Understanding Pug Dog Health

Understanding the characteristics of your dog's breed will allow you to care for your best friend easier and more thoroughly because you are aware of any potential health risks. It can positively impact their well-being, especially in their older years because you the prevention you have taken will result in fewer health problems.



While Hip Dysplasia is usually considered a problem restricted to larger dog breeds, pugs are also susceptible. Hip Dysplasia occurs when there is some malformation of the hip joint and the femur bone does not fit correctly, which can cause the dog a lot of pain and in severe cases the dog may need surgery or have to be put down. Mild cases are easier to deal with, they mainly need a good diet and exercise routine.



If the pug's nostrils are narrow or constrained, he has a problem called "stenotic nares," which can strain his body and lead to an enlarged heart. Signs of this condition, which can be corrected with surgery, include mouth breathing and nasal discharge that is foamy.



A problem in which the pet's eyelids will roll in making the lashes to rub irritably against the pet's eyes is termed entropion, and is an important health concern because it can facilitate other issues such as ulcerations, scratches and irriation of the pet's eyes which only makes a bad situation worse. The condition can be corrected by surgery, which is the most common form of treatment, but noticing the problem and taking care of it can be very critical to your pug's health and well being.



Dry Eyes is another condition that can fairly commonly occur in pugs. Dry Eyes is a deficiency in producing enough tears to keep their eyes nice and lubricated. There are a few things that can cause the tear ducts not to produce enough tears, blockage of the duct, failure of the tear ducts or lack of nerve stimulation to the tear ducts, and treatment is dependent upon how severe the condition is.



One of the typical problems a lot of canines encounter is demodectic skin mites and they come in two types. There are several forms of mange, one seen in dogs of less than one year,is a localized demodectic mange, which appears on the skin as small hairless patches. The next type is typically characterized by demodectic mange manifested by large areas of healthy looking skin without hair and dogs of any age can have this.



If you intend to get a pug, you need to look out for certain health conditions, so if you think that your pug may have problems listed above or some other types of problems make an appointment with the vet to have your dog go through an evaluation to ensure he is okay