| THIS PAGE IS FOR TIPS SPECIFIC TO POMS OR TO TOY BREED DOGS IN GENERAL. |
| TIP # 1: It is common in the Pomeranian and other Toy Breeds to have Patellar Luxation (weak knees). This is not just a congenital/hereditary defect, but it can also be brought on by injury. This is why it is important to not allow them to jump on and off furniture, or to allow small children to hold them, that may drop them, or allow them to jump from their arms, or even to teach them to stand up on their hind legs. This can be very painful for them and costly to fix. |
| TIP # 2: Pomeranians may lose their fur for many reasons. This is called Blowing Their Coat, (blow-out). They can blow-out when any type of surgery is done, spay, neuter, dental cleaning, etc.. or when stressed or injured, after whelping a litter of puppies, or their heat cycle, or just have seasonal blow-outs. All puppies should blow-out the puppy coat from 10-16 weeks of age. Any time a pom blows the coat, it usually will start to grow back within 2-4 months. |
| TIP # 3: It is common in the Pomeranian and other Toy Breeds to have Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). This can be brought on by stress, injury, lack of food/water, as well as other reasons. This is why it is important to make as few changes as possible, and to make sure that they have food/water available at all times, to not change their diet without doing so slowly and gradually, etc... It is recommended that when you purchase a Pomeranian or a Toy Breed that you keep on hand a tube of Nutri-Cal, or a bottle of Nutri Drops, or Stat liquid, they are vitamin supplements that you can purchase at your vets, or most pet supply stores. They are High Calorie and will help restore low blood sugar if given at first signs. You should have this prior to taking home your new Pom. |
| TIP # 4: It is common in the Pomeranian and other Toy Breeds to have an Open Fontanel (soft spot on head). This most of the time will close, but occasionally they may not and are not a problem unless secondary to another condition called Hydrocephalus (water on the brain) which if in this case other symptoms are present as well. As with any babies soft spot precautions need to be maintained to prevent injury to that area. |
| TIP # 5: It is common in the Pomeranian and other Toy Breeds to have Collapsing Trachea, (wind pipe collapses). This is why it is important when you teach your Pom to walk on a leash, that you teach it to walk on a leash that is attached to a harness, rather than a collar. Any amount of pressure on the throat area of the Pomeranian, or other Toy Breed is best avoided if possible. |
| NOW YOU MIGHT ASK, WHY ON EARTH WOULD ANYONE BREED A BREED THAT HAS HEALTH ISSUES? |
| ALL purebred dog breeds have health issues that are common in that breed. There is no breed that is health issue free. While looking for a purebred dog to make a member of your family, you need to look further than does it shed in the house or not, does it have dog smell or not, you also need to look at the health issues common in that breed, and whether or not you are able, willing, and capable of handling them should you ever have to deal with them. As some issues may arise years down the road without any prior notice or warning, or even without ever showing up in the lines (family of that dog) ever before, since some of the same issues are not just congenital or hereditary, but may also be caused by injury. Luxating Patella, Collapsing Trachea,, Hypoglycemia, seizures, a long list of things can be injury induced. This is why it is important that if anything ever does go wrong, make sure that it is not injury induced by taking the animal in for a complete exam at a Licensed Veterinarian, get a statement from that Veterinarian before you go pointing any fingers. You cannot take for granted that anything that goes wrong is the breeders fault, or the lines fault, sometimes you might have to look to yourself, or household members, and the care over the animal in it's own home, or when visiting others. Most breeders are easy to get along with, and willing to do the right thing, as well as would greatly appreciate knowing if there is a problem in any of their lines that they somehow was not aware of prior. You also cannot assume that if you buy Champion lined dogs, that they are going to be health issue free, or that if you buy from a person that exhibits and breeds show quality, that they will be health issue free. Every breeder has just the same chance that they will have some type of health issue, some sort of defect, or congenital/hereditary issue, if they do not cull their stock or get Veterinarian care on a regular basis. Ask to see current vaccine records, even on adults when you go to purchase a dog, this is a sign of good animal care for their stock. Ask to see the living conditions/quarters of the animals, this will tell you a lot sometimes. Pay attention to the attitudes of the animals, especially the parents of the pup you are looking to buy. |
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| TIP # 6: It is becoming more common in the Pomeranian and other Toy Breeds to have BSD or Black Skin Disease, much research is being done to help put a stop to the increase of this condition. I have no personal experience with this disease but this site has more info on it. Please check out that site for more info on this condition. |