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                   Character

                                                                                             

Pomeranian is a curious, lively,intelligent, faithful, and playful dog breed. This dog makes a good companion and enjoys extra attention. The Pomeranain makes a good watch dog and may bark at the approach of strangers and unknown pets.

Pomeranian is active but diminutive, needing daily exercise but able to meet its needs with indoor games or short walks. Although it has a warm coat, it is too small and too family-oriented to live as an outdoor dog, but it loves to be outside in dry weather in the summer and in snowy weather in  the winter.

Its double coat needs brushing once  weekly, more when shedding, who happens twice a year.

It is good for  a Pomeranian  to have a bath 3-4 times  in a year. Before the bath, a Pomeranian has to be brushed, in order to avoid  the coat becomes entangled. The Coat  is soaked and washed twice with a good  shampoo to dogs, after which there  rinsed with lot of water   to get all the shampoo out of the coat again. The coat is very thick and it takes a long time to be dry. It is
necessary to use a hair dryer  to get the coat  dry.

Pomeranian gets normally 13-15 years old.



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 Grooming your Pomeranian

                    

The Pomeranian needs to be brushed once a week and 2-3 times weekly, when shedding coat.
Pomeranians shed very little daily hair. Normally they will "blow" their coats in the late Spring/early Summer. This means that they will shed the thick, downy, under-coat, almost completely and very quickly. Females usually do a partical blow after a heat cycle. Males and sprayed females blow once a year.


The dead coat must be removed as soon as possible to allow the new coat to come in. If all loose hair not are removed, it will result in matts, which may have to be removed by cutting. This can be avoided by grooming regularly.


Behind the ears and the groin area oyour Pomeranian are areas prone to knots and tangles.
Always dampen the coat before brushing. Don´t brush a dry coat as this will cause split ends.
In my opinion is a Maeson&Pearson brush the best. It gives an excellent result.
There  are many different opinions about how often a Pomeranian should have a bath, but  by bathing a Pomeranian on a regular basis, the coat will grow. Dirty hair break off.
I bath my dogs every second month and those dogs who are going to a show get a bath 4-5 days before .


It is important to wash a Pomeranian often as dirt and dust are very drying and abrasive to a dogs coat.
 Before the bath, a Pomeranian has to be brushed, in order to avoid  the coat becomes entangled
The Coat  is soaked and washed twice with a good  shampoo to dogs, after which there  rinsed with lot of water   to get all the shampoo out of the coat again. The coat is very thick and it takes a long time to be dry. It is necessary to use a hair dryer  to get the coat  dry, because a Pomeranian will be cold for at least 3-4 hours, before it is dry, and that can give a pneumonia.
Nails must be kept as short as possible to help achieve a nice little "cat foot". Remember to also check any unremoved dewclaws and keep these trimmed short.
The Hairs between the pads has to be cut very short in order to avoid sponge.
Every week it is necessary to check the teeth, because a Pomeranian very easily get tartar. I give my dogs "Plaque-Off",  which is a powder,  who is made of alga from the ocean. Once a week they get  an  ox-bone . It can keep the tartar in a minimum.


At the corner of the eye , can be formed small black lumps, who had to be taken away. Constantly the area under the eye can be wet because of tears. Here it is a good idea to bath with camomiletea and use a special cream at the area.


Grooming your Pomeranian






eye cream
or
eyerinse

Before common grooming
After common grooming
(not for show)


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FCI- standard in English


                                                                                                                                              
          
                     
                    































                Health problems at Pomeranians

                                         


Generally the Pomeranian is a healthy dog, who has a long life without big vetbills, but just like other breeds the Pomeranian also has some health cocerns, which are particular to this breed.
Here I will mention the most common disorders, who can happen, even though it is very rare it will happen to the breed.
With the exception of retain puppyteeth, which is more normal than rare.



Contents of Health problems :
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Retain puppyteeth


It is very rare a Pomeranian will change all the puppy teeth with the permanent teeth
by itsself.
Normally will the puppy teeth be changed from 3 - 7 months of age. With the Pomeranian they retain in that case two rows of teeth will be formed.
It is often the canine teeth and front teeth, who retain and have to be removed by a Vet in anaesthesia about tha age of 7 months.
If the puppy teeth don´t be removed can following turn up:
1) Crooked teeth position.
2) Gumsinfection.
3) The permanent teeth will not come forward.
4) Rest of food can stuck between the rows of teeth and cause bad breath and carries.
In order to counteract retain puppy teeth, sholud the puppy be given chew toys and soft food must be avoided.
It is  probably heriditary disorder. It is particularly small breeds who get retain puppy teeth.
Normally will the root of the puppy tooth get dissolved by some speciel cells in the jaw, but by this disorder lacks this solution and the puppy teeth will consequently retain.



