In This Chapter
- Setting the course: Regular checkups and vaccinations
- Standing guard on your dog’s health
- Dealing with worms and pests
- Making life simple for you and your Pom: Castration and spaying
- Easing your Pom into senior-citizenship
Visiting the Vet: Checkups and Vaccinations
The annual rendezvous
– Checks the knees
– Listens to her heart
– Checks the eyes, ears, and teeth
– May gently palpate her internal organs to check for enlargements or tumors
Understanding vaccinations
The two main types
– Core vaccines: Advisable for all dogs for rabies, distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis (see Table 10-1)
– Noncore vaccines: Advisable only for some dogs for leptospirosis, coronavirus, tracheobronchitis, Lyme disease, and giardia
Tip
Your veterinarian can advise you whether your dog’s lifestyle and environment make him a candidate for any of these noncore vaccines. For example, leptospirosis is a concern for dogs that walk in wildlife areas. Lyme disease is a concern for dogs in certain areas of the country. Most boarding kennels require a recent (within 6 months) tracheobronchitis (kennel cough) vaccination and core vaccinations.
The whens and whats of vaccinations
Remember
If all puppies lost their initial immunity at the same age and rate, vaccinations would be easy. But because immunity diminishes at different times in different dogs, you need to give a series of vaccinations starting around 6 weeks of age so you can vaccinate at just the right time (after vaccinations become effective and before she’s unprotected).
Warning!
During this time of uncertainty, keep your pup away from places where unvaccinated dogs may congregate. Some deadly viruses, such as parvovirus, can remain in the soil for six months after an infected dog has shed the virus in its feces there.
Table 10-1 | Core Vaccinations and Frequency | ||
Age | Shot | Purpose | Other |
6 weeks | A series of injections over the course of a varying number of weeks | Protect puppies from distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis | |
16 weeks | Rabies | Protect against rabies | |
1 year after puppy shot series and then every 1–3 years | Rabies booster | Protect against rabies | Frequency depends on local law |
Every 6 months | Booster for kennel cough, if appropriate | Prevent kennel cough | This is optional |
Every 3 years after puppy’s first year | Boosters for core vaccines | Prevent distemper, parvovirus, and hepatitis |
Don’t hedge your bets on herd immunitySome proponents of natural rearing condemn vaccinations; they prefer using homeopathic nosodes (medicine prepared from the diseased part or discharge of something, which supposedly works as well as a vaccination). These people point to their dogs’ good health as proof that nosodes work. However, their good fortune is probably the result of herd immunity, that is, as long as most other dogs are vaccinated, the unvaccinated dogs rarely come in contact with the infectious agents. No controlled study has ever supported the effectiveness of nosodes. Vaccinations aren’t without a downside, but they’re essential components of your dog’s healthy future. |
Tip
Some owners elect to test a dog’s blood titers (test to check a dog’s level of immune defenses) to various diseases to see whether he needs a booster. A high titer generally indicates protection, but a low titer doesn’t mean the dog isn’t protected.
Dealing with bad reactions
– Give your Pom an antihistamine before she gets her shots. Many Pom breeders suggest this. Ask your veterinarian beforehand about the proper type and dose of antihistamine.
– Ask your veterinarian to skip the leptospirosis vaccine. Leptospirosis, while a serious disease, is most often encountered in areas where wild animals urinate. This vaccine has been associated with the most adverse reactions in young dogs. You can probably put it off until later.
– Hang around the veterinary clinic for about 20 minutes following vaccinations. This wait time allows your dog quick access to treatment if she experiences a reaction.
– Be sure to remind your veterinarian on subsequent visits about any adverse reactions your dog has had to vaccinations.
Warning!
Some toy dog owners believe their dogs may have bad reactions because vaccinations aren’t given by weight. Your 5-pound Pom gets the same amount as a 105-pound Pyrenees. But eight has nothing to do with it. A virus infects a small dog the same way it infects a large dog — by acting on his immune system. So a vaccine has to act on the immune system the same way. Don’t be tempted to vaccinate your dog yourself so you can lessen the dosage.
Playing Doctor: The Do-It-Yourself Checkup
– Has her behavior changed? Sudden changes could mean she’s in pain or has some sort of neurological problem. She needs to be seen by the vet this week.
– Does she act listless, weak, or confused? These can be signs of pain, fever, anemia, neurological problems, or general illness. She needs to go to the vet today. Check her temperature and gum color to report to the vet when you make the call.
– Is she limping? This could indicate knee problems (patellar luxation) or injury. If it’s not too bad, give it a day, then go to the vet if she’s still limping.
– Is she coughing, wheezing, or gagging? She could have kennel cough, congestive heart failure, or tracheal collapse. If she’s having difficulty breathing, she needs to see the vet today.
– Is she urinating or drinking more than usual? She could have diabetes, kidney failure, or a urinary tract infection. She needs to see the vet this week.
– Has her appetite changed? She could have any number of problems. Take her temperature, check her over, and if she still has a poor appetite in a couple of days, take her to the vet.
