The Pomeranian is currently one of the most sought-after companion breeds in France and worldwide.

What its popularity often conceals is a health profile that deserves real attention: a documented predisposition to patellar luxation, dental vulnerability common in small breeds, and a respiratory risk that should not be overlooked!

Breed Profile

A descendant of much larger Nordic sled dogs, the Pomeranian was gradually miniaturized, notably at the instigation of Queen Victoria in the 19th century.

It weighs between 1.8 and 3.5 kg and stands 18 to 24 cm at the shoulder.

Curious, devoted to its family, and with a strong personality, it needs training, clear boundaries, and regular stimulation to be well-balanced.

Three predispositions have been documented in veterinary literature. They are independent and can coexist in the same individual.

Patellar Luxation: The Reference Joint Pathology

Mechanism

The kneecap dislocates from the trochlear groove of the femur.

In Pomeranians, it is in the vast majority of cases a medial luxation (MPL). The etiology is polygenic: the typical conformation of small breeds creates medial traction on the stifle extensor apparatus, progressively inducing a deformation of the trochlear groove.

Heritability was estimated at h²=0.44 in a cohort of 339 Pomeranians (Wangdee et al., 2017).

Epidemiological data

In the VetCompass study on 210,824 primary care dogs in England, Pomeranians had the highest selected prevalence among all breeds studied: 6.5% of individuals (95% CI: 3.9-9.2%), with an odds ratio of 6.5 compared to crossbred dogs ( O'Neill et al., 2016 - PMID 27280025 ).

Systematic screening studies in a Thai hospital context found prevalences of 75 to 77%, with 84% bilateral forms.

These figures reveal a selected consulting population and cannot be generalized.

The VetCompass data remains the most epidemiologically robust.

Clinical Grades

The correlation between grade and clinical signs is not always linear.

Grades 3 and 4 almost exclusively lead to functional impairment.

A complication to be aware of: chronic luxation increases the risk of cranial cruciate ligament rupture, documented in co-occurrence in 6.2% of cases in a Swedish study.

Management

Grades 1 and some Grade 2 without clinical signs: medical management (monitoring, weight control, adapted exercise, analgesia if needed).

Symptomatic Grades 2, 3, and 4: surgical correction.

In a prospective study of 55 Pomeranians and 70 preferred stifles, the success rate was 100% for Grade 2, with a recurrence rate of approximately 11% for Grade 3 and 36% for Grade 4 ( Wangdee et al., Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 2013 - PMID 23800782 ).

Warning Signs

• Skipping gait or 3-legged gait for a few steps, then resuming normal.
• Sudden refusal to jump or climb stairs.
• Recurrent carrying of a hind leg.
• Audible or palpable clicking in the knee.
• For a puppy: orthopedic examination recommended from 3 to 4 months of age.

Dental Health: A Medical Priority

Why are small breeds more vulnerable?

Periodontal disease affects 80-89% of dogs over 3 years old, across all breeds.

Its incidence and severity are significantly higher in small breeds.

An analysis of over 3 million records from 60 breeds showed that dogs under 6.5 kg were up to five times more likely to be recorded for periodontal disease than breeds over 25 kg ( Wallis et al., 2021 ).

Two main mechanisms: miniaturization of the jaw creates dental crowding with preferential plaque accumulation in areas inaccessible to brushing; persistence of deciduous teeth, more common in toy breeds, further aggravates this crowding.

What is documented

A study of 2,201 small and medium-sized dogs identified periodontal disease as the primary and overwhelmingly major cause of tooth extraction ( Kim GH et al., 2025 - PMID 39858224 ).

The disease progresses in four stages: only stage 1 (simple gingivitis, without bone loss) is reversible with scaling and regular oral hygiene.

Beyond that, bone destruction is irreversible...

Recommended Routine

• Daily brushing with enzymatic veterinary toothpaste, never human toothpaste.
• Dental check-up under anesthesia with intraoral radiographs at 12 to 18 months, then annually (AAHA 2019 recommendations - PMID 30776257).
• VOHC validated adjuncts in addition to brushing.
• Check for persistent deciduous teeth around 5 to 7 months.

Tracheal collapse: a respiratory condition not to be ignored

Mechanism and data

Tracheal collapse is characterized by the dorsoventral flattening of the cartilaginous rings, corresponding to the caliber of the airways.

It preferentially affects toy and miniature breeds.

A recent retrospective study of 110 small breed dogs separated by fluoroscopy (2022-2024) identifies the Pomeranian as one of the four most represented breed groups, alongside the Maltese, Poodle, and Chihuahua.

97.2% of dogs in this cohort were overweight, confirming its aggravating role (Kim MR et al., Front Vet Sci 2024 - PMC 11349713).

The mechanism involves an anomaly of cartilage synthesis: the tracheal rings lose their tonicity and flatten.

A hereditary component is suspected, but the genes involved have not yet been identified.

Clinical signs and diagnosis

Characteristic sign: dry, honking cough, triggered by excitement, exertion, collar pressure, heat, or food ingestion. Generally problematic from adulthood, with progressive worsening. Diagnosis confirmed by fluoroscopy (real-time collapse dynamics) or bronchoscopy.

Radiography alone can miss it.

Management

The majority of cases respond to medical management: cough suppressants, anti-inflammatories if bronchial components, weight correction, systematic harnesses instead of collars, limitation of irritants (tobacco, dust, heat).

Refractory cases may require surgical intervention (prosthetic rings or intraluminal stent), with a favorable prognosis for mild to moderate forms.

Summary of recommended screenings

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Sources

1. O'Neill DG et al. (2016) Epidemiology of patellar luxation in dogs attending primary-care veterinary practices in England. Canine Med Genet 3(1):4. PMID: 27280025
2. Wangdee C et al. (2017) Population genetic analysis and genome-wide association study of patellar luxation in a Thai Pomeranian dog population. Res Vet Sci 112:64-70. PMID: 28266317
3. Soontornvipart K et al. (2013) Incidence and genetic aspects of patellar luxation in the Pomeranian dog in Thailand. Vet J 196(1):122-5. PMID: 22939087
4. Kim MR et al. (2024) Retrospective study of tracheal collapse in small breed dogs: 110 cases (2022-2024). Front Vet Sci. PMC: 11349713
5. Kim GH et al. (2025) Prevalence of tooth extraction patterns in small and medium breed dogs. Animals (Basel) 15(2):224. PMID: 39858224
6. Wallis C et al. (2021) Association between periodontal disease and size, breed, weight, and age in client-owned purebred dogs in the United States. Res Vet Sci 138:74-81
7. Bellows J et al. (2019) 2019 AAHA Dental Care Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 55(2):49-69. PMID: 30776257
8. Wangdee C et al. (2013) Evaluation of surgical treatment of medial patellar luxation in the Pomeranian dog. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 26(6):435-9. PMID: 23800782
9. Fossum TW et al. (2016) Tracheal collapse in the dog. Vet Rec 178(4):93-4. PMID: 26780854