Hi, I am Pomeranian Bert. Here I am after I had lost all my coat. The breeders are calling it "Black Skin Disease".
When I was brought to the shelter, I looked like this. I was bald, except for my head, feet and a few strands on my tail. My new Mommy thought, that I looked a little like a lion, and that’s how I got my name Bert, for the actor, that played the lion in "The Wizard of Oz".
I was already neutered. I was diagnosed hypothyroid and when I got on Thyroid medication, my coat grew back gorgeous. It took about 4 months. All grew back, except for the backs of my hind legs and around my tail area (which cannot be seen in the photo).
My Mommy was thrilled. At that time she knew nothing about BSD, and I was her first Pom. I should mention that I was having seizures as well and I was on medications for seizures also.
But the following Spring, when coat is normally blown, mine kept going ... and going and going! I never got it back fully and soon I had gotten back to bald again.
They tried the Melatonin, which seemed to work some. I had growth of some fuzz on my sides and a triangular stripe down my back - but that's about it. They had to stop the Melatonin, when I had liver problems.
Again I was without coat.
My skin did thicken and darken. But I am very cute in my little outfits! In the photo on the left I’m wearing a sweater, that my Mommy crocheted for me and the photo on the right shows me in my little Tie-Dye T-Shirt.
Thought, I’d tell you about my other health problems, because they say, I have a ton of other medical issues.
First I had bronchial pneumonia on top of kennel cough. I also had an urinary tract infection and I had a bladder surgery, because my bladder was full of stones. I need to eat a prescription food for the prevention of more bladder stones.
I also have patella problems.
I take medications twice daily for thyroid (Levothyroxin) and for seizures (Potassium Bromide and Phenobarbital).
I am also on Denosyl, after I was hospitalized for liver problems. Recently I was diagnosed with Diabetes and I am put on 1 unit of Insulin twice a day. I am treated for Diabetes Insipidus as well and responding to the DDAVP eye drops.
My Mommy says, her kitchen looks like a pharmacy! But I love taking my pills, - in peanut butter, of course!
Besides, I am the world’s cutest dog, according to everyone who ever sees me, let alone meets me!
