What Is A Pomeranian?
Pomeranians are small in size but big in personality. These tiny dogs have 3-4 pounds weight, making them the smallest of the Nordic dog breeds. Bright and energetic Pomeranian are also called whip-smart. Training a Pomeranian is easy because they want to learn new things and want to make their owner happy. The signature appearance includes frill around the chest and neck. The Pomeranian has a happy face with erect ears and almond shaped eyes. The most common Pomeranian colors are orange and red, but they can also be black, blue, chocolate, brindle and white. Pomeranians that are white with patches of different colors are called "parti colored".
How Long Do Pomeranians Live?
Pomeranian's average lifespan is 12 to 16 years. Some Pomeranians live longer than average lifespan. Most small dogs including Pomeranian becomes mature earlier than large dog breeds. Genes play an important role in life expectancy, so pomeranian lifespan also depends upon it.
If you avoid some elements that are fatal with proper care, it can also help to increase the lifespan of your Pom.
Common Health Problems That Reduce Pomeranian Lifespan
Pomeranians are healthy dogs but there are some common health problems that can reduce their lifespans. By learning these common health issues, you can also learn on how to prolong their lifespan.
Trauma:
Trauma is the main cause of death in Pomeranian dogs. Trauma includes being dropped, being hit by a car accident or being accidently stepped on. Even a scratch by a cat to your Pomeranians can be a cause of concern, although they may look fine, it is advised to bring them to see a vet, just to make sure. In case you do not witness the trauma accident, you can easily spot accident through observing their behavior.
Obesity:
The common problem in Pomeranian is obesity. They do not need a large amount of food because of their small size, but some owners can feed their dogs too much that can lead to obesity. Therefore, obesity can cause many other diseases such as arthritis, diabetes and joint pain etc.
Teeth problems:
As Pomeranians are small in size, they also have small mouths which are small for teeth. So, overcrowding teeth can lead to many teeth and gums issues including formation of plaques and tartar. If plaques and tartar are not removed at time, it can lead to gingivitis which can cause premature tooth loss in Pomeranian dogs.
Hypoglycemia:
Low blood glucose which is also called hypoglycemia is a common health issue in Pomeranian. Hypoglycemia is due to metabolic disorder. If a Pomeranian dog has hypoglycemic attacks, it will be fatal.
The common signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia are:
In serious cases, the dog can collapse and die. If your Pomeranian dog shows these symptoms, the first thing is to give her some sugar such as honey or jam. If your dog already loses his consciousness, take some honey and rub it inside her mouth. The next step is to take your dog to the veterinarian for further treatment.
Hypothyroidism:
Hypothyroidism is the deficiency of thyroid hormone and Pomeranian is also suspected of this disease. Most of the cases of hypothyroidism in Pomeranian are caused by an autoimmune disease known as autoimmune thyroiditis.
The common symptoms of hypothyroidism in Pomeranian dogs are:
- Weight gain
- Lethargy
- Cold intolerance
- Joint pain
- Repeated skin and ear infections
By the way, here are top 10 dog foods for hypothyroidism.
Gastrointestinal problems:
Some serious gastrointestinal problems cause early death of Pomeranian dogs. These problems include inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, intestinal blockage and lymphangiectasis.
Tips To Help Your Pomeranian Live Longer
Dental care:
Pomeranian's teeth need proper brushing, so dental care is important. Many dogs get sick and even die due to the infection in their mouth. Pomeranian dogs that lose their teeth in early stages can experience difficulty in eating, so they are not getting sufficient food. It is important to brush your dog's teeth regularly because it can help to live a healthy life.
Vaccination:
Infections are the second most common cause of death in Pomeranians that can be prevented through proper vaccination. According to Dr. Shelley Brown: "The risk of not vaccinating, of course, is pretty high that they're going to get, dogs especially, distemper or parvo, both of those diseases [are] very difficult on the pet." Here, you may also wish to get a booster shot for your Pomeranians each year too.
Healthy weight:
If you want to help your Pomeranian to live longer, healthy weight and weight management are the key for it. It is easy for a dog to become overweight, so you have to take care of your dog's weight. If a dog is fed too many times a day, it can become overweight. If your dog eats unhealthy food that can also lead to many health problems.
Weight is managed by giving them healthy food and taking them to the local park for walk and exercise. It can help them to stay at a healthy weight.
If your dog is overweight, you can visit the veterinarians because they may be able to give your dog a proper diet plan.
Ideal balance of activities:
Too much exercise can affect the growth of a Pomeranian dog. On the other hand, if your Pomeranian dog is lazy then it will affect the lean muscles. If your dog has healthy weight, there is a chance that he or she may gain extra unwanted weight. So, you have to make sure that your dog has balanced body weight and take them to walk once or twice a day regularly.
Regular exercise:
If you want to increase the lifespan of your Pomeranian, it is important to know that your dog is getting exercise daily. If you have a yard, you can let your Pomeranian run in the yard. The good thing about Pomeranians is their small size, so they can easily run inside the home for exercise purposes.
The amount and type of exercise that your Pomeranian requires depend on the age and health. Most veterinarians recommend that Pomeranian get at least 30 minutesof exercise daily. Some simple indoor games for small dog include tug of war or hide and seek game. These games are easy to play and take less energy for you as an adult but helps tremendously for your tiny dogs.
Final Words on Pomeranian Life Expectancy:
Pomeranians are small dogs and are in toy breed groups. They can be found in a wide variety of colors. Before buying a dog, you have your dog genetically tested that can help to avoid some serious inherited diseases. You can increase the lifespan by loving your Pomeranian dog.
We should also take care of them and prevent them from obesity, injury and infections. The Pomeranian has an average life expectancy of 12-16 years. Healthy diet, exercise and proper care can help your dog to live a happy and longer life.
Here is a cute short clip of a pomeranian puppy progression: Lifespan of a dog journey.Last update on 2021-09-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API