Foy
I can feel a soft spot
in the top of my Pomeranian puppy's skull. Will it effect my dog's health?
Should I take her back to the breeder?
From Foy Boswell Jr./email:
XBTX65A@prodigy.com
Erika
Open Fontanelles in small
Poms were fairly commonplace and unless the sections of skull bone are
literally floating, she should be all right. Open Fontanelles are the pet
peeve of ALL Vets. I think they can't get their DVM degree, unless they
have a deep-seated dislike for holes in the skull. Most likely, they will
close by the time she's 1 year old, but even if the center one remains,
many dogs live long lives with their skulls not completely closed. This
will not keep her from being shown, nor will it make her brain-damaged,
unless she sustained a serious injury, and the membranes are rather strong
and tough.
From Erika Moureau/email:
XBTX65A@prodigy.com
Mary
First of all, molera
(open fontanelles, "holes in the head") are relatively common in Poms,
particularly in the smaller ones and those with the more baby faces. They
are usually not a major problem, and certainly not a cause for worrying
yourself frantic about brain damage unless she has a fairly hard knock
on just the soft spot - not easy to do. The coverings of the brain are
extremely tough and between those coverings is a fluid "cushion", which
will protect the brain from everyday bumps. I (personally) would not expect
that to be grounds for any refund unless she is **definitely** hydrocephalic
- and that means that the cerebral fluid is not draining from the brain
as it should, which will cause the head to enlarge enormously, and your
dog to be very, very sick. Did you buy the dog on the understanding that
she would be show quality? That she would be breeding quality? Did you
buy from a reputable breeder that regularly shows his dogs? Do you have
a contract that spells out exactly what quality dog you were buying and
the responsibilities of yourself and the breeder towards the dog? If the
answer to all the above is "yes" then you should contact the breeder and
explain how you feel, and ask his advice. However, as he referred to your
gal as a "teacup" and as she was apparently the only small Pom in his kennel,
he does not sound like the sort of breeder who knows a whole lot about
the breed or what constitutes show quality. My advice is to love your Pom
for what she IS (a fuzzy bundle of love) not what she is NOT, have her
spayed when she is old enough and if you decide that you want to get into
showing and breeding contact the APC [American Pomeranian Club], who can
help you get in touch with reputable breeder-exhibitors in your area. A
word of warning though - Poms are not an easy breed to raise, so before
you decide you might like to raise a litter or two, be sure to listen to
all the tales of woe - and we got a million of 'em - and be sure that you
can take it! This is not a breed for the faint of heart.
You might search out
a Pom Club in your area. They always need new members and are wonderful
places for getting to know the breed and breeders. Oh! For what it's worth
- I have a 13 year old champion bitch who has a hole the size of quarter
on top of her head, so you see it's really not so frightening. Good luck,
let us know how your puppy progresses, won't you? You might want to take
her to puppy kindergarten in a few weeks and maybe consider doing Obedience
with her. Poms do very well, and are always crowd-pleasers at the Obedience
Trials.
From Mary Allen/email:
MFXG02C@prodigy.com
Back To The Pomerama |
Back
to....
FAQ INDEX |