Understanding Pug Dog Health

Hip Dysplasia is actually a common problem among many dogs, particularly larger breeds, but pugs are also particularly susceptible to this condition. A lot of pain may be caused in cases of hip dysplasia to the dog due to the malformation of the hip joint and femur bones and in the some cases, will need immediate surgery, or in the worst case, will need to be put to sleep. 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. Breathing from the mouth and a foamy type discharge may be indications of this problem and can be fixed with surgery.

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. With the first form, localized demodectic mange, appearing as small hairless patches of skin, is seen in dogs under one year of age. 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.

There are many more health conditions that you should look out for if you own or intend to own a pug, so if you suspect that your dog has any of the problems listed above or problems that may not be listed make an appointment with your vet and have your dog evaluated.