– Has she lost or gained weight? She could have cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, Cushing’s syndrome, or any number of problems. Get her checked by the vet this week.
– Are her stools normal? If diarrhea continues for another day, call the vet and ask if you should bring her in.
– Are her bones and muscles fairly symmetrical on both sides? Any asymmetry could indicate muscle wasting, tumors, or broken bones. Take her to the vet this week.
– Do you feel new bumps or masses? First, don’t freak out. Dogs are good at growing noncancerous bumps. But have it checked out this week.
– Does she act like anything hurts? Depending on the problem, she could have a urinary tract infection, slipped disk, or who knows? Take her to the vet!
– Is her skin clear, without crusting or hair loss? It’s not an emergency, but skin conditions could be caused by parasites or infections. Take her to the vet soon.
– Are her gums pink, as they should be? Pale gums indicate anemia or internal bleeding, gray gums indicate poor circulation, and gums with little red blotches indicate a potentially serious blood-clotting problem. All of these are potential emergencies. See the vet now!
– Are her teeth clean and secure? Dirty, loose teeth can cause pain and additional disease. She may need an appointment for a teeth cleaning under anesthesia.
– Are her eyes clear and without significant discharge? A bit of clear discharge is normal, but goopy, green discharge means irritation or infection. See the vet the next day.
– Are her ears clean? A little dirt is fine, but if they’re clogged with debris, she may have an infection or mites. Your veterinarian can diagnose the problem and prescribe a cure. Go in the next day or so.
– Are her nails short and without splits? If not, cut them! If they’re split, you can tape them. If you can’t handle nail care yourself, have your vet do it this week.
– Are her feet without cuts or foreign objects? Treat cuts like you would your own, by cleaning and gobbing on antibiotic goop. Spray a bitter-tasting spray (your vet sells this) on it to keep her from licking it, or wrap a bandage around it. If it’s deep, your vet may need to clean or suture it.
– Is her at-rest pulse between 70 and 120 beats per minute? See Chapter Doctoring Your Dog to find out how to check your dog’s pulse. If it’s outside this range, recheck it when she’s calmer (if it’s too fast) or call your vet.
– Is her temperature around 101 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit? Don’t freak out if it’s a degree higher or lower. But, if it’s down to 98 or up to 103 degrees, call the veterinarian. If it’s below 98 or above 105 degrees, it’s an emergency. Call the emergency veterinarian and warm or cool your dog in the meantime.
Remember
To check your dog’s temperature, hold her still with one hand, lift her tail high and forward with the other, and have a helper insert a lubricated rectal thermometer about an inch into her rectum. If you’re on your own, use the same hand to hold her and lift her tail. The digital models are easiest to use and beep when they’re ready; otherwise, leave the thermometer in place for about a minute.
Avoiding the Worm Farm: Preventive Measures
Heartworms
Tip
Your veterinarian can advise you when to start giving your pup the medication; the recommendations vary by location. Most veterinarians prefer to start dogs on preventive medication before they’re 4 months old. Dogs over 6 months of age need a simple blood test to check for heartworms before beginning heartworm prevention. The once-a-month preventive, which works by targeting heartworms at a particular life phase, is safe and effective. reatment is available for heartworms, but prevention is far cheaper, easier, and safer.
Intestinal parasites
Remember
Your dog can also pick up worms from the ground where other dogs congregate. The best prevention at home is to clean up feces immediately, but purging a yard of some kinds of worms can be difficult.
– Giardia is fairly common in both puppies and dogs. Although many dogs have no symptoms, some dogs with giardia tend to have loose, light-colored stools. Giardia is diagnosed with a stool sample and can be treated with medicine from your veterinarian.
– Coccidia may or may not cause overt symptoms, and it’s diagnosed with a stool sample. Over-the-counter dewormer treatments are not effective.
Preventing Bugs: Fleas, Ticks, and Mites
Castrating and Spaying
Knowing what to expect
Lowering the sexual zest
– Male: When a male reaches sexual maturity, he starts to lift his leg when urinating in order to mark objects in his territory, which include your furniture. He may also become more aggressive toward other dogs. The longer he practices these behaviors, the more likely they’ll persist after neutering.
– Female: The advantage to spaying a female before her first season is medical rather than behavioral. Spaying before her first heat season drastically reduces her chance of breast cancer later in life. Spaying before her second season helps, too, but not as much, and after that season, spaying has little benefit against breast cancer. Spaying at any time eliminates the possibility of pyometra, a potentially fatal infection of the uterus that’s common in dogs.
Tip
The best age to castrate or spay is around 5 or 6 months. This timing gives your Pomeranian a chance to grow, making surgery a little easier. Because toy dogs often retain baby teeth alongside their permanent teeth, the surgery also provides an opportunity for the veterinarian to remove those teeth.
Addressing thoughts of breeding
– A Caesarean delivery is likely.
– Serious postnatal complications such as eclampsia (a potentially fatal condition of the dam) are likely.
– Litters are small, so don’t count on raking in the bucks by selling lots of puppies.
