Pomeranian Health Problems
The following are the most common health problems in our breed the Pomeranian
Luxating patellas are knees that slip out of place, this is commonly found in all Toy breeds and is found in our beloved Pomeranian too. We do our best to eliminate this condition through careful breeding but it has been in the breed so long that it is difficult to eliminate all together. The knees are graded by the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals). Normal knees are of course desired , but Grades 1 and 2 are more common and in toy breeds and they will go on to lead normal healthy lives without being bothered by it. Grades 3 and 4 can require surgery. Toy dogs with normal patellas can injure their patellas by jumping off couches and beds etc and cause a luxating patella to happen this way too.
Hypothyroidism (Low Thyroid) is very common in the Pomeranian.
Because poms are small it is a good preventative to purchase a harness for going out for walks instead of a collar around his neck. This will help prevent trachea problems. Unfortunatley a collapsing trachea is life-threatening so you must know the symptoms. If your pom is sounds like he is coughing up a hairball or is making honking type noises the problem may be his trachea. Now of course our hairy friends do cough up the odd hairball so don't be alarmed as it may be just that, but if it seems to never get better than it might be time for a trip to the Vet. It can be diagnosed with an X-Ray. Remember it can be life threatening so don't ignore your instincts.
Heart Problems can be slight to life threatening. Heart problems such as murmors are detected at a puppy's first Vet check. Exercise, nutritious food and keeping your poms teeth clean can all help to keep your poms heart healthy. Unfortunatley some heart conditions are impossible to diagnose until sudden death occurs. Ask your breeeder if heart problems run in the bloodlines he is working with.
AKA Black Skin Disease, Alopecia, Severe Hair Loss Syndrome. All these are the same condition in poms. These poms have a fluffy puppy coat that never changes to their adult coat and when they shed their hair does not grow back entirely. Some poms develop the syndrome at a later age when the coat appears to thin and the skin turns black. It often starts at the back of the thighs and buttocks and moves toward the back. Some poms will grow their coats back once spayed or neutered, but no two dogs are the same. Some forms of coat loss can be due to low thyroid and thyroid pills can make a difference. Unfortunatley there is no testing available for this condition.
Some Pomeranians have idiopathic epilepsy. Which means that they do not know what causes it. Liver problems, kidney problems, head trauma and other reasons may cause seizures. Idiopathic epilepsy typically occurs between 3-7 years of age and is thought to be inherited. Seizures can be very frightening to someone who has never seen one before. Look up eplilepsy on the internet to gain a better understnding of this syndrome.
There have been documented cases of Hip Displasia in Pomeranians, although not common. Hip displasia can cause problems as the pomeranian grows older causing arthritis and soundness issues.