Understanding the characteristics of your dog’s breed will allow you to care for your best friend easier and more thoroughly because you are aware of any potential health risks. It can positively impact their well-being, especially in their older years because you the prevention you have taken will result in fewer health problems.
One dilemma which a lot of canines will encounter is hip dysplasia, especially a problem for bigger pets, but pugs can also be prone to have this problem. Hip Dysplasia occurs when there is some malformation of the hip joint and the femur bone does not fit correctly, which can cause the dog a lot of pain and in severe cases the dog may need surgery or have to be put down. Cases that are less serious are less of a problem to treat and typically need a good nutritional basis and normal exercise.
If the pug’s nostrils are narrow or constrained, he has a problem called “stenotic nares,” which can strain his body and lead to an enlarged heart. Breathing from the mouth and a foamy type discharge may be indications of this problem and can be fixed with surgery.
A problem in which the pet’s eyelids will roll in making the lashes to rub irritably against the pet’s eyes is termed entropion, and is an important health concern because it can facilitate other issues such as ulcerations, scratches and irriation of the pet’s eyes which only makes a bad situation worse. The condition can be corrected by surgery, which is the most common form of treatment, but noticing the problem and taking care of it can be very critical to your pug’s health and well being.
Dry Eyes is another condition that can fairly commonly occur in pugs. Dry Eyes is a deficiency in producing enough tears to keep their eyes nice and lubricated. There are a few things that can cause the tear ducts not to produce enough tears, blockage of the duct, failure of the tear ducts or lack of nerve stimulation to the tear ducts, and treatment is dependent upon how severe the condition is.
Demodectic skin mites is a common problem among many dogs and comes in two forms. In the first type, namely localized demodectic mange, which is that which shows up in tiny areas of skin minus hair, is found in canines less than one year old. The second form is generalized demodectic mange, which appears in one large patch of hairless but healthy looking skin and can appear in a dog of any age.
There are many more health conditions that you should look out for if you own or intend to own a pug, so if you suspect that your dog has any of the problems listed above or problems that may not be listed make an appointment with your vet and have your dog evaluated.
Find out more about Pug Breed Health and more about Hip Dysplasia in Pug visit www.healthyhappydogs.com