FACT: Did you know that pugs are born nearly black and lighten as they age? Unless they are supposed to be black of course! They can have white spots on their chests or tips of toes when born, these disappear with age, usually at 6-9 weeks.
FACT: Did you know that unless
you attend the birth of pugs nearly 95% of them will die? Why? Because
mom's don't have a long enough nose to break the sac they are born in
and they suffocate.
FACT: Did you realize that your
breeder has "quickened" these puppies from the womb, to help awaken
them to life and often has to give mouth to mouth recusitation and
heart stimulation to puppies after a c-section to assure their
survival? Wonder why they are "expensive"? Now you know, they are worth
far more than we charge. If we figured up our time by the hour in
caring for our babies, we would be making about a quarter an hour.
FACT: Did you know that your responsible breeders will sleep in the
same room as the pug puppies and at each squeak, make sure mom dog
isn't lying on a baby or sitting on a baby? AND that the breeder must
plug the puppies onto mom's "Spigots" about every two hours for the
first 2-3 days (round the clock)? Often the puppies aren't able to find
the teats themselves without training from your breeder.
FACT: Pug puppies need to have their food and water elevated when they
are small. Why? Because their heads are so heavy vs their bodies that
if they put their heads down to eat, their butts go into the air
forcing their face into the food or water..Yes, I know. It looks funny,
BUT, they can inhale the food and/or water and get particles in their
lungs causing pneumonia.
Before
you bring a pug or boston terrier home and make them part of the
family, you should be familiar with the health issues and concerns of
these dogs. Health problems are one of the key reasons that so many
Dogs are surrendered to rescues. Another is the time, money and effort
it takes to care for dogs properly. Many people don't truly understand
the level of commitment that these dogs require. Please keep in mind
that dogs age much more rapidly than humans, so wear and tear will show
earlier on them and should be considered normal. Arthritis, slowing
down of activity, cataracts, loss of hearing...basically all the things
we humans experience dogs can experience as they age too. They can
become diabetic because they are overweight, inactive, they can get
allergies, kidney stones and on and on...this is just a part of aging
and natural body processes. They cannot be screened for nor can we
predict the future and see how your pet will age.
General Health
Pugs
and Bostons are a Brachycephalic breed, meaning that they have a short
nose. Because of this they have greater chances of having breathing
problems such as: elongated soft palate, pinched or undersized
nostrils, and other respiratory ailments. In addition, changes in heat
can be VERY difficult on Pugs and they should NEVER be left outside in
either cold or hot (greater than 70 degrees F) weather.
Pugs
and Bostons should always be kept inside the house with their family or
in a kennel where there is air conditioning for the summer and heat for
the winter. Air conditioning in the summer months is essential. Signs
of heat prostration are common in Pugs and include difficulty
breathing, wheezing and heavy panting. Dogs in heat distress should be
cooled with water and taken to a veterinarian as soon as possible. Dogs
sweat through the pads on their feet so cooling their feet with water
or putting a small child's size wading pool outside where they can
splash in the water really helps in the summer time.
Large
eyes can develop many problems. It is important to get in the habit of
checking your dog's eyes and if they seem dirty or wet, put an eye wash
in and clean them whenever necessary. Eyes can get scratched easily and
they can have eyelid or eyelash abnormalities.
Trichiasis is ingrown eyelashes of the upper eyelid, which causes
irritation of the eye and can be surgically corrected.
Distichiasis
is a double row of eyelashes that normally are on the lower lid and
cause irritation. This condition also requires surgery.
Entropion
is an inward rolling of the eyelids which usually causes the eyelashes
or hairs to rub against the surface of the eye, causing scratches,
irritation and ulceration. This is most critical and needs to be caught
early and surgically corrected to prevent complications.
Dry Eye
is an eye condition resulting from lack of tear production. The eyes
will appear dull and textured instead of lusterous and shiny. Treatment
will depend on the cause and severity of the condition. Some pugs have
this because they get too fat and the nose wrinkle actually interferes
with the natural drainage and tear production of the eye. Watch your
pug's weight!
Bilateral Cataracts will appear as opaque spots on
the lens of the eye. These spots can cause partial or full loss of
vision. Sometimes surgery can help. Often occurs in older dogs,
probably due to exposure to the sun, much like human eyes.
Corneal
Ulcers can occur after any scratch or injury to a Pug's eye. Ulcers
need to be treated immediately or there will be some loss of sight.
