Pug Dog Health Concerns
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.
One dilemma which a lot of canines will encounter is hip dysplasia, especially a problem for bigger pets, but pugs can also be prone to have this problem. Hip Dysplasia is a condition caused when the hip joint and the femur do not fit together correctly, resulting in pain and stiffness for the dog, or in more severe cases, the need for surgery or euthanasia. Cases that are less serious are less of a problem to treat and typically need a good nutritional basis and normal exercise.
Stenotic Nares is when the nostrils of the pug are narrow or otherwise constricted, and this problem can put strain on the body making the dog have an enlarged heart. This condition's symptoms include breathing through the mouth and foamy nasal discharge, and both can be corrected with surgery.
A condition in which the eyelids fold inward, causing eye trouble including ulcerations and scratches, is called entropion. The most widely used method for clearing this up is surgery and can remedy the situation; however, to find the problem and begin taking care to fix it is crucial to your pet's welfare and healthiness.
Dry Eyes is another condition that can fairly commonly occur in pugs. Having dry eyes can be defined as not being able to produce enough of your own tears to keep the eyes moist. 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 currently own a pug or plan to in the future, there are many health problems that you should watch for; contact your vet if you suspect your dog may have any of the conditions listed above.
Your dog's health is important. And there are some health issues common only to particular breeds of dog. If you're a pug owner, or thinking of adding a pug to your family, you'll want to find out all you can about pug health issues.
Published June 19th, 2008
Filed in Pets