Some Serious Pug Health Problems

Pugs have health problems that are unique to the breed and are usually hereditary. As a pug owner, you should be armed with proper knowledge and information regarding these pug health problems so that you can easily take action. Here is a list of some of the most common pug health problems.

•    Pug Dog Encephalitis. This is a usually terminal brain disease that affects both male and female pugs. Symptoms of this brain inflammatory are seizures, blindness, irregular gait, staring blankly, depression, and screaming, among others. Dogs that are younger than one year and older than five years are the ones usually affected by this disease.
•    Patellar Luxation. Patellar or more commonly known as kneecap is the part of the body that is affected by this defect. The kneecap in this condition tends to slip in and out of the tendon. Extreme kneecap luxation can cause bow-legged puppies. Surgery can correct this condition.
•    Dry Eye Syndrome. Technically called Keratoconjunctivitis or KCS, this condition can cause blindness. It is called as such because the dog’s eyes do not produce the normal amount of tears. Dogs with red and swollen eyes with some mucous discharge are some symptoms of this illness. Treatments for dry eye syndrome are surgery and some forms of medications.
•    Tracheal Collapse. This condition is caused by a narrow trachea or more commonly known as windpipe. This is a kind of respiratory illness and the symptoms are ragged breathing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Dogs should not be exposed to something which can cause discomfort to their lungs such as smoking or extreme temperatures.

These are some of the more serious pug health problems that your dog may get.  Don’t let that scare you away from adopting a pug, though as most will never have any of these problems!