Ear infections are one of the most common health issues seen with all dog breeds and with dogs of all ages. As you can see in the previous '
List of Most Reported Health Issues', this was at #1, with 15% of owners stating that their Pug has suffered from an ear infection.
Breeds like the Pug that have drop ears (rose or button fold-over) in which the ear canal is fully or partial covered are more prone to this than breeds with erect stand-up ears. Keeping the ears clean of excess wax, debris and moisture plays a big role in helping to prevent ear infections.
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Pug Dog Ears for information regarding ear set, ear care, and infection prevention. Canines in general can have a wide range of eye-related issues and disorders. In addition to those, breeds like the Pug that have large and somewhat protruding eyes are prone to certain eye issues. As seen earlier under '
List of Most Reported Health Issues', eye problems ranked at #3 with 11% of Pug owners reporting a previous or current problem.
Top issues that affect Pugs include pigmentary keratitis, cherry eye, inflammation, keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye), corneal abrasions and ulcerations, entropion (inverted or folded-in eyelid), distichiasis (eyelash(es) will grow in an odd place), and cataracts (mostly seen with seniors).
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Pug Dog Eye Issues and Care.
Common skin issues seen with Pugs includes itching, hot spots, and rash, sometimes seen alongside a strong odor. The cause behind these problems may be linked to allergies or a skin infection due to bacteria or yeast. In many cases, skin irritations and itching can be remedied at home by making some changes to limit exposure to the trigger and the use of topical anti-itch sprays and/or shampoos.
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Pug Dog Itching
which helps owners determine the cause and covers options for giving a Pug immediate relief.
Stomach and Intestinal Issues
There are lots of things that can cause a Pug to have an upset stomach or a disturbance in bowel movements, ranging from ingestion of table scraps with a high fat content to ingestion of toxins, though an acute bacterial issue or virus are also possibilities. Long-term stomach issues are often related to a dog's diet. Bloat, which is a dangerous twisting of the stomach, is linked to rapid ingestion of food and exercising too close to meal time. Read more:
Pug Dog Bloat
- This acute condition, also known as Killer Bloat and medically known as Gastric Dilatation Volvulus, is a serious and sometime fatal issue. Learn how to prevent this, common symptoms, and how to react if you suspect this.
Pug Dog Constipation
- This refers to very hard or very infrequent bowel movements. Most cases can be treated at home but severe cases or those that do not respond to home remedies must be treated by the veterinarian.
Pug Dog Diarrhea
- This refers to very frequent or loose stools and needs to be addressed as soon as possible since it can lead to dangerous dehydration.
Pug Dog Gas
- Excess gas can cause burping or flatulence which may not only be stinky but also uncomfortable for a Pug.
Pug Breed-Specific Health Issues, Respiratory-related
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS)
This is a combination of two or more conditions, and in some cases secondary conditions, that affects the breathing passages and therefore a Pug's
ability to breathe. The four main conditions are: - Stenotic nares. ‘Pinched’ nostrils that are too small, making it difficult to draw air in.
- Elongated soft palate; The palate (flap of skin at the back of the throat) is too long, partially blocking the entrance to the trachea (windpipe).
- Trachea issues. This includes hypoplastic trachea (abnormal growth of the cartilage rings that make up the trachea (windpipe) is which the airway is abnormally narrow and collapsed trachea (a weakening of the cartilage rings which leads to one or more of them collapsing inward) which blocks the trachea (windpipe) to varying extents.
- Everted laryngeal saccules. Tissue located in front of the vocal cords is pulled into the trachea (windpipe), causing a partial blockage. This is not seen as often as stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, and trachea issues.
Secondary conditions include laryngeal (voice box) collapse and tonsillar eversion and hypertrophy.
BOAS is very common with Pugs. Some studies show the rate of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome with Pugs as being 90+%; however, this does not represent the number that have this condition severe enough to warrant surgery. As seen in the previous '
List of Most Reported Health Issues' just 8% of owners reported this with their Pug, though this certainly and unfortunately does not include those who have this but are not yet diagnosed.
This is a very common health condition seen with Pugs, approximately 50% of all Pugs have this to some degree. Also known as pinched nostrils, stenotic nares involves abnormally narrow nostrils that cause a dog to have trouble breathing. Over time, internal pressure can build up, affecting the larynx and lead to larynx collapse which is a very dangerous and often fatal condition.
Stenotic nares is a congenital issue, meaning that it is present at birth, but noticeable symptoms may not appear for several years. Signs include noisy breathing, exercise intolerance, and snoring. Severe cases may also include cyanosis (blue gums) and/or fainting.
Minor cases are treated with the use of a harness as opposed to a collar and careful attention paid to exercise limits. Moderate to severe cases are treated surgically.
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Pug Dog Stenotic Nares.
This is a condition seen with Pugs involving the palate which is a flap of tissue located at the back of the throat. Because Pugs have compressed internal passages, the palate is often too large, comparatively speaking, and therefore partially blocks the entrance to the trachea (windpipe). This means that as a Pug inhales and exhales, the air cannot flow freely as it would otherwise.
Elongated soft palate is a congenital issue, meaning that it is present at birth and symptoms may not always be noticeable right away but may worsen as a Pug matures. Signs include newborn pups dribbling milk from the nose, excessive panting, gagging or regurgitating food, snoring, excessive saliva, and exercise intolerance. Severe cases may also include cyanosis (blue gums) and/or fainting.
Minor cases are treated with the use of a harness as opposed to a collar, careful attention paid to exercise limits, and encouraging better sleeping positions. Moderate to severe cases are treated surgically.
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Pug Dog Elongated Soft Palate.