Black Skin Disease, BSD, Alopecia X, Coat Funk

This is the  biggest problem facing Pomeranian Breeders and owners and has been called many different names.  On whatever name you choose to call it, the result is still the same, Coat Loss / Baldness.

Alopecia is a medical term for hair loss. The hair loss is unexplained and unknown. There has been many advances in research to determine the causes but at this present time most are just speculated.

Pomeranian puppies that have shown to have luxurious, full, fluffy coats as puppies may develop early onset BSD. Puppies usually with woolly, cottony texture type coats seem to be at a higher risk. These puppies often do not shed the puppy coat.

Late onset of Black Skin Disease can occur between the ages of 3-5 years of age but cases have been reported where a Pomeranian has developed BSD as late as 9 years of age.

There are other conditions and diseases that can cause baldness, some may be Hypothyroidism, Cushing and Addison's Disease, hormone imbalance, parasites and even allergies. All these can be tested for however, the key to BSD diagnosis is to eliminate all the other similar conditions.

Pet Owners usually panic when their dog starts to exhibit signs thinking there is something wrong with their dog but in fact after numerous tests have been completed they find that there is nothing wrong. Quite simply put, there dog is just loosing coat and going bald. In most cases, it is purely cosmetic however, dogs found with BSD often have a lower immune system. Research is still ongoing.

The worrisome part of this dilemma for breeders is that there is no scientific test available to determine if your dog has, will have or is a carrier.

It has been believed that Black Skin Disease has been around since the early 1900s when the first Poms came from England. Years and years of downsizing, line breeding/inbreeding with a limited gene pool has been hazardous.

No breeder should be blamed nor one specific bloodline as it is apparent in most bloodlines.

A dog that is infected with BSD, should never be bred.

How Can You Help? If your dog has Black Skin Disease, you can help fight this unknown disease by sending DNA samples of the affected dog to assist on ongoing studies.  You can read more at http://www.pomeraniancharitabletrust.org/

To read more about Black Skin Disease, visit the Pomeranian Club of Canada Website listed at http://www.pcoc.net/black-skin-disease.htm

Low Thyroid is very common in the Pomeranian Breed.

Collapsing trachea is a problem found in some Pomeranians. If your pom makes a honking noise or sounds like he is coughing up a hairball, the problem may be his trachea. It can be diagnosed with a Xray and usually medication is prescribed to reduce coughing. This can be life - threatening, so please do not ignore it.

Heart problems can range from slight to life threatening. Some are impossible to diagnose until a sudden death occures.

Hpyoglycemia can occure in young Pomeranians. It is more common in the very small or active puppies. Be sure that your breeder gives you instructions on what to do if your puppy shows signs. It is a problem that the puppy outgrows as they mature. Adult hypoglycemia is a serious metabolic disorder. Dogs who have this should never be bred.

A veterinarian who is trained to do CERF testing can check eyes for genetic problems. CERF (Canine Eye Registry Foundation) has a form and a database to check the parents. To date, there has not been many eye problems found.