How To Care For Pomeranian Health Problems

Toy breeds are affected by many health problems and the Pomeranian is one of them. It is very important that you look out for Pomeranian health problems. By knowing which health problems to be on the lookout for you can spot health problems before they become life threatening or permanently harm the dog, allowing the veterinarian to treat the condition before it is too late.

A condition called Patent Ductus Arteriosus or PDA commonly affects Pomeranian's. It is a type of congenital heart disease that can lead to heart failure and death unless you correct it at an early age. The female is twice as likely to get PDA as the males. By eight months of age half the dogs that are not treated will develop left sided heart failure. Other breeds aside from the Pomeranian that are affected by this condition include the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, German Shepherds, Toy and Miniature Poodles, Collies, Cocker Spaniels and Shetland Sheepdogs.

Another of the common Pomeranian health problems includes entropion, which is an eye defect in which the eyelid turns in towards the eyeball. This causes the hairs or lashes to rub against the surface of the eye. This condition may involve either the upper or lower eyelids or even a combination of both. Typically Pomeranian's will have both eyes affected. The condition is very painful for the dog and will cause their eyes to water and the hairs on the face may become stained from the tears.

To correct the problem surgery is required. The signs of this condition include excessive tearing, red eyes and squinting. If the condition is not corrected as soon as possible then it can result in damage to the eye that can be severe enough to cause either partial or complete loss of vision for the dog. This is why it is important to recognize this condition and have it treated as early as possible.

Pomeranian health problems also include conditions that are inherited from the adults to the puppies. Two of the most common include hydrocephalus and patellar luxation. Hydrocephalus is more commonly known as "water on the brain" and is a condition in which the brain cavity of the skull collects excess fluid. Most of the time the condition is a result of trauma, but the Pomeranian's can also have it as a hereditary condition. Puppies affected with this condition will develop more slowly. For adult dogs the signs of this condition include circling, pacing, seizures and paralysis.

Patellar luxation is a inherited joint condition known as "slipping kneecaps". This is when the kneecap doesn't have a groove deep enough to move in and as a result slips out of the groove. With this condition you will notice your dog hopping for a few steps. Typically the condition is corrected permanently through a single surgery.