Study: Pugs can no longer be considered a typical dog due to health problems

Miscellaneous / by admin / May 20, 2022

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They are 54 times more likely to develop certain diseases than other breeds.

In the new researchHealth of Pug dogs in the UK: disorder predispositions and protections The Royal Veterinary College says that in conventional terminology, pugs should no longer be considered a "typical dog" due to serious health problems. They are almost twice as likely to suffer from one or more diseases per year compared to dogs of other breeds.

One of the reasons is the uncontrolled breeding of pugs for exhibitions, which does not take into account the characteristics of brachycephalic breeds. Often, breeders prefer individuals with cute faces, behind which lies more and more problems with the respiratory tract and the brain.

The study used an in-depth analysis of health outcomes in 4,308 pugs and 21,835 other breeds in the UK. All compared the risks of developing 40 of the most common diseases and it turned out that pugs are ahead of all in 23 of them.

Among the most common:

obstructive airway syndrome (difficulty breathing due to a depressed skull and short nose) - the risk of development is on average almost 54 times higher;
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stenosis of the nostrils (pinched nostrils that make it difficult to breathe) - the risk is 51 times higher;
ulceration (inflammation) of the cornea - the risk is 13 times higher.

Photo: Heszter / Pixabay

With all this, pugs showed lower risks for 7 disorders, including heart murmurs and aggressive behavior, which suggests that the breed has at least some favorable qualities in relation to health.

However, the results suggest a significantly increased risk of multiple dangerous pathologies, most of which are directly related to muzzle reduction.

The problem is that the dog has a smaller skull, but nothing else about that dog has gotten smaller.

Myfanwy Hill

veterinary surgeon from the University of Cambridge

“The vastly different health profiles between pugs and other dogs in the UK suggest that the pug significantly different from the main dog breeds and can no longer be considered a typical dog in terms of health, ”says research.

To reduce the health risks of pugs in the future, it is necessary to take control of the selection. This will help breed individuals with more "safe" anatomy, increasing and life span of dogs this breed.