Healthy Pug – Health Issues Explained

Everyone wants a happy and healthy dog. It doesn’t matter what breed of dog you have, there will always be some health risks that you have to watch out for. Our beloved little Pug is no different. The important thing to understand is that you should never underestimate the significance of a good healthy diet and exercise.

Pug HealthOne thing that you should remember is that the Pug breed has been bred to look a certain way. This has caused them to be more prone to certain health issues that other breeds might not have. Don’t think that other breeds don’t have their own specific genetic issues, because they do. Each breed comes with their own problems, which can show up more/less depending on the breeder.

However we are dealing with pugs here, so I’m going to talk about some of the more common problems as well as the genetic health issues that relate to Pugs. But before we do that, let’s look at some of the contributing health factors that are more specific to the Pug health.

The first factor is their size. They are bred to be small and bulky. The second factor is their head. They have a distinct head shape compared to most dogs. Most dogs have a protruding jaw and snout. Pugs have been bred to have a short snout. Even though these characteristics make our dogs look really cute, unfortunately they can cause some problems.

Breathing Issues in Pugs

It’s always important to keep an eye on your dog so you can spot when something unusual is going on with him. Many breeds that are short-snouted have some breathing problems once in a while. Because they have smaller nose structures, fluids and debris can get stuck more easily. This will cause your Pug to do a reverse sneeze.

As I’ve mentioned before, it’s important to keep an eye on your dog when you hear it sneezing or having trouble breathing. If they cannot unclog whatever is keeping them from breathing they will need attention and help.

You should also keep in mind that dogs with shorter snouts overheat a lot quicker than other dogs. Make sure you keep your Pug cool and hydrated during those hot summer days. Access to cool drinking water is very important for these little guys.

Pugs and Eye Prolapse

Pugs and eye prolapseA condition called eye prolapse is a problem that is associated with Pugs and other dogs with similar face structure. Because the front of their face is squished together, the eye sockets of these dogs do not do as good of a job at keeping their eyeballs inside. So a trauma to the head or the face has the potential to cause an eye prolapse.

What eye prolapse means is that the eyeball of your Pug will slip out of his socket. As terrifying as it sounds it is not something that will do harm to your precious Pug if you take care of it right away. You can easily push the eye back in without causing your Pug any harm, although I recommend taking him to the vet just in case.

Serious Health Concerns

There are several diseases some small dogs can suffer. One of these diseases is called necrotizing meningoencephalitis or in short NME. Unfortunately Pugs have a chance of developing this disease when they are young. This disease causes inflammation of the brain and meninges. It has no cure so if a Pug is found to have the disease he may have to be put down.

It’s important to note that this disease is hereditary. So again, you should only get your Pug from a breeder that you can trust. A lot of hereditary health problems can be avoided if you take the time to do your research to find someone who isn’t breeding these dogs just for profit.

Obesity Danger

Pugs are small and short dogs which makes them more prone to becoming obese. The older your Pug gets the more likely he is to become heavier than he should be. The average weight of a Pug is somewhere between 13 and 19 pounds.

The best advice to not have your Pug overweight is to take care of him and feed him the proper amount of food and to have him exercise enough to where he will be able to shed any extra pounds he may have. Exercise will not only get rid of the extra pounds, but it will also help keep them off.

Pay Attention to Your Pugs Health

healthy-pug-picturesIt is very important to have a relationship with your Pug and build trust. If you haven’t noticed, this website is specifically dedicated to help the owners do just that. You want your dog to trust you. You want him to come to you for help with his problems instead of hiding them from you.

It’s always good to keep an eye on your Pug and train yourself to detect when something is out of the ordinary. All the problems a Pug is capable of having, from problems breathing to obesity can be easily fixed or even avoided if you are prepared.

4 Responses to “Healthy Pug – Health Issues Explained”

  1. lyndsey says:

    the eyeprolapse thing sounds scary

    good thing it never happened to our dogs

  2. Marilyn Gerber says:

    My 7 1/2 yo female pug just became blind,so terrifying 🙁

    • Maryanne says:

      My 10 year old pug made a trip to Brisbane today to find out what exactly is wrong with him, we hope that it’s not serious, I don’t know if I will be brave anough to put him down, my heart is breaking.

  3. P Bista says:

    My 3 months pug has her eyes red but only half part. I really have no clue what it is??

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