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HEALTH PROBLEMS PARTICULAR TO POMERANIANS

Jewel and Shadow
Dreamer

Like any other breed, the Pomeranian encounters certain health conditions more than others. Some Pomeranians will retain their puppy teeth, some may go lame or develop thyroid problems, and others may go bald (rare). Except for baldness, these problems can be corrected. We list these conditions because they are particular to the breed. One need not be overly concerned as these conditions are rare. Pomeranians are on average a very healthy and hardy breed. Signs of Black Skin Disease (baldness) do not appear right away. At six months Pomeranian puppies start growing their adult coats. With Black Skin disease the puppy never grows his adult coat. At eighteen months the puppy coat falls out in patches around the rear, tail, and backs of thighs. The skin turns black or gray but does not devope into sores or emit any odors. The puppy is still a healthy animal. This is an extremely rare condition but it does happen. Ask your breeder for information about the history of Black Skin Disease in his/her breeding program. Hypoglycemia: This sudden drop in blood glucose levels appears more in toy breeds. And usually occurs in very young pups, but can also occur to older, stressed out Pomeranians. The symptoms are sudden collapse, weakness, tremors, and sometimes convulsions. Always keep Nutrical or corn syrup on hand. Rub one eighth inch bead of Nutrical on the gums of any dog displaying these symptoms. Patellar Luxation: A condition in which the stifle (kneecap) slips out of its groove. It is usually an inherited disorder but can also be caused by an injury. The degree of luxation varies from mild, that barely affects the dog to severe that requires surgery. Don't let the diagnosis of patellar luxation discourage you as the majority of poms with this condition live normal lives, and if the condition is severe surgery will take care of the problem. Symptoms: In mild cases the foot of the affected leg toes in, and the hock points out. When the knee pops out , the dog will stretch his rear leg along his side, with his paw pointing toward his nose, and and he will experience considerable pain. Take your Pom to the vet and ask them to show you how to put the knee back in place. Please note that for the good of the breed, a dog with patellar luxation  should not be bred. Baby Teeth: Common to toy breeds, some Poms will get two rows of teeth. The row of puppy teeth should be extracted as this extras set can throw off the bite. Puppies should be given chew toys which help loosen the baby teeth. Unless you are showing the dog it is better to wait before having them extracted as they usually fall out on there own.

 
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