Part of the Pug's appeal is the wrinkled, expressive face. 

Because they have extremely short snouts and no skeletal brow ridges,

Pugs can easily scratch their corneas or puncture their eyeballs.

Their short noses can also cause them to develop breathing problems.

They are also prone to skin infections if the crevices in their faces are not kept clean.

Additionally, Pugs may be prone to skin allergies, which if not treated

can lead to infection as the Pug scratches the inflamed areas.

The breed's characteristic flat face may also contribute to tooth and mouth problems.

Pugs typically love to eat, and so are prone to obesity; they can quickly reach unhealthy weights.

It is therefore important for Pug owners to make sure their pets get regular exercise.

Due to their short snouts, Pugs are vulnerable to temperature extremes.

It is important to make sure that they do not overheat in hot weather,

and likewise they should not be left outside in very cold weather. Pugs can

also suffer from a chronic form of Granulomatous Meningoencephalitis (an inflammation of the brain)

specific to the breed called Pug Dog Encephalitis (PDE). PDE is estimated to occur in 1% of Pugs.

There is no known cause or cure for PDE, although it is believed to be an inherited disease.

[1]. PDE is invariably fatal.

All dogs either die or are put to sleep within a few months after the onset of clinical signs.

A healthy Pug can be expected to live 10 to 13 years, although many well cared for Pugs have reached 18.

 

The following is a partial list of potential medical problems associated with the Pug breed.

Not every Pug will have one, or any of these problems. It is imperative that when obtaining

a puppy that you do so from a responsible, reputable breeder,

and then have the puppy checked by your vet.

 

KNOWN MEDICAL PROBLEMS IN PUGS

 

Pug Dog Encephalitis-

Unfortunately very little is known about this disease at this time. What is known about PDE is it's an inflammation of the brain. It is noted that it strikes Pugs and only Pugs up to the age of 4 years. It's found to be more common in females than in males. There is no cure for PDE. It is a belief that it is a genetic disease. The seizures can be from a few seconds to a few minutes. They cannot be maintained by the use of medications. Some dogs even have temporary remissions. Seizures are the main symptom of PDE although it is important to remember that not all seizure activity in Pugs is the cause of PDE. They could suffer from Epilepsy, exposure to toxic chemicals or gasses, low blood sugar or any other unknown causes.

 

PLEASE NOTE THAT VERY FEW PUG SEIZURES ARE ACTUALLY CAUSED BY PUG DOG ENCEPHALITIS.

What to Watch For

• Seizures

• Walking in circles before or in between seizures

• Pressing their heads against the wall, furniture and or people

• Ataxia (a staggering walk)

• Apparent blindness

• Neck pain

• Sudden Death

• Agitation or Aggression

• Lethargy /Listlessness (Lethargy can mean many things check with your veterinarian)

• Loss of muscle coordination (this can also indicate other problems such as neurological issues and a side effective to convulsive activity brought out by inner ear disturbances

The cause of PDE is unknown; it generally affects litter mates and closely related dogs. PDE can only be positively diagnosed by an autopsy on the brain stem.

 

Hemi-Vertebrae-

Incomplete or abnormal fusion of the vertebrae. Can be diagnosed by an x-ray of the spineHip

 

Dysplasia-

The hip joint is a ball and socket connection. If the joint is malformed the head of the femur will not properly align with the cup of the hip socket. Mild dysplasia is usually without symptoms in the pug due to their stocky muscular build. Severe dysplasia can lead to pain & arthritis later in life. More common in males than females.

 

Heart Disease-

Can be hereditary, how efficiently the heart is able to pump blood. Signs of heart disease can include exercise intolerance, poor growth, weight loss, chronic cough, a pot bellied appearance, and even fainting episodes. Many heart problems can be detected on physical exam.

 

Luxating Patella’s- Slipping Knee caps-

Hereditary or due to injury. Mild luxation causes some discomfort with high levels of activity. When a dog luxates its patella it may carry the leg briefly, or stop and stretch the leg backwards in an attempt to reseat the patella back in its normal groove.

 

Elongated Palate/Collapsing Trachea-

May cause breathing problems, airway obstruction in Pugs. The soft palate is abnormally long and causes breathing problems.

 

Facial fold dermatitis:

an infection of the facial skin caused by unusual or excessive skin folds. Must keep folds clean.

 

Hanging tongue:

a syndrome where the tongue does not retract into the mouth properly, due to neurologic or anatomic defects

 

Stenotic nares: -

the openings of the nose is too small. This puts a strain on the dog's system and can lead to an enlarged heart. An indication of stenotic nares is the dog tends to mouth breathe or has foamy nasal discharge.

 

Wry Mouth-

is a twisted of offset lower jaw. Jaw cannot come together; dog often cannot eat or drink properly. The tongue is sometimes seen protruding from 1 side of the mouth. When this happens the dog usually looses its teeth.

 

Pugs have large, round, expressive eyes. Pugs eyes are set shallowly into their heads, sometimes eyes do come out. Some Pugs go through their lives without any eye problems, some have chronic problems. Below are some eye conditions…

 

Corneal Ulcers:

Any scratch or injury to a dog’s eye can result in an ulcer. Ulcers must be treated by a veterinarian immediately or there will be some loss of sight.

 

Dry Eye:(Keratitis sicca)

This condition is caused by the lack of tear production. This can be due to lack of nerve stimulation of the tear glands, failure of the tear glands, or blockage of the ducts that carry the tears to the eyes. Full diagnosis can only be performed by a Veterinarian to determine the cause. Treatment will be dependant upon the cause and severity of the condition.

 

Distachiasis-

Eyelashes growing on the inside of the lid, causes irritation on the eye as the dog blinks, can be 1 hair or many. This is similar to that of Entroption. Surgery is required for correction.

 

Entropian-

The rolling of the eyelid(s) into the eye, this is common due to the shape of the pug’s head, placement of the eyes & the over-nose wrinkle. The hairs or eyelashes will rub on the eye causing irritation. Generally, it will only be the inner corner of the bottom eyelid & as the pug grows & matures the problem self-corrects.

 

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

PRA is a hereditary eye disease causing the breakdown of the cells of the retina. The breakdown is gradual leading to mid-life (age 5-7 blindness)