Pomeranian care for teeth, kneecaps, windpipe and coat

A Pomeranian weighs 3 to 7 pounds (about 1.4 to 3.2 kg) according to the American Kennel Club breed profile, and usually lives 12 to 16 years. Most of its care follows from that size. The mouth is crowded, the kneecaps and windpipe are fragile, a puppy has almost no energy reserve, and a few hundred grams of extra weight is a large share of the dog. The AKC lists the conditions responsible breeders screen for: luxating patellas, hypothyroidism, collapsing trachea, heart failure, seizures and alopecia X.

Teeth and gums

Gum disease becomes more likely the smaller the dog. In a UK study of more than 22,000 dogs under primary veterinary care, one in eight was diagnosed with it in a single year, and the odds of periodontal disease rose steadily as adult body weight fell. A Pomeranian carries a full set of 42 teeth in a very short jaw, so plaque collects in the gaps between crowded teeth and along the gum line. Baby teeth that fail to fall out make the crowding worse, so ask the vet to check the mouth once the adult teeth are through, at around six months.

• Brushing: daily is best. A soft finger brush or small-headed toothbrush with dog toothpaste is enough; human toothpaste is not suitable. The AKC suggests brushing at least during the weekly grooming session.
• Chews: pick products sized for toy breeds, and avoid hard items such as antlers, bones and hooves, which can fracture small teeth.
• Checks: have the teeth examined at every vet visit. Cleaning under anesthesia, with dental X-rays, is the only way to treat disease below the gum line, and many toy dogs need it more than once in their lives.

Kneecaps

In a luxating patella the kneecap slips out of its groove on the thigh bone. The dog typically skips for a few strides, holding one hind leg up, and then carries on normally once the kneecap pops back. In a study of more than 210,000 dogs attending primary-care practices in England, 1.3% had a recorded diagnosis, and the Pomeranian was among 11 breeds at raised risk, with about 6.5 times the odds of crossbred dogs. Only about one in eight diagnosed dogs had surgery. Severity is graded from I (slips occasionally and returns by itself) to IV (permanently out of place), and the grade, the dog's age and any lameness guide whether surgery is worthwhile.

• Weight: keep the dog lean. On a 2.5 kg frame, 300 g of fat is more than 10% extra body weight carried on those joints.
• Jumping: use a ramp or steps for the sofa and bed, and lift the dog in and out of the car.
• Floors: rugs or runners on smooth tile and wood give better grip for play and turning.
• Vet visit: skipping that becomes frequent, lasting lameness, or a dog that sits with a hind leg held out sideways should be examined.

The windpipe

Tracheal collapse is a weakening of the cartilage rings that hold the windpipe open, so the airway flattens as the dog breathes. The classic sign is a dry, honking cough, set off by excitement, pulling on the lead, drinking or warm weather. In a recent series of 110 small-breed dogs with the condition, the Pomeranian was one of the four most common breeds, the severity of collapse was linked mainly to high body condition score, and signs improved in most dogs after weight loss, changes at home and medication.

• No pressure on the neck: walk the dog on a Y-shaped chest vest rather than a collar, so a pull on the lead lands on the chest.
• Weight: fat inside the chest and around the neck adds to the problem, so weight loss is part of treatment, not only prevention.
• Air: keep the dog away from cigarette smoke, aerosol sprays and dusty rooms.
• Heat: avoid hard play in warm or humid weather, when panting strains the airway.

Blue or grey gums, fainting, or struggling to breathe during a coughing fit is an emergency. A cough that is getting more frequent needs a vet visit, because heart disease can cause coughing in small dogs too.

The double coat and alopecia X

The coat is a dense, soft undercoat under a longer, stand-off outer coat. The AKC recommends brushing down to the skin with a pin brush and slicker at least once a week, and a full groom (bath, brushing, ears, nails) every four to six weeks. Brush daily while the undercoat is shedding heavily. Dry the dog fully after a bath, because a damp undercoat against the skin invites irritation.

Alopecia X is common in Pomeranians. It is a hair cycle arrest that causes symmetrical, non-itchy coat loss on the body, often with darkening skin, while the head and legs keep their hair. The cause is unknown. In a survey of Pomeranian owners in the Netherlands and Belgium, males and dogs with a woolly coat type were more likely to develop it. Plush double coats can also be slow to regrow after close clipping, so shaving is best left for when a vet needs it. Thinning coat is also a sign of hypothyroidism and Cushing's disease, so hair loss needs a vet to rule those out before it is put down to alopecia X.

A complete, balanced diet supplies the fatty acids, zinc and protein a coat needs. Supplements will not regrow hair lost to alopecia X.

Low blood sugar in puppies

Toy-breed puppies, the Pomeranian among them, are prone to hypoglycemia. Veterinary Partner explains the chain: tiny puppies often cut their teeth late and struggle with hard kibble, they lose body heat easily and become listless, and both cut their food intake. The brain depends on glucose, so a falling blood sugar causes wobbliness, then collapse and seizures. Diarrhea, parasites, infection and the stress of a new home all raise the risk.

• Meals: a very small puppy may need 4 to 6 meals a day, soaked or soft if it cannot yet chew kibble.
• Warmth: keep a young puppy warm, especially after a bath or a car ride.
• Watch intake: a toy puppy that skips a meal, vomits or has diarrhea should see a vet the same day.
• Adults: low blood sugar is mainly a problem of young puppies. An adult with these signs needs a vet to find the cause.

Portions for a very small dog

The Merck Veterinary Manual calculates resting energy requirement (RER) as 70 times body weight in kilograms to the power 0.75, then multiplies it by 1.8 for an intact adult, 1.6 for a neutered adult and 1.4 for a dog that gains easily. The figures are a starting point, to be adjusted by body condition. Because small dogs burn more energy per kilogram, a neutered Pomeranian starts at roughly 85 to 100 kcal per kilogram a day by this formula.

At these totals, a slice of cheese or a large chew takes a noticeable share of the day's energy. Weigh food on kitchen scales rather than using a cup, weigh the dog every month, and count every treat.

Exercise and handling

Pomeranians are lively and enjoy running and play, and two short walks a day plus indoor games suit most adults. The AKC points out two risks specific to their size: they squeeze through small gaps in fences, and large birds of prey can take a dog this small, so they should not be left alone outside. Uncontrolled bigger dogs are a real danger on walks. Early, calm exposure to people, handling and other dogs helps prevent the snappy, fearful behavior that small dogs develop when they are carried away from everything.

Some Pomeranians have Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia, in which the skull is too small for the brain and fluid pockets form in the spinal cord. These are recognized in the breed and are linked to owner-reported signs suggestive of pain. Scratching at the neck or shoulder without skin disease, yelping when picked up, or sensitivity when the head or neck is touched are worth describing to a vet.

Sources

1. Pomeranian dog breed information. American Kennel Club.
2. Epidemiology of periodontal disease in dogs in the UK primary-care veterinary setting. Journal of Small Animal Practice, 2021.
3. The epidemiology of patellar luxation in dogs attending primary-care veterinary practices in England. Canine Genetics and Epidemiology, 2016.
4. A retrospective study of tracheal collapse in small-breed dogs: 110 cases (2022-2024). Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2024.
5. Evaluation of phenotypic risk indicators for the development of alopecia X (hair cycle arrest) in Pomeranian dogs in the Netherlands and Belgium. Veterinary Dermatology, 2025.
6. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in toy breed dogs. Veterinary Partner, VIN.
7. Nutritional requirements of small animals. Merck Veterinary Manual.
8. Longitudinal assessment of syringomyelia in Pomeranians. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 2024.