B = Permanent teeth
M = Puppy teeth



Patella Luksation




Patella luksation can be seen in all breeds og dogs. The patella ( " Knee Cap") is a small bone that protects the front of the stifle joint. The patella is held in place by ligaments and slides in a groove in the femur called the throchlea.
If the groove is too shallow, the knee cap will slip out when the knee bends. When the knee cap slips out of the groove. This is called "patellar luxation". Patella luksation is usually an inherited defect, which occurs during the developmental stages of the fetus and is rarely acquired as a result of trauma.
There are 2 different types of patellar luxation: MEDIAL and LATERAL patella luksation, as can be seen in the diagram below.
When the patella slips out and goes to the inside of the leg, this is called "medial patellar luxation" .This type of luxation is more common in the smaller breeds of dogs such as Pomeranian. In some Pomeranian it may be seen in puppies as they begin to walk. In other s it may not be seen until later in life. A dog with luxating patellas may have a gait which is sometimes normal and sometimes abnormal, since the patella may slip in and out of place. When it is out of place, the affected leg is usually carried with the joint bent and the foot turned inwards. 25% of cases are seen in both legs.
If the patella slips out and goes to the outside of leg, this is called " lateral patella luksation" and is more common in large or giant breeds of dogs and is usually seen at between 5 and 6 months of age. It can be observed as a "knock-kneed" type of stance. The foot often twists outward as weight is placed on the limb. Both knees are almost always involved.
Diagnosis of luksation is made by attempting to push the patella out of the trochlear groove. The degree of luksation is graded between 1 and 4 depending on how easy it is dislocate the patella and whether or not the patella returns spontaneously to the trochlear groove. The table below shows the grades of severity and the definition for each grade.

Grade 1:
Patella can be manually luxated, but patella returns to position when pressure is released.		 Grade 2:
Patella can be manually luksated or can spontaneously move to the side when the joint is flexed; patella remains luxated until it is manually reduced or the joint is extended and the leg rotated in the opposite direction of the luxation.		 Grade 3:
Patella remains luksated most of the time, but can be manually reduced with the joint extended ; flexion and extension of the joint results in reluxation of the patella.		 Grade 4:
Patella is permanenly luxated and can not be manually repositioned. The trochlear groove is either too shallow or is missing all together.

Grades 1 and grades 2 :
Pomeranians with these grades intermittently carry their affected limb with the joint flexed.
Grades 3 and grades 4 :
Crouching, bowlegged or knock-kneed stances are seen for either medial or lateral luxations. Most of the wieght is transferred to the front limbs.


Treatment for patella luksation involves surgical procedures geared towards redefining the throchlear groove realigning the patella, and reinforcing the soft tissues, cartliages, and some procedures also include the use of pins and wires to assist in the stabilization of the joint structures. The specific operation done depends a great deal on the age of the dog and the type of luxation.
Normal knees are, of course the most desirable, but grade 1 and grade 2 are not unusual in toy breeds to whom Pomeranian belongs .

Here you can read more about Patella Luksation

                                    

 Normal Joint      Medial           Lateral
               Patella Luksation   Patella Luksation		 1: Patella
2: Femur
3: Patella ligament
4: Tibial Tuberosity
5: Medial Luksation of Patella
6: Lateral Luksation of  Patella
                                  




















Low Thyroid  (Hypothyroiddism)


The thyroid gland has a number of different  functions, but it is most well known for its role in regulating metabolism. Thyroid hormone is needed for normal cellular metabolic function.
Hypothyroidism is the condition that occurs when not enough thyroid hormone is produced.
Hypothyroidism causes a wide variety of symptoms, but is often suspected in dogs, that have trouble with weight gain or obesity and suffer from hair loss and skin problems.
Hypothyroidism is easy to diagnose with a blood test, that checks the level of various thyroid hormones. Most hypothyroid dogs respond readily to treatment with synthetic thyroid medication. Although the anset of clinical signs is variable. Hypothyroidism most commonly  develops in middle-aged dogs between the age of 4 to 10 years.
Symptoms:
1) Lethargy and apathetic.
2) Weight gain / Obesity.
3) Hairloss.
4) Dry hair coat / excessive shedding.
5)Hyperpigmentation of the skin.
6) High blood cholesteral.
8) Cold intolerance.
 One of the nicest things about this disease, is that it is easily treated.
The dog must have a daily dose of synthetic thyroid hormone called thyroxine. It is usually placed on a standard dose for its weight and adjusted accordingly. Once therapy is started the dog will need to be on treatment for the rest of its life. Usually after the treatment is started, the majority of the symptoms resolve.
Here you can read more about Hypothyroidism		   Hypothalamus


