazard of its omission from any normal diet is so small. Numerous other vitamins have been discovered and isolated in recent years, and there are suspected to be still others as yet unknown.

The ones mentioned (vitamins B, c, and D) are the only ones that warrant the use of care to include them in the yorkie’s daily meal. It should be reiterated that vitamins are not medicine, but are also food – a required part of the diet. Any person interested in the complete nutrition for his yorkie will not neglect them.

The best and easiest way to administer vitamins to yorkies is in pills or tablets which all of the essential vitamins are included. These may be purchased at any drug store.

Formulas of any such preparation must be scrutinized to make sure that it contains enough of each vitamin for the purpose intended, since there is a wide variation in contents as in the cost of various brands.

Tablets are tasteless or sugar-coated and may be most easily fed to your yorkie if they are cleverly inserted in a small piece of meat.

It should go without saying that a yorkie should have access to clean, fresh, pure drinking water at all times, of which he should be allowed to drink as much or as little as he chooses. His need for drinking water will depend in part upon the moisture content of your yorkie’s food.

To maintain your yorkie’s good health, it is wise to give him all the vitamins needed by him everyday, in every meal.

Vitamin B12 in the Yorkie Diet

Dogs were immediately responsible for the discovery of vitamin B2, or nicotinic acid – formerly known as vitamin G.

Black tongue, a canine disease, is similar with the human disease called pellagra, both of which are prevented and cured by sufficient amounts of nicotinic acid in the diet. Black tongue is not a threat for any dog that eats a diet which contains even a reasonable quantity of lean meat, but it is used to be prevalent among dogs – yorkies, fed exclusively upon corn bread or corn meal mush, as many were.

The need for niacinamide, calcium panthothenate, and pyridoxine (all included in the vitamin B complex) has not yet been established as pertains to canine nutrition.

Vitamin C, the so-called anti-scorbutic vitamin, is presumed to be synthesized by the dog in its body. It is the most expensive of all vitamins, and while its presence in the vitamin mixture for your yorkie will do no harm, it will probably do no good.

Vitamin D, the anti-rachitic vitamin – is necessary to promote assimilation of calcium and phosphorus into the yorkie’s skeletal structure. One may feed all of those minerals, but without vitamin D, they will pass out of the system, unused by your yorkie’s body.

It is impossible to develop sound bones and teeth without its presence.

The fully-grown yorkie’s skeleton requires no addition of vitamin D to his meal, but for growing puppies and yorkie bitches employed for breeding to enhance their food with D is a must. Direct exposure to sunlight enables the yorkie to produce this vitamin in his system, but sunlight is not to be depended upon for an entire supply.

Vitamin D is abundant in cod liver oil and other fishes’ oil, or it may be obtained in a dry form combined with other vitamins. One International unit per pound of body weight per day is enough to protect your yorkie from rickets.

From a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful of cod liver oil will serve well for any dog.

This is the only one of the vitamins with which over dosage is possible and harmful. While the yorkie will not suffer from exceeding the amount need by your yorkie – over dosage is unlikely; it is only fair to warn yorkie owners that it is at least theoretically possible.

At least eleven minerals are present in a healthy dog’s body: Calcium, sodium chloride, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, and iodine.

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The good thing about carbohydrates in dog food is that it has starch, sugar, cellulose and hemi cellulose – the last two being known as fiber – are the chief constituents of wood, stalks and laves of plants, and seed coverings.

There remains considerable controversy about how much carbohydrates are required or desired in canine nutrition.

It has been shown experimentally that the dog is able to digest large quantities of cornstarch, either raw or cooked. Rice fed to mature dogs in sufficient amounts to satisfy total energy requirements has been found to be 95 percent digested.

Commercial biscuits and meals which are sold as dog food are moderately well tolerated, especially if they are supplemented by the addition of fresh meat. There seems to be no reason why they should not be included in moderate amounts in the yorkie’s daily meal.

Carbohydrates are a cheap source of energy for the yorkie, both in their initial cost and in the work required for their metabolism. Ample evidence showed that the dog has no difficulty in digesting and utilizing considerable amounts of starch and sugar for producing energy, there is no reason why they should be excluded from this diet.

It should be noted that meat and milk contain a measure of carbohydrates as well as proteins.

Dog food which contains any large measure of cellulose for the yorkie is not recommended. Thoroughly cooked rice or oatmeal in moderate quantities may well be used to supplement and help save a meat diet for your yorkie without posing harm to him, unlike crushed dog biscuits, or table scraps.

They are not required but may be consumed by your yorkie without harm. Even thoroughly cooked and mashed potatoes, especially if they contain plenty of milk, butter, and gravy are good (along with plenty of meat), despite that many old-fashioned cranks persist in considering them dangerous.

Sugar and candy, which dogs are no doubt fond of – are also used as another additional source of carbohydrates. They are an excellent source of energy – and harmless to the yorkie.

They should be fed in sufficient portions and only after meals, since they tend to take the edge off the appetite.

Try giving your yorkie some sugar before his meal and he may refuse the meal itself.  Meat will always remain the essential main element of an optimum ration for the yorkie.

It has long been known that protein-rich foods are desirable for the yorkie.

Foods containing incomplete proteins should be mixed with others which, although they too may be incomplete in themselves will supply the mixture with adequate amounts of the essential amino acids.

