Even when a Pug is cleared of breathing-related disorders (stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, tracheal abnormalities, etc.) or a disorder is indeed present but is diagnosed to be minor (no surgery required), a Pug can still have lots of breathing problems.
There may be all kinds of loud noises, trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, heavy panting that interferes with meeting exercise requirements, intolerance for hot or cold weather, and other issues.
Fortunately, there are quite a few things you can do to help your Pug breathe better both when active and at rest.
1. Maintain an indoor room temperature between 68 and 75 Fahrenheit (20 and 24 C).
Use an air conditioner during hot weather and take care to not turn the heat up too much in the winter. For those that do not have an AC, there are some things that can keep a room cooler to help a Pug breathe better including opening windows on opposite sides of the house to create air flow, placing fans to help air circulate throughout the rooms, and keeping blinds and curtains closed to block out sunlight that would otherwise heat up the house.
2. Maintain humidity levels of 35 to 45%.
Overly dry air dries out breathing passages and air with high moisture levels can interfere with breathing as well. Most Pugs do best with humidity levels between 35 and 45% but it is rare for this to be the level naturally found in homes.
In the winter, air is very arid due to cold air not holding moisture. When that dry air is heated in the home, the relative humidity drops significantly, compounding the problem.
For this reason, setting up a humidifier like the LEVOIT Cool Mist Humidifier
can help a Pug breathe better in the wintertime. In many locales, it's the opposite problem in the summer, when air often holds high levels of moisture. For those that live in an area with high humidity levels, a dehumidifer like the
Afloia Dehumidifier for Home
may be needed.
3. Limit exposure to very cold air.
Air that is inhaled through the nasal passages is warmed before it reaches the lungs, but air that is inhaled through the mouth is not and that cold air can exacerbate breathing problems. So, if a Pug is outside in the winter and is breathing through their mouth (often seen with Pugs that have stenotic nares, a very common issue with this breed), that dog may pant heavy, gasp for breath, and struggle to keep breathing under control.
This is seen most often on days that are under 10 F (-12 C) but can occur at higher temps in the 20's or 30's. If your Pug has more trouble in the winter, limit outdoor time just to bathroom trips and short walks to maintain exercise requirements.
4. Take exercise precautions during hot, humid weather.
It's a fine line between not pushing a Pug too far and making sure that there is enough physical activity to stay healthy. Since summer can be long and Pugs should not stay sedentary, exercise may need to be limited to early mornings and later in the evenings to avoid the hottest parts of the day, breaks should be taken in the shade, and plenty of water should be provided. If there is a heat wave, keep your Pug indoors.
5. Never place a collar on your Pug when on leash.
When a leash is connected to a collar, any and all stress or tension from that leash is placed directly against the windpipe which can severely impede breathing ability. Panting, wheezing, exercise intolerance, and many more aspects can dramatically worsen.
Pugs and other brachycephalic breeds should always wear a harness instead; this distributes pressure across the back, chest, and shoulders while keeping the neck free. If you're looking for a great harness for your Pug puppy or dog, the
Puppia Soft B Harness Vest
is excellent. This is a step-in design (nothing has to be fit over the head), it's made of breathable air-mesh, and it is adjustable.
6. Limit over-excitement.
When Pugs get too excited this can lead to excessive panting and can worsen clinical symptoms of stenotic nares, elongated palate, and other breathing-related disorders. Offer introductions to new people or other dogs in a gradual and casual manner and keep things low-key when offering new toys or announcing a fun activity.
7. Keep your Pug at a healthy weight.
Excess weight affects breathing by pushing on the diaphragm and chest wall, adding pressure to the tracheal area, decreasing the amount of room for the lungs, and causing the heart and lungs to work harder to move oxygen around.
8. Reduce or eliminate air irritants.
Environmental allergens like pollen, weeds, grasses, and mold and certain air pollutants like cigarette smoke, air freshener sprays, and aerosol cleaners can all exacerbate breathing problems with increased nasal congestion, chest congestion, coughing, wheezing, and/or labored or shallow breathing.
Eliminate what you can by making your home a non-smoking zone and avoiding aerosol products. If your
Pug has allergies, working to resolve this may include limiting time outside on high-pollen days, wet-dusting and vacuuming the house often, and cleaning off the coat and paws when coming back inside.
9. Encourage good sleeping positions.
If the head is tucked down and the neck is scrunched or a Pug sleeps in an otherwise awkward position, this can cause compression of the airway passages; there may be increased snoring and/or excessive loud breathing. Sleep apnea, episodes of greatly reduced or paused breathing, can also be at play which can be a dangerous and sometimes fatal condition.
To help a Pug breathe easier at night, the body should be in a stretched-out arc with the neck supported and extended. To facilitate this, have your Pug rest and sleep on a large round or rectangle dog bed with raised bolstered sides that serve as a pillow for the head. Since this breed is very prone to hip issues, a memory foam mattress is recommended. A bed like the
JOYELF Memory Foam Dog Bed
meets all of these requirements.
If your Pug likes to sleep on a flat mattress, try slipping a narrow pillow under their head.
10. Monitor your Pug.
With so many factors that can affect how well a Pug breaths there can be changes throughout the year and over time. So, continually monitor your Pug for increased breathing problems, making adjustments as needed. If there is a dramatic change in breathing issues, sudden episodes of respiratory distress, or chronic breathing problems that do not respond to the changes that you make, bring this to the attention of the veterinarian asap.