In Yorkshire terrier health problems, several generally accepted misconceptions about rabies need to be corrected, to the end of allaying needless fears of this disease.

First, all warm-blooded animals are subjects for rabies when infected, and the disease is not confined merely to dogs and men. It is believed that many of the rabies “scares” or epidemics are started by some infected wild animal, wolf, fox, or coyote, biting a domestic dog which in turn bites other dogs and animals.

The rabies virus is transmitted only by the infected animal’s saliva, which goes into the victim’s blood stream. This may occur from an infected Yorkshire terrier’s licking a small abrasion; but there is no danger of infection from mere contact with an infected dog’s body.

The old concept of the mad dog galloping down the street, snapping right to left at all is false. The rabid yorkie usually seeks refuge in a dark, quite place and remains there.

The disease takes at least two types, the so-called “furious” rabies, and the “dumb” rabies.

In the furious type – the Yorkshire terrier dog is somewhat aggressive and will snap at and bite various objects placed before it, especially moving ones (bicycle, cars, even human beings).

Also in this type, the rabid yorkie’s tendency is to roam restlessly. When confined in a kennel, it may attack the bars with such force as to break his teeth.

Many dogs affected with rabies exhibit none of these symptoms. The manifestation of the disease may be more or less masked, and may be only an eventual paralysis and worse, death.

In addition, Yorkshire terriers suffering only from thirst or convulsions caused by intestinal worms have been mistakenly fell in the category that they were “mad”.

The dumb form of rabies is of much higher incidence than the first type. In it, paralytic symptoms are quite remarkable. The yorkie is not vicious, has no tendency to bite or to roam, and is not excitable.

In fact, it may be the opposite.

The most noteworthy symptom of dumb rabies is the paralysis of the lower jaw – the so-called “dropped jaw”. Here, the yorkie lost the ability to close his mouth.

Dumb type rabies also causes paralysis in the Yorkshire terrier’s hindquarters or forequarters, or of both – within a few days. He becomes completely paralyzed, which leads to death.

If this happens to your yorkie, he should be taken immediately to the vet for further examination.