Once a year at minimum for a very small dog
Every healthy adult Yorkshire Terrier should have a full wellness exam at least once a year, with a series of visits as a puppy and twice-yearly exams as a senior. Owners of tiny dogs sometimes assume small means low-maintenance, and Yorkies prove the opposite. Almost everything on this breed's watch list, teeth, kneecaps, windpipe, blood sugar in puppies, is easier and cheaper to manage when an annual exam catches it early.
Teeth lead the Yorkie checklist
A full set of teeth is packed into a very small jaw, and Yorkies are famous for dental disease: tartar builds fast, gums inflame, and teeth loosen, sometimes while the dog still eats happily. The annual oral exam is the real checkpoint, and the veterinarian may recommend professional cleaning based on what is found. Between visits, a sour breath odor or pawing at the mouth is worth reporting rather than accepting as a small-dog quirk.
Kneecaps are felt carefully because Yorkies commonly have kneecaps that slip, which can show as a skipping step in a back leg. The vet will also listen to the airway and ask about coughing, honking episodes, or noisy breathing, since this breed's windpipe can be delicate, one reason a harness is usually kinder than a collar for a Yorkie. Weight is recorded precisely: in a dog who may weigh only a few pounds, a small gain or loss is a large percentage of the whole animal.
Puppy visits carry special weight
Yorkie puppies are tiny enough that low blood sugar is a genuine early-life risk, so those first visits cover feeding frequency, growth, and what an owner should watch for in a pup who seems weak, wobbly, or uninterested in food. The vet also checks the bite as adult teeth arrive, because retained baby teeth are common in this breed and crowd the jaw further if they are not addressed.
Seniors and the twice-yearly step-up
An older Yorkie should be seen twice a year, watching teeth, heart sounds, kidney-related trends, eyes, and mobility. Long-lived small breeds can spend a third of their lives as seniors, so those visits add up to real prevention. Report increased thirst, coughing at night, reduced appetite, or a Yorkie who stops greeting the household, since a dramatic little dog going quiet is a meaningful change.
When not to wait
Call promptly for repeated coughing fits, a puppy who will not eat, collapse or trembling, a back leg suddenly held up, or bad breath paired with dropping food. Eye injuries and sudden squinting also deserve same-day advice in a breed whose eyes are large relative to its head.
Small dog, serious records
Bring exact details: what and how much your Yorkie eats, any coughing episodes and when they happen, and past dental work. Precision matters when the patient is small. Recording every visit in KinsLe's Pet Passport keeps your Yorkie's dental history, vaccine record, and exam notes in one packet, ready whenever a new clinic or an emergency visit needs the full story fast.