– The requirements of a good breeder, which I discuss in Chapter In Search of Your Soul Mate, are stringent. Ask yourself these questions:
- Can you meet the requirements?
- Have you had the necessary health clearances performed on the potential sire and dam?
- Has she proven herself in an objective competition to be of better-than-average quality?
Remember
Good Pomeranian breeders screen for hereditary defects, prove their dogs in some form of competition, educate themselves, and stand by their puppies for a lifetime. They often require that buyers neuter or spay their dogs (either by giving a partial refund when they do, withholding full ownership until they do, or registering the dog with a Limited Registration, so any puppies from it can’t be registered) because they know too well the problems that poor dog breeding can create.
Giving Your Pom a Chip on His Shoulder
Keeping Your Senior Pom Healthy
Eating and the elderly Pom
Coping with senior sensory problems
Vision loss
– Is he healthy enough for surgery?
– Is the retina of his eye still functioning?
Tip
Not all vision problems can be fixed, and you may not notice his vision is deteriorating until he’s almost blind. To help your senior Pom get around safely, take the following precautions:
– Block dangerous places (stairways and pools).
– Don’t move your furniture unnecessarily.
– Place sound and scent beacons (such as playing radios, ticking clocks, perfumed cloths, or stinky shoes that never move) around the house and yard so he can hear and smell where he is.
– Make pathways that he can feel with his paws (carpet runners inside and gravel walks outside).
Hearing loss
Tip
Older dogs also tend to lose their hearing. The ability to hear highpitched sounds usually goes first, so if you notice your dog isn’t responding to your call, try lowering the tone of your voice.
Cognitive loss
Tip
You can also help by involving her in activities and small mental challenges, either through games or by teaching her new tricks. If she enjoys the same games she did when she was younger (like short games of tag or fetch), great! Just be sure not to overdo them. She may prefer less strenuous activities, though. For example, hide treats around the room and challenge her to find them. Or take her for rides in the car; even though she may not be as demanding as she used to be, she probably still enjoys getting out and going places with you. Research has shown that these activities help ward off cognitive impairment.
Senior health concerns
Remember
Your older Pomeranian needs a veterinary checkup twice a year. Although blood work was optional when she was younger, it’s a necessity now. Standard blood work can tell you whether she’s suffering from anemia, has elevated white blood cells indicating infection), or has too few platelets (indicating a clotting disorder). Other tests can tell you whether she has kidney failure, diabetes, liver failure, or other major problems.
– Arthritis: Pomeranians stay perky even into their senior years, but you shouldn’t push the physical activities. Even if your Pom is used to jumping on and off furniture, encourage him to use doggy steps or a ramp (see Chapter Prepare to Be Pomerized!). Older dogs tend to have arthritic changes that can be made worse by such stresses. The same is true for exercise; you don’t want your older Pom to just lie around, but give him a soft bed when he does. You can help your arthritic dog by walking him a short distance (say, around the block, or less if it’s a big block) one or more times a day.
Tip
Also, ask your veterinarian about drugs such as carprofen that may help alleviate some of the symptoms of arthritis or even improve the joint. Glucosamine stimulates the production of collagen and may help rejuvenate cartilage. Chondroitin sulfate helps to protect cartilage from destructive enzymes. These medications are available from your veterinarian or most drug or health-food stores.
– B.O.: Older dogs often have a stronger body odor than they did when younger. Search for its source. The most likely sources are the teeth, ear infections, or even kidney disease.
Warning!
– Body temperature: Older dogs are more susceptible to both chilling and overheating, so be sure you keep an eye on whether he’s curled up and shivering or spread out and panting.
– Dry skin: Dogs lose moisture in their skin as they age, making them itchy. Regular brushing can stimulate oil production. Also consider using a moisturizing conditioner when you bathe your dog.
Warning!
– Digestion problems: Vomiting or diarrhea can dehydrate and debilitate an old dog quickly. They can also signal some serious problems such as kidney or liver failure. When he was younger, you may have waited a day or so before you took your dog to the veterinarian. Now that he’s older, don’t take a wait-and-see approach. Get him to the clinic today.
– Immune system deficiency: Because the immune system is less effective in older dogs, shielding him from infectious disease with vaccinations is now doubly important. However, if he’s turned into a homebody, the vaccination regimen may no longer be necessary. This decision remains controversial among veterinarians in the field. Ask your veterinarian about the latest guidelines.
– Tooth problems: Tooth problems are very common in older Pomeranians. Bad breath, lip licking, reluctance to chew, and avoidance of hands near his mouth are all signs that your dog needs veterinary dental attention. Pulling loose teeth and cleaning the remaining teeth can help your dog feel much better.
Remember
In addition to the typical ailments that dogs of any age suffer, older dogs are far more vulnerable to a number of serious disorders. For example, heart disease, kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, and Cushing’s syndrome (which occurs when the adrenal glands make too much cortisol, causing a pot-bellied appearance, among other symptoms) are all much more common in older dogs. Symptoms of these disorders include
– Abdominal distension
– Appetite changes
– Coughing
– Diarrhea
– Increased thirst and urination
– Nasal discharge
– Weight loss