Know When to Spot It
Few things are harder than watching a loved one suffer. It occurs from the slightest discomfort to the scariest diagnosis. It’s a horrible and helpless feeling to see your Pommy in pain. The best thing you can do is stay alert. Educate yourself on the possible illnesses your Pom may face with age, like congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure in Pomeranians is not uncommon but also not untreatable. Old age, infections, injury or bad diet and exercise may put your pup in this position. Learn now about how to spot it and how to help it. Rest assured that your Pommy can live many happy years with attentive and loving care even with this diagnosis.
Get Regular Vet Visits
Pomeranians can be born with heart problems like heart murmurs or an enlarged heart. It’s important to take your pup for regular checkups at the vet so that any problems such as these can be spotted early on. Heart problems like these may not affect your Pom’s overall health at all. But, as a Pommy Mommy, keeping an eye on them is very important. In some cases an enlarged heart can lead to congestive heart failure. Congestive heart failure in Pomeranians would occur when the heart gets so big that it has trouble meeting the body’s circulatory demands. Pomeranian suffers with congestive heart failure, like in humans, when the heart has trouble pumping the blood to the body.
When the heart is unable to pump enough blood, the organs will suffer. This is what leads to each of the side effects you are likely to see your Pom develop if he or she is suffering. Your Pommy’s kidneys may not get enough blood, which can lead to water retention. From this, you may notice that your Pom’s belly is swelling from the build up. Fainting is due to a lack of blood towards the brain. Congestive heart failure in Pomeranians is when the lack of blood to the lungs can lead to coughing and wheezing, and sometimes coughing up liquids.
Keep a Close Observation
It can be so terribly hard to watch your Pommy suffer like this, but it is important that you pay careful attention and write down symptoms as they occur. Also keep close track of your Pom’s diet, drinking and eating habits, level of energy and anything else about his or her lifestyle. As soon as you have noticed that your Pom is suffering symptoms that aren’t going away, take your pup to the vet. If you have this detailed information recorded, this will help your vet in making the best possible diagnosis. Your vet may also take a urine and/or blood sample, an X-ray of your Pom’s chest, an ultrasound of your Pom’s heart or an EKG to check your Pom’s heart rhythm.
Treatments
Congestive heart failure in Pomeranians can be treated with medication. Your Pommy may be given meds to help with irregular heartbeats or water retention. In some cases, pups are given pacemakers as a treatment. Vets can also give you advice on the best diet for your four-legged family member. Then, you change your pup’s diet and possibly adding in supplements can make a big difference. And, don’t forget to treat your Pom with lots of love. You may be given a short life expectancy, but in many cases, a pup who is given lots of love and care and reasons to enjoy each day will defy these predictions. Submit your Pomeranian rescue to our directory.