Content
- brachycephalic syndrome
- pug respiratory diseases
- pug eye diseases
- pug joint disease
- pug skin diseases
- Other illnesses a pug can have
You pug dogs, due to their anatomical particularities, have a special predisposition to suffer from diseases that you should know to ensure that his health is the best possible. Therefore, in this PeritoAnimal article, we will detail the main pug diseases.
Let's list some of the illnesses a pug can have. It is important for you to know that all breeds can have a certain predisposition to some diseases. In any case, by carrying out periodic reviews with your trusted veterinarian and offering the best care for the dog, you can ensure that he is always in good health and, in case any illness occurs, detect it in time.
Pugs have a fantastic character, are very affectionate and playful. Continue reading this article and find out which ones most common pug diseases!
brachycephalic syndrome
Brachycephalic breeds, such as the pug, are characterized by having a rounded head and a very short muzzle, with very bulging eyes. Taking into account these characteristics, many of the pathologies that can affect pugs are related to this syndrome and, therefore, we are going to explain some of them to you.
pug respiratory diseases
Pug puppies have narrower nostrils than usual, a short snout, a soft, elongated palate, and a narrower trachea. All of this often causes them to suffer from dyspnea (difficulty breathing) which begins by manifesting itself from puppies with the typical snores. As with other brachycephalic puppies, you need to be very careful with heat strokes, above all due to the anatomical features just described.
Infectious agents such as those that generate the canine infectious tracheobronchitis or kennel cough, affect pugs more than other breeds, due to the brachycephalic condition. Therefore, we have to be alert and ensure that our puppy does not have cough, difficulty breathing, exercise intolerance and difficulty in swallowing.
pug eye diseases
Pugs have prominent eyeballs and are therefore more likely to suffer from corneal ulcers either by injuries made by objects or even by the hair on your facial folds. This is one of the diseases that is most associated with the pug breed. In addition, these puppies may have the eyelids turned inwards, the so-called entropion, which also leads to the appearance of ulcers.
Genetically, these puppies are predisposed to suffer from immune-mediated pigmentary keratitis, in which a brown pigment (melanin) is seen on the surface of the eye. Another eye disease of pug dogs is the prolapse of the nictitating membrane, which can often only be corrected through surgical intervention.
pug joint disease
Pug puppies are one of the most predisposed breeds to suffer from hip dysplasia. It is one of the developmental diseases of the dog in which there is a malformation of the coxofemoral joint, which causes the hip acetabulum and femur head not to fit properly. This condition causes inflammation and pain, causing arthrosis. To prevent the progression of osteoarthritis, it is recommended that you supplement your dog with chondroprotectors. After six months, dysplasia can already be diagnosed through the aid of an X-ray.
A dislocation of the patella or dislocation of the kneecap is also another of the most common pug dog diseases due to a shallow groove in the trochlea. Once the kneecap moves away from the trochlea, the dog suffers from pain and limps.
The reproduction of all dogs with orthopedic problems such as those mentioned above should be avoided, not only to prevent the transmission of these diseases to their offspring, but also to prevent an existing problem from getting worse.
pug skin diseases
Being a short-haired dog with many pleats, the pug is prone to suffering from dermatitis, so it is very important that you always maintain the correct hygiene of your dog's skin. In addition, the puppy is also likely to suffer from ringworm, a very infectious and contagious fungal disease.
On the other hand, they may also suffer from environmental or food allergies. Therefore, you should always be aware of any changes in your dog's skin to go to the vet as soon as possible. In addition, you must follow a deworming plan to avoid the dermatitis of parasitic origin such as mange in dogs, as well as possible flea and tick infestation.
Other illnesses a pug can have
Although all of the above pathologies are more common in these dogs, they are not the only problems this breed can present. Pugs are dogs with a lot of appetite, which makes it necessary to control what they eat to avoid obesity and all the consequences related to this condition. Thus, it is not recommended that you give your pug too much food. These puppies have an often insatiable appetite, being able to turn into obese dogs in a very short time, which reduces their life expectancy. If you have questions about whether your dog is obese, read our How to tell if my dog is fat article.
On the other hand, many of the pregnant females need to undergo a caesarean section due to the small size of their hips and the large size of the heads of the offspring. Therefore, we recommend that you reflect a lot before exposing the dog to this entire process.
Another common pug disease that is of unknown origin is canine necrotizing meningoencephalitis. This disease directly affects the dog's nervous system and is also seen in other breeds. Symptoms are usually neurological.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.