Foods from other sources – such as meat, fish, eggs, and milk – supply proteins of high nutritive value, both from the standpoint of digestibility and amino acid content. Gelatin is an exception to that statement, since gelatin is very incomplete.

It does not follow that it must never be included in the diet, for it may be supplemented and completed by the addition of other food sources and may be assimilated along with its compliment.

Even foods coming from other sources (animals) vary among themselves in their protein content and amino balance. Protein found in muscle meat does not rank quite as high as that of eggs or milk.

Liver, kidneys, sweetbread, or pancreas – contain proteins of exceptionally high nutritive value, and these organs should be added to the yorkie’s diet whenever it is possible to do so.

Milk also contains two-thirds of an ounce (dry weight) of particularly high class protein to every pint, in addition to its minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, and fats.

The only dietary necessity absent from milk is iron. Animal proteins have a high content of dietary essential amino acids, which makes them very effective in supplementing many proteins from that of other vegetables.

The egg white, while somewhat inferior to the yolk – contain excellent proteins. Lysine from milk can be destroyed by excessive heat and the growth promoting value of its protein so destroyed. Evaporated milk has not been subjected to enough heat to decrease its protein.

Now, we can readily see why meat with its concentrated, balanced, and easily assimilated proteins should form the major part of dry weight of the yorkie’s meal. Proteins in meat, and other animal products are not only excellent in themselves, but they render available and digest less complete proteins from other food sources.

We should not feed our yorkies the minimum, with which they can survive or even the minimum meal with which they can flourish. It is rather we give them the maximum in quantity and balance which they can digest and enjoy without developing a paunch.

Who wants to live on a less healthy diet necessary for adequate sustenance? We humans enjoy a full meal; of good food, and so do our yorkies.

All proprietary brands of dog food contain the correct balance of nutrients or give advice on what, if anything, should be added to ensure that the food is nutritionally balanced.

Labels and packaging often also include guidelines on the amount of food required by different sized dogs. However, these are inevitable approximate and only you can judge the proper quantities for your yorkie.

Always read the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging. Not all foods are ‘complete diets; some require supplements.

Proteins

Protein is as vital to the yorkie’s diet as it is to a human’s. The amount of protein in dog food governs the animal’s daily life, its metabolism and capacity for work or exercise. As food passes through the digestive system, the protein content is digested and broken down into amino acids, the building blocks of a healthy lifestyle.

Dogs, like yorkies – require 20 amino acids, but the dog, being such a clever animal, can manufacture many of this itself or synthesize them from other components of its diet. In fact, only nine amino acids must be specifically included in the diet.

A shortage of any of these will quickly result in deficiency symptoms.

Fresh Food

Most dogs love food, but it should also include a balanced mixer meal to ensure an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals. Many owners cook poultry or meat for their yorkies once or twice a week and rely on the more convenient and scientifically formulated prepared dog foods for the rest of the time.

Most dogs love raw meat, but it is best to keep to beef or lamb; poultry, pork and fish need cooking to destroy any harmful bacteria. Fish, poultry, and chop bones are sharp or splinter easily and should always be removed before giving fresh meat to the yorkie.

Liver, kidneys, heart, and other similar meats should be given only once or twice a week.

On the other hand, vegetarian diets are gaining popularity for people and dogs. It has become fairly available in many pet supplies shops. Until years ago, it was usually manufactured in dried form – either flaked or pelleted – but canned vegetarian food is now more widely available.

You may think that it would be easy to prepare vegetarian food for the yorkie yourself. However, unless you are fairly knowledgeable, you could have considerable difficulty in achieving the correct balance of nutrients.

Miniature breeds such as Yorkshire terriers have very tiny stomachs and it may be better to feed them twice rather than once a day.

Many yorkie owners of this breed feed them in this way throughout the dog’s life. In any case, it is usually advisable when they are still young adults only just out of puppyhood.

There are, however, different types of dog food for your yorkie:

Canned Food

This is probably the best known and most popular form of dog food, and is available in a vast range of flavors and textures. Some canned foods provide a complete meal, as they already include cereal and other sources of carbohydrate among their ingredients.

Others must be mixed with meal to ensure a correct nutritional balance. If you are feeding your yorkie on complete canned food, provide the essential ‘crunch’ factor that helps keep teeth and gums healthy with biscuits and chews.

Be careful, however, to make sure that you are not over-feeding him with extra biscuits and other tidbits.

Unopened cans have a long storage life, but must be kept refrigerated and used quickly once they have been opened. However, food tastes and smells more appetizing – to your yorkie, if not to you – if it is served at room temperature rather than straight from the refrigerator.

Do not leave canned food lying around in the yorkie’s dish for prolonged pferiods, especially during warm weather, as it will attract flies and other pests.

Dried Food

A wide range of dried protein foods have become available over the years. Although the pelleted varieties look like biscuits, they are actually a complete food. They contain all the nutrients a dog requires, as well as the ‘crunch’ factor essential for exercising the jaws and keeping the teeth clean.

Dried food is extremely convenient to serve, rarely causes stomach upsets and, unlike fresh and moist foods, it can be left down for a long time without deterioration.

It keeps well, although not indefinitely, as it will eventually lose its vitamin content. Keep an eye on the ‘use by’ date on each package of dried food.

Dried food in the form of flakes is designed to be mixed with water or gravy. It can be stored for quite a long time in the same way as pelleted dried food, but once it has been mixed up, it will go off in the same way as fresh or canned food if left down for a long time.

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