Cartilage



Thyroid


Trachea




























Collapsing Tracheas




The normal trachea is tubular. It maintains its shape because of a series of rings made of cartilage. These rings do not completely encircle the trachea. Instead, they go from the 2 oóclock to 10 o´clock positions. The remainder of the trachea is composed of a flezible membrane that joins the ends of the cartilage rings.
When the cartilage rings are flattened from the top to the bottom, the trachea is said to be collapsed.
The rings lose their stiffness so they are not able to retain their circular shape.
It occurs often in small breeds.
Symptoms:
 - Dry and harch cough, which often is called "goose honk".
 - Trouble with breathing.
 - In urgently situations: Blue tonque  ,mucous membranes and  
   fainting.
The cough may begin due to excitement, pressure on the trachea
(from a leach), or from drinking water or eating.
Treatment:
An X-ray of trachea and the chest in order to detect a possible bronchitis.
To avoid the nuisance of this dieorder:
 -  Give the dog a harness on instead of leach.
 - Reducing weight in obese dogs.
 -  Maintaining a lowstress enviroment.
 - Refrain from smoking in the near of the dog.
Collapsed trachea can be treated medically with anti-flammoatory drugs and cough mixture.
If this disorder occurs to the dog before 6 months of age, it is inborn.
With elderly dogs ( over 7 years old) , who get this disorder, it can be caused by other disorders in the lungs or heart, which caused trouble with the breathan  and collapsing tracheas.

Here you can read more about Collapsing Tracheas



Tracheacollaps




  25%           50%         75%     almost closed





Harness





















Low level in blood glucose

(Hypoglycemia)


Low blood sugar is a possible problem with all  toy breed puppies. As a toy breeder or pet owner, it is important to recognize the symptoms of hypoglycemia and known how to treat it. Hypoglycemia is easily treatable in the early stages, but fatal if allowed to progress.
Symptoms:
 1)The first sign og hypoglycemia is the puppy slowing down and then acting listless.
 2)The puppy will then begin to tremble or shiver.
This is a reaction caused as the brain is starved for glucose.
 3)The trembling is followed by a blank stare and the puppy lying on his side. He may also experience convulsions.
 4)After a time, the puppy will become comatose. His body will be limp, lifeless, and the tongue and gums will be a 
     grayish/blue colour.
 5) The body temperature will be subnormal. The puppy may even appear to be dead.

 Treatment:
A:
If caught in the early stages, treatment is simple.Rub glucose on the puppy´s gums, under the tongue, and on the roof of the mouth. Get a heating pad or heating blanket and slowly warm the puppy to prober body temperature. If the puppy respons, all is well. Feed a meal right away with glucose in.
Monitor the puppy to be sure that the condition does not recur. Be sure to eliminate stress that caused the episode if at all possible.
B:
If caught in the more advanced stages, treatment is more complicated. Always assume that the puppy is alive. Rub glucose in the mouth and carefully insert a small amount in the rectum . Slowly warm the puppy to normal body temperature (101-102 degrees F) and keep him warm continuously with light heat. If the puppy still does not respond, carefully drop glucose solution into the mouth. a little at time.
Call your veterinarian and inform him that you have a hypoglycemic puppy. He will prepare a warmed glucose solution to inject subcutaneously and may put your puppy on an drip.

Just because a puppy has an episode of hypoglycemia. it does not mean that the puppy is truly "hypoglycemic".
True hypoglycemia is a chronic condition caused by overproduction of insulin by the pancreas.
Toy puppies can have an isolated hypoglycemic  incident in reaction to stress. Some examples of common stresses include:
 - weaning
 - teething
 - vaccinations.
 - infections
 - cold temperatures
 - intestinal parasites.
 - over-handling
 - shipping
 - a change in enviroment.
 - anorexia.
Many puppies simply play too hard and stress their system or forget to eat. Hypoglycemia most often occurs when the puppy has not eaten for several hours.

 Here you can read more about  Hypoglycemia






Brain

Pancreas








Glucose






















Black Skin Disease (BSD/ AlopeciaX)



This disorder is caused by disturbances in homone producing glands.
It is about: Sexhormone disturbances.
                 Shortage of Thyroid hormones.

There is two kinds of this disorder:
1):
At six months Pomeranian puppies start growing their adult coats. With servere hair loss syndrome = BSD the puppy never grows his adult coat. At nine to fourteen 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 develop into sores or emit any odors.
Often these puppies have a thick "cotton" coat.

2):
Another version of the same condition happens at a later age (2-3 years) with a normal appeaning coat that slowly starts to thin, starting in the back og the tighs and buttocks and moving up the back. The skin turnes black or gray.

This disorder is most common to males, but can be occurs to females too.
The changes in the skin will characterization not cause itch.
Hair may regrow periodically.
Treatment:
  -  Blood test
   -  Skin test.
   - Possible spray/neuter.
This because the coat can regrow, but unfortunately the majority of these dogs will, after a while, loose hair again.
   -  Possible thyroid hormone.

Many Pomeranian can live a normal life with this disorder, but most become only 8-9 years old.

BSD  is heriditary and breeding should not be done at these Pomeranians.
   
  Here You can read more about BSD


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Pomeranian with normal coat



Same Pomeranian with BSD