Generalized
Progressive Retinal Atrophy is a hereditary eye disease causing the
gradual breakdown of cells of the retina and causing blindness. Pugs
can be screened for this condition.
Pigmentary Keratitis can
first appear as a small black or dark brown blob on the white of the
eye in the inside corners. It will gradually spread across the eye,
completely covering it and blocking the Pug's vision so that the Pug is
blind. This can be caused by an ingrown eyelash or eye injury that went
untreated, sometimes even undetected.
Stenotic Nares is a
condition often found in short nosed dogs. It it a narrowing or
restriction of the nostrils. This puts a strain on the dog's system and
can sometimes lead to an enlarged heart. Signs of this condition are
that the Pug tends to mouth breathe or have a foamy nasal discharge.
Surgery can enlarge the nostrils and fix this problem.
Elongated
Soft Palate is when the palate is too long and it restricts air flow
into the lungs. It can be surgically corrected. The majority of short
nose dogs have elongated soft palates to some degree. Most never
require surgery.
Pugs, because of their slightly undershot
jaw, can also develop tooth and gum problems. You need to check the
mouth for any signs of problems, mouth tumors, retained baby teeth..
Pugs
have a high incidence of Demodectic skin mites (often called demodectic
mange), especially when they are still puppies. It is often called
"teenage mange" by vets who have been practicing for a number of years.
Mange does require a veterinarian to treat it. In regards to the
localized form, it usually occurs when Pugs are under one year old and
you may notice small patches of hair loss exposing healthy looking
patches of skin. Often they appear on the face or forelegs. It appears
gradually and after the patches reach their maximum size, the hair
begins to regrow. It is important that if you see these signs that you
get your Pug to a vet immediately. The generalized form of this
condition can occur in Pugs of any age and the exposed skin often
becomes infected. This type can be very difficult to treat. Again, it
is very important that you seek treatment at the first indication that
your Pug may have any type of this condition. The best treatment is
injections of Ivermectin which should be given under the supervision of
your vet only. It is an inexpensive and very effective treatment. Don't
let the vet's talk you into expensive "dips" and baths. That is a money
maker for them. Tell them you would prefer the Ivermectin treatment, if
they look like they don't know what you are talking about....get
another vet.
Shedding
Pugs shed year round and they
shed A LOT! A good diet and weekly grooming can help control the amount
of hair that ends up in your house, on your clothes, etc. But, there is
no way to stop a pug from shedding. Comb/brush your pug at least once a
week, as well as bathing them once every 3 to 4 weeks. This will also
help control parasites and keep their skin healthy. If your pug really
hates the comb/brush, and just will not tolerate it...you could always
use your fingers and give them a massage, scratching all around to
remove the dead hair.
Bostons shed, although since their
hair is dark and short it is usually not readily noticed. They shed
very little compared to the pug.
Reverse Sneezing
Many
short nose dog owners have experienced their dog having what appears to
be a "breathing attack". It can be quite frightening to see for the
first time. Reverse sneezing is characterized by a series of forced
inhalations, and snorting through the nostrils (gasping inwards). It
may last for a few seconds or up to 1 minute or more. These attacks
often occur on a sporadic, unpredictable basis.
Pugs and
Bostons usually have the head extended forward and stand still during
the attack. There is no loss of consciousness or collapse. Many Pugs
and other dogs have these attacks throughout their lives. The exact
cause of reverse sneezing is unknown, but it may be associated with
sinusitis and other upper respiratory disorders. Many believe affected
dogs are consciously removing mucus from the nasal passages. In fact,
many dogs swallow at the end of the attack. Attacks are most commonly
brought on by the dog wearing a collar and pulling on the leash. Your
dog will have very, very few attacks if you use a harness with them
instead of a collar.
Occasionally another possible cause is
a foreign body lodged in the nostril or it could be an allergy to
something causing/exacerbating the problem. Whatever the cause, the
condition is usually not serious. If the condition appears suddenly in
an older dog or if episodes become more severe or frequent, the nasal
passages and throat should be examined by a vet.
Treatment
Treatment
is not necessary when the episodes occur infrequently on a random
basis. Calming your Pug/Boston during an attack may shorten the
episode. Massaging the dog's throat gently may help. Worsening episodes
may need to be treated medically. Consult your vet for advice if you
are worried.