I hope someone can help me. Yesterday my 9 month old Yorkie was in the back garden. I was in the house. The garden is secure with 7 foot security fence all around the garden. I heard her cry and she ran in the house, up the stairs and hid under the bed. I couldn't get her to come out from under the bed. I tried, but she would growl and snap at me, especially when I touched her front right paw. Unlike her completely. She latter on vomited foamy stuff a few times. Then she was fine, ate dinner and just relaxed more or less. But she has become obsessed with licking her back paw. I have checked all her paws to see if I can see anything. I have found nothing. She is walking and running fine. But her behavior is surprisingly different at times. For no reason at all, she will growl and snap at you. She doesn't bite, just a warning snap. But she is very aggressive when she does this. It's ususally when she is licking at her paws. She has been spayed, so season is not an issue. I'm taking her to the vet tomorrow to have her checked out just to be sure, but thought maybe someone could give me some insight as to why her behavior has changed so quickly. I thought maybe she got stung by a bee. She is always going after them. Could that be?? Thanks for any help you can give me. Shirl :D

It might be that she was stung, and if it was a bee the sting might still be in her paw. Could also be that she's got a grass seed stuck in her paw - if she's in pain [and she does sound like she is] then that's probably why she's suddenly become snappy - wait and see what the vet says, and try not to worry too much :)

Annette

Very carefully check in between her toes as well - if she stepped on a thorn it could be embedded in there.

Wendy

I agree it could well be that she has something embedded which is causing her pain :(

I note you also state she is growling and snapping for no apparent reason and if she has not done this before, I would have a good in-depth discussion with the vet esp. if he examines her and finds nothing physically hurting her such as a grass seed.

A sudden change in behaviour can mean a medical problem - hopefully not - but for example, a thyroid problem can lead to, amongst other things, sudden aggression to owners. I'm just using that as an example not suggesting she has a thyroid problem, hopefully the vet will sort it out :)

Lindsay

Thanks to all of you for your help. I've checked her paws and in between her toes and have found nothing. Today she seems just fine. ???? I guess it's one of those things that I will never know what happened. The vet couldn't find anything either, but said if she continues to growl and snap this week, to bring her back in and he will run some test on her. I keep thinking it was a bee. Since everything is in full bloom, there are plenty of them in the garden now and she loves to go after them. If this is the case, I hope she has learnt her lesson that they do sting! Thanks again. Shirl :D