Fluffy Poms

                                                   Health Information

 

Hypoglycemia is one of the most common health issues among Pomeranian's and small breeds. Hypoglycemia is when the glucose (blood sugar) drops below normal. This is most common in teacup and small puppies if treated properly symptoms should disappear after 15 weeks of age. Some teacup and small puppies cannot produce their own glucose, it is not known why. It is extremely dangerous and you must do something about it immediately.  Teacup Puppies can't skip meals and they need to have food and water next to the at all times until the puppy is mature.   Pay attention to their eating habits and follow the feeding instructions your breeder gives you.
Signs of Hypoglycemia with Your Pomeranian Puppy
Symptoms of hypoglycemia will vary depending on how low and how fast the Pomeranian puppy's blood sugar level drops. Symptoms include but are not limited to:
    *Lethargy
    *Weakness
    *Head tilting
    *Restlessness
    *Trembling
    *Disorientation
    *Slow breathing
    *Convulsions or seizures
Note: when buying a "teacup" or small puppy make sure you have honey, kyro syrup, or pancake syrup (not sugar free) on hand. If the puppy is experiencing signs of hypoglycemia rub the above on their gums, and add a little so soft food and feed them with it everyday up to 15 weeks old.

Seizures or idiopathic epilepsy. Known as idiopathic because the cause is not known and epilepsy basically means repeat seizures. Seizures might happen as a onetime occurrence for numerous reasons, however if the seizures are repetitive this is called epilepsy. Seizures can be random, but can also be brought on by heat exhaustion, dehydration, or stress. When you pet experiences a seizure it is best to get them to drink water as soon as possible, or hooked up to an IV.
Signs of a Seizure
* Foaming at the mouth
* unconsciousness
* Limbs Stretched ridged
* Weakness, falling down, unable to stand
* excessive drooling
* odd movements of the jaw
* unresponsiveness
* very enlarged pupils
* Loss of muscle control
* Running in place

Heart Murmurs A heart murmur is an abnormal heart sound caused by turbulent blood flow into, through or out of one or more heart chambers. A murmur itself is not a disease; it is just a sound that a veterinarian hears when listening to amplified heart sounds through a stethoscope. Murmurs can exist at birth or develop later in life. They can be caused by anatomical heart defects and infectious, inflammatory or other disease processes. Heart valves can be associated with murmurs due to endocardiosis, endocarditis, valvular stenosis or dysplasia. It is common in small dogs, for puppies to have mild heart murmurs that go away when the puppy grows into adulthood. Dogs with heart murmurs may show no signs; the murmur may only be detected during a routine physical examination or when the dog sees a veterinarian for a supposedly unrelated problem. In other cases, heart murmurs reflect serious disease. Many murmurs never require medical attention, even if they are pronounced. Causes of minor murmurs often can be managed with exercise and dietary change. Surgery may be necessary for more serious heart conditions causing murmurs.

Cataracts - An Eye Disease in Canines, cataracts are one of the most frequent problems affecting the eyes of dogs.  Toy dogs, such as the Pomeranian,  are more prone to this health issue.  There are many different forms of canine cataracts and these develop for varied reasons. This health issue can appear at any age: from right when a Pomeranian is born to an older, senior dog.

     Sign's of Cataracts
*   A change in the color of the Pomeranian dog’s eye – sometimes blue, gray or white tinting
*   The dog will begin to bump into walls, etc as their vision becomes blurred
*   Swelling on or around the eyes
*   Redness in or around the dog’s eyes
*   Rubbing the eyes – these can be painful for a dog
Note: If you suspect that your Pomeranian has this health issue, the veterinarian can diagnosis this with blood tests, ultra sounds and sometimes an electroretinogram.
Many cataracts are able to be surgically removed.  Early detection is vital, as left untreated, this will most often lead to blindness.