John K.Rosembert
The Pomeranian (often known as a Pom) Although the Pomeranian (also called Zwergspitz, Dwarf Spitz, Loulou) is a breed of dog of the Spitz type that is named for the Pomerania region in north-west Poland and north-east Germany in Central Europe. They only weighs from three to seven pounds,
The Pomeranian is the smallest member of the Spitz family of dogs, which includes the Samoyed, Alaskan malamute, and Norwegian elkhound, among others.
Poms take their name from the province of Pomerania, in Germany. They became especially popular when Queen Victoria allowed some of her Pomeranians to be shown in a conformation show, the first Pomeranians ever to be shown.
Cute, feisty and furry, Poms are intelligent and loyal to their families. Don’t let their cuteness fool you, however. These independent, bold dogs have minds of their own. They are alert and curious about the world around them. Unfortunately, in their minds, they are much larger than they really are, which can sometimes lead them to harass and even attack much larger dogs.
Luckily, if they are properly socialized with other dogs and animals, they generally get along quite well with them.
Here are some of the most common diseases related to the breed Pomeranian:
1. Luxating patellas _ (knees that slip out of place) are the most common problem in the Pomeranian breed. The knees are graded according to the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals).
2. Hypothyroidism _ (low thyroid) is very common in the Pomeranian breed. Health testing for a normal thyroid is an “optional” test recommended.
3. Collapsed Trachea Pomeranians who make honking noises or cough-like sounds (much like a cat regurgitating a hairball) may have collapsed tracheas. An x-ray can diagnose the issue.
4. Hair Loss _ this problem is often referred to as Black skin disease, BSD, or Alopecia X. An accurate diagnosis is often a very long, inconclusive and expensive exercise.
Many Pomeranian skin conditions can be the cause of the problem, such as Hypothyroidism or low thyroid, Cushing’s disease, eczema, mites, fungus infections and allergies.
5. Hypoglycemia _ can occur in young Pomeranians, It is more common in the very small or very active puppies. Be sure that your breeder gives you complete instructions on how to determine if your puppy is starting to develop hypoglycemia. It is a problem that the puppy outgrows as they mature. Adult hypoglycemia is a serious metabolic disorder. Dogs who have this should not be bred.
6. Seizures or idiopathic epilepsy _ known as idiopathic because the cause is not known and epilepsy basically means repeat seizures. Seizures might happen as an onetime occurrence for numerous reasons, however, if the seizures are repetitive this is called epilepsy.
Sources:
https://dogtime.com/dog-breeds/pomeranian#/slide/1 https://www.dogzhealth.com/pomeranian-health-problems/
http://cdn.akc.org/Marketplace/Health-Statement/Pomeranian.pdf
Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/dog-pomeranian-cute-animal-canine-1113398/
