Morkie Health Problems: What to Watch For as They Age

Last Tuesday Georgie ate my sock and acted like I’d wronged him when I took it back. He’s usually pretty good about not eating my laundry, but every now and then he goes for it, then looks at me like *I’m* the monster for trying to retrieve my very expensive wool sock from his tiny, defiant maw. You asked about Morkie health stuff as they get older, and honestly, Georgie’s hit a few of these already. He just turned seven, so he’s not ancient, but he’s definitely past his puppy years of just being a tiny, uncoordinated terror. Here’s what we’ve dealt with or are keeping an eye on.

Dental Issues: The Tiny Teeth, Big Problems

Okay, so this one is HUGE for Morkies, and honestly, for a lot of small breeds. Georgie’s mouth is tiny, and those teeth are just crammed in there. We started brushing his teeth pretty early with a Petrodex Dental Kit for Small Dogs (about $10 on Chewy). It came with a little finger brush and an enzymatic toothpaste. He hated it. HATED it. He’d tolerate it for like five seconds before trying to gnaw my finger off. We tried different flavors of toothpaste, different tiny toothbrushes, even the dental wipes. Nope. None of it made a dent in the plaque buildup. His breath was getting pretty rank even with the minimal brushing we could get in.

So, at about age five, he had his first dental cleaning. It was a proper anesthesia job, and they pulled two teeth that were just too far gone. Cost us a pretty penny, like $800 at our vet, but it was necessary. The vet told us that small dogs are just prone to this, partly because their teeth are so crowded, and partly because their mouths don’t get the same kind of “self-cleaning” action from chewing big kibble that larger breeds might. Since then, we’ve been more diligent. We switched to a water additive, TropiClean Fresh Breath (about $15 on Amazon), which honestly, I don’t know how much it helps, but I feel like I’m doing *something*. The biggest game-changer has been dental chews. We tried Greenies, but Georgie, being Georgie, would just swallow them whole, which kind of defeats the purpose of chewing. Now we use Virbac C.E.T. VeggieDent Fr3sh Dental Chews, specifically the extra-small size (about $25 for a 30-pack on Chewy). He actually chews those, and they’re specifically designed to reduce plaque and tartar. He gets one every other day, and his breath is noticeably better. Teddy, our other dog, always tries to steal Georgie’s dental chew, but Georgie guards it like it’s a precious bone, despite being a third of Teddy’s size. He thinks he’s a wolf, I swear.

Patellar Luxation: The Skippy Leg

Remember how Georgie used to occasionally do that weird little skip-hop with one of his back legs? We just thought it was a quirky Morkie thing. Turns out, it’s a common Morkie thing, but it’s called patellar luxation, which is basically a fancy way of saying his kneecap slides out of place. It happens when the groove where the kneecap sits isn’t deep enough, so the patella pops out laterally. For Georgie, it was his left rear leg. One day he’d be limping noticeably, favoring that leg entirely, and the next day he’d seem fine. Our vet explained that small breeds—especially toy breeds like Morkies, Chihuahuas, and toy poodles—are genetically predisposed to this because of how their leg structure develops. The kneecap luxation can range from Grade 1 (occasional popping out, usually painless) to Grade 4 (permanent dislocation, significant lameness). Georgie’s been hovering between Grade 1 and Grade 2 for the past two years. Some days his gait is perfectly normal, other days he’s doing that skip-hop thing.

Surgery is an option if it gets worse—typically running $1,500 to $3,000 per leg depending on the vet and severity—but our vet said that at his current grade, we can manage it conservatively. We’ve been giving him a joint supplement, Cosequin for Small Dogs with ASU (about $30 for a month’s supply on Amazon), which contains glucosamine and chondroitin to support cartilage health. We also try to keep his exercise moderate and controlled—no crazy jumping off furniture, no running full-tilt for long periods. It’s tough because he wants to zoom around like a maniac, but we’ve learned that a couple of short, calm walks are better for his joints than one intense play session. We’ve also made sure he maintains a healthy weight, since extra pounds put more stress on those tiny knees. The vet checks in on it at every appointment, and we have a standing understanding that if it progresses to Grade 3 or he starts limping consistently, we’ll revisit the surgery conversation.

Heart Murmurs and Age-Related Changes

During a routine checkup about a year ago, our vet noticed a heart murmur. Heart issues can be pretty common in older toy breeds, and Morkies, being a cross between a Maltese and a Yorkshire Terrier, can inherit cardiac issues from either side. The vet wasn’t overly alarmed at that point—said it was mild—but wanted to keep an eye on it. We had an echocardiogram done at a veterinary cardiology specialist (cost us around $500), which showed everything was structurally normal, just that slight murmur. The cardiologist said to monitor for any signs of fatigue, coughing (especially at night or after exercise), or difficulty breathing. So far, Georgie hasn’t shown any of those signs. He still zooms around like a tiny maniac, still follows me from room to room, still acts like he’s starving at 5 p.m. when dinner isn’t for another hour. But we’re definitely more aware now. We’ve cut back on overly salty treats and try to keep his sodium intake reasonable. We haven’t put him on any cardiac medications yet—the cardiologist said that’s not necessary at this stage—but it’s something we’re monitoring closely as he ages.

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