Editing Pomeranian dog (section)

== Health ==
A UK study found a life expectancy of 12.2 years for the Pomeranian.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=McMillan | first1=Kirsten M. | last2=Bielby | first2=Jon | last3=Williams | first3=Carys L. | last4=Upjohn | first4=Melissa M. | last5=Casey | first5=Rachel A. | last6=Christley | first6=Robert M. | title=Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death | journal=Scientific Reports | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=14 | issue=1 | date=2024-02-01 | issn=2045-2322 | doi=10.1038/s41598-023-50458-w | page=531| pmid=38302530 | pmc=10834484 | bibcode=2024NatSR..14..531M }}</ref> A Japanese study of pet cemetery data found a life expectancy of 14 years, below the average of 15.3 years for [[Crossbreed dog|cross-breed dogs]] below 10&nbsp;kg.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=INOUE | first1=Mai | last2=KWAN | first2=Nigel C. L. | last3=SUGIURA | first3=Katsuaki | title=Estimating the life expectancy of companion dogs in Japan using pet cemetery data | journal=Journal of Veterinary Medical Science | publisher=Japanese Society of Veterinary Science | volume=80 | issue=7 | year=2018 | issn=0916-7250 | doi=10.1292/jvms.17-0384 | pages=1153–1158| pmid=29798968 }}</ref>

Pomeranians are one of the breeds with the smallest average litter size, with various sources giving numbers of between 1.9 and 2.7 puppies per litter.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Borge|first1=Kaja Sverdrup|last2=Tønnessen |first2= Ragnhild |last3= Nødtvedt |first3= Ane |last4= Indrebø |first4= Astrid |title=Litter size at birth in purebred dogs—A retrospective study of 224 breeds|journal=Theriogenology|date=March 2011|volume=75|issue=5|pages=911–919 |pmid= 21196028 |doi=10.1016/j.theriogenology.2010.10.034|quote="Pomeranian and Toy Poodle had the smallest mean litter size in our study [2.4], which is in line with the results of previous studies [7–9,15]. A mean litter size of 2.0 puppies in Pomeranian was reported in the Australian study (n 2) [15]. In studies including only registered puppies, Lyngset et al [7], Tedor [8] and Bergström et al [9] found a mean litter size of 2.04 (n 108), 2.71  (n 33,648) and 1.9 (n 954) puppies in Pomeranian,  respectively."}}</ref>

===Dermatological conditions===
The Pomeranian is significantly predisposed to [[alopecia X]] with Pomeranians comprising 79.3% of the case load of a referral clinic in Japan and 26.5% of an endocrine alopecia case load in the US.<ref name="Predis">{{cite book | last1=Gough | first1=Alex | last2=Thomas | first2=Alison | last3=O'Neill | first3=Dan | title=Breed Predispositions to Disease in Dogs and Cats | publisher=John Wiley & Sons | publication-place=Hoboken, NJ | date=2018-04-23 | isbn=978-1-119-22554-6 | pages=155–156}}</ref>

===Skeletal conditions===
A study in England found the prevalence [[patellar luxation]] to be 6.5% in the Pomeranian, the highest prevalence out of all breeds in the study.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=O’Neill | first1=Dan G. | last2=Meeson | first2=Richard L. | last3=Sheridan | first3=Adam | last4=Church | first4=David B. | last5=Brodbelt | first5=Dave C. | title=The epidemiology of patellar luxation in dogs attending primary-care veterinary practices in England | journal=Canine Genetics and Epidemiology | volume=3 | issue=1 | date=2016 | issn=2052-6687 | pmid=27280025 | pmc=4898461 | doi=10.1186/s40575-016-0034-0 | doi-access=free | page=4}}</ref> A USA study found an odds ratio of 18.6 compared to crossbreeds. Another study in the US found the Pomeranian to make up 9.3% of the caseload. In Thailand prevalence was found as high as 75% in one study and a 28.9% caseload in another.<ref name="Predis"/>

===Gastrointestinal conditions===
A study in the US found a prevalence of 0.29% for [[congenital portosystemic shunt]], an odds ratio of 5.6 compared to mixed-breed dogs.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Tobias | first1=Karen M. | last2=Rohrbach | first2=Barton W. | title=Association of breed with the diagnosis of congenital portosystemic shunts in dogs: 2,400 cases (1980–2002) | journal=Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association | volume=223 | issue=11 | date=2003-12-01 | issn=0003-1488 | doi=10.2460/javma.2003.223.1636 | pages=1636–1639| pmid=14664452 }}</ref>

A Japanese study found the Pomeranian to be significantly predisposed to [[Canine gallbladder mucocoele|gallbladder mucocoele]] with an odds ratio of 7.74 compared to the overall referral population.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Kutsunai | first1=M. | last2=Kanemoto | first2=H. | last3=Fukushima | first3=K. | last4=Fujino | first4=Y. | last5=Ohno | first5=K. | last6=Tsujimoto | first6=H. | title=The association between gall bladder mucoceles and hyperlipidaemia in dogs: A retrospective case control study | journal=The Veterinary Journal | publisher=Elsevier BV | volume=199 | issue=1 | year=2014 | issn=1090-0233 | doi=10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.10.019 | pages=76–79| pmid=24268484 }}</ref>

===Neurological conditions===
In case studies of [[atlantoaxial subluxation]] the Pomeranian was found to comprise 10.6% of cases in Japan, 46.7% in the UK, and 10.5% and 6.5% in the US.<ref name="Predis"/>

===Other conditions ===
[[Merle (coat color in dogs)|Merle]]-colored dogs may have mild to severe deafness, blindness, increased [[intraocular pressure]], [[ametropia]], [[microphthalmia]], and [[colobomas]]. Merle dogs born from parents who are also both merles may additionally have abnormalities of the skeletal, cardiac and reproductive systems.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.genmarkag.com/download/Factsheet_Merle_Gene.pdf |title=Merle Gene |work=GenMark |access-date=6 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512051549/http://www.genmarkag.com/download/Factsheet_Merle_Gene.pdf |archive-date=12 May 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 
In case studies of referral clinics for [[tracheal collapse]] the Pomeranian made up 6%, 13.5%, and 16.7% of three referral caseloads in the US and 11.9% of a referral caseload in South Korea. In an Australian study on a referral population the Pomeranian had a 9.3% prevalence.<ref name="Predis"/>

Another common disorder in male Pomeranians is [[cryptorchidism]].<ref name="Shores">{{cite web | last = Ward | first = Ernest | title = Cryptorchidism in Dogs | work = Shores Animal Clinic | publisher = Lifelearn | year = 2009 | url = http://shoresanimalclinic.net/index.php?view=pageView&pageid=802 | access-date = 21 January 2011 | archive-date = 16 July 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200716201740/http://www.shoresanimalclinic.net/?view=pageView&pageid=802 | url-status = dead }}</ref> This is when either one or both of the testicles do not descend into the scrotum.<ref name="Shores" /> It is treated through surgical removal of the retained testicle.<ref name="Shores" />

In China, 54.6% of Pomeranians attending veterinary clinics were obese.<ref name="Predis"/>