5 common Pomeranian health problems and how to prevent them

The five health problems we see most often in Pomeranians are tracheal collapse, bone and joint problems, heart disease, digestive upsets and endocrine disorders such as hypothyroidism. Most of them show early signs. At Bánh Bò, a Pom kennel in Ho Chi Minh City that has bred to the FCI standard since 2012 and belongs to the Vietnam Kennel Association (VKA), the breeder is also a veterinarian. This article is written from that point of view. We cover which conditions really are common, which signs mean an immediate vet visit, and a few popular pieces of online advice you can safely ignore.

With Poms, prevention mostly means early detection. No food or brand of kibble can keep your puppy from developing an inherited condition.

Does a honking, goose-like cough mean my Pom has tracheal collapse?

Quite possibly. A dry, harsh cough that sounds like a honking goose, and gets worse when your Pom is excited, drinking water or pulling against a leash attached to a collar, is the classic sign of tracheal collapse. It happens when the cartilage rings of the windpipe weaken and flatten, which narrows the airway. Small breeds like the Pomeranian are prone to it. Signs usually become obvious in middle age.

You can’t see it from the outside. Your veterinarian needs an X-ray, and sometimes imaging or a scope taken while your Pom is actively breathing, to find the collapsed section of the windpipe. Even a mild cough that only shows up now and then is worth a vet visit, because the results give you a baseline to compare against later.

If your Pom is wheezing, breathing with its mouth open, or has a blue or purple tongue or gums, get to a veterinary clinic right away. This is an emergency. On the way, keep your Pom calm and in a cool, well-ventilated spot, and don’t hold it tightly around the neck and chest. None of this replaces an exam.

There are a few clear things you can do at home. Walk your Pom on a harness instead of a collar. A healthy weight matters too, since extra fat narrows the airway even more. Don’t let your Pom breathe cigarette smoke, incense smoke (common in Vietnamese homes) or perfume sprayed close by. During the hot, humid season in Ho Chi Minh City, we take Poms out early in the morning or in the cooler late afternoon, because heavy panting from the heat irritates a weak trachea further.

My Pom’s legs are so thin. Should I give calcium or bone broth?

No need, and you shouldn’t. A kibble made for your puppy’s life stage already contains calcium and phosphorus in a balanced ratio. Adding calcium on your own, especially to a growing puppy, can throw off that mineral balance and harm the bones instead of making them stronger. We don’t feed bones of any kind, because cooked bones splinter easily into sharp pieces. Bone broth is also fatty and can easily upset your puppy’s stomach.

Our feeding routine at the kennel is simple. Puppies under 6 months eat 2 meals a day, and only kibble. After 6 months, your Pom can move to 1 meal a day with a larger portion of kibble. The amount per meal follows the guide we give you when you pick up your puppy.

The bone and joint problems we see most in Poms are luxating patella (a kneecap that slips out of place) and fractures from falls. Luxating patella is usually linked to genetics and leg structure. The sign is easy to spot. Your Pom is running, suddenly lifts one back leg, hops a few steps, then runs normally again. If you notice this, take your Pom to the vet so they can assess how severe it is.

Fractures usually happen when a Pom jumps down from a sofa or bed, or slips out of someone’s arms. A Pom puppy’s front legs are very thin. If your puppy is in pain, won’t put the leg down, or the leg looks swollen or crooked, go to a veterinary clinic right away. Don’t try to set or splint it at home.

Around the house, put non-slip rugs where your Pom likes to run and add pet steps up to the sofa. When you pick your Pom up, support the chest with one hand and the rear with the other. Never lift it by the front legs. Young children who want to hold the puppy should sit on the floor first.

Is heart disease in Poms caused by being scared?

No. The two heart conditions most common in Poms are mitral valve degeneration in older dogs and patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), a defect present from birth. Neither one comes from being frightened or from running and jumping a lot. The claim going around online that “nearly half of all Poms have heart disease” also has no professional source that we could verify.

PDA is often found when the vet hears a heart murmur during a puppy exam. That’s why your first vet visit after bringing your puppy home should include listening to the heart. Early detection opens up treatment options.

Valve disease in older dogs progresses quietly over many years. Watch for coughing at night, fast breathing even during sleep, tiring quickly on walks and a belly that gradually gets bigger. From middle age on, your Pom should have its heart checked at every routine exam. If your Pom suddenly faints, collapses, keeps breathing hard or has pale gums, get emergency veterinary care immediately.

Why does my Pom vomit and have loose stools?

Most of the time it comes down to eating the wrong thing or switching food too suddenly. Poms are small, so one bite of human food, a little cow’s milk or some dirty water is enough to cause vomiting or diarrhea. Everyone in the house should agree on one rule: no food from the table. Onion, garlic, chocolate, grapes and candy containing xylitol do more than upset the stomach. They are toxic.

Vietnam’s hot, humid climate adds another risk: once a bag of kibble is open, it soaks up moisture and can turn moldy. Store kibble in an airtight container in a dry place. Wash the water bowl and refill it with fresh water every day. When you need to change kibble, mix the new food into the old one gradually over a few days.

If your Pom vomits once and still eats and plays, you can keep watching at home. Repeated vomiting, bloody diarrhea, refusing food, lethargy or a bloated belly mean a trip to the veterinarian right away, especially for puppies, which become dehydrated and drop their blood sugar very quickly. Don’t give human medicine or digestive supplements such as probiotics before you have a diagnosis. Vomiting can be a sign of poisoning, an intestinal blockage or pancreatitis.

Are weight gain, hair loss and heavy drinking signs of an endocrine disease?

They can be, and only a blood test will tell you for sure. In dogs, the common thyroid disease is hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid). Hyperthyroidism is rare. Hypothyroidism makes a dog gain weight without eating much, become sluggish, feel the cold easily and grow a thin coat that sheds.

Two other endocrine diseases worth knowing about are Cushing’s disease (the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol) and diabetes. Shared signs to watch for include drinking noticeably more water, urinating more, a pot belly and hair loss that appears evenly on both sides of the body. In Poms, hair loss can also come from alopecia X, sometimes called black skin disease. Your vet has to tell these apart.

No food can prevent endocrine disease. What you can control is your Pom’s weight, because extra fat makes tracheal and joint problems worse. From middle age on, your Pom should have routine checkups that include blood work, so disease can be caught before obvious symptoms appear.

How do I choose a Pom puppy with less risk of inherited disease?

Look at the puppy’s parents and pedigree papers before you decide. Tracheal collapse, luxating patella and PDA all have a genetic component, so knowing which bloodline a puppy comes from helps you understand the risks. Still, papers are no health guarantee. Wherever you get your Pom, choose a reputable breeder with real genetic depth, whose breeding dogs are selected to the FCI standard.

Looking for a Pom to bring home? If you’d like to see our puppies’ parents and their pedigree papers for yourself, chat with us on WhatsApp.

Medical information in this article was reviewed by veterinarians at Home Pet Veterinary Clinic on October 13, 2026.