2. Introduction
When choosing any breed of dog you must be aware of
potential health concerns
All dogs mixes and pure bred can have health concerns
The more popular breeds and their mixes will have more
genetic problems listed and more likely to have puppies
with problems .
Make sure your breeder offers a written health guarantee
good for one year.
Have the puppy heath checked at your Veterinarian.
3. Eye Disorders
Exposure keratopathy syndrome (exophthalmos, lagophthalmos, and/
)
With this syndrome, there is chronic irritation of the
surface of the eye (the cornea) because of increased
evaporation of tears and increased corneal exposure.
This is a result of a combination of anatomic features
including exophthalmos (protrusion of the eyeball),
lagophthalmos (inability to close the eyelids completely)
andmacroblepharon (an exceptionally large eyelid
opening, often associated with lower lid entropion ). The
result is inadequate blinking, and therefore reduced
protection for the eye. Affected dogs experience chronic
discomfort and are prone to ulceration of the cornea .
4. Eye Disorders
Cataracts : Can be congenital, juvenile or as a
result of old age
Keratoconjunctivitis sicca KCS or "dry eye"
is an eye disease caused by abnormal bulk of
the tears.
Entropion : Entropion is the inward rolling of
the eyelid, most commonly the lower lid. This
irritates the surface of the eye (the cornea) and
may ultimately cause visual impairment.
5. Eye Disorders
Eyelash abnormalities Normally the eyelashes (or cilia)
grow from follicles in the eyelid. Abnormalities of the
eyelash are a common hereditary problem in dogs. The
three types are:
distichiasis, in which extra eyelashes grow from abnormal
follicles located on the inside edge of the eyelid. They may
be singular or multiple.
ectopic cilia, in which the extra eyelash grows through the
eyelid to the inside.One or more ectopic cilia may be
present.
trichiasis, in which eyelashes growing from normal sites
turn inward. The eyelashes are often abnormally long.
6. Respiratory Disorders
brachycephalic syndrome Problems associated with this syndrome range
in severity, with most brachycephalic dogs snuffling and snorting to
some degree. Some will have no further difficulties, but many will have
problems such as increasingly noisy breathing, coughing and gagging,
fainting or collapsing episodes, and a decreased tolerance for exercise
(ie. they tire easily). Over the long term, this also puts an increased
strain on the heart.
Overheating is especially dangerous because increased panting (the
normal mechanism for cooling in dogs) can cause further swelling and
narrowing of the already constricted airways, which will increase your
dog's anxiety. Excitement, exercise, or warm weather (and especially a
combination of these factors) can trigger this vicious cycle. These dogs
can also have gastrointestinal problems, because of difficulties
coordinating swallowing when they are working so hard at breathing.
This can result in vomiting gagging because of swallowing so much air,
or aspiration pneumonia, because of breathing in saliva or food
particles.They have an increased risk associated with sedation and
anesthesia
, .
7. Musculoskeletal Disorders
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease : This is a disease of
the hip joint in young (4 to 12 months), small-breed dogs.
Hemivertebra This is a condition where there is
abnormal bony development of one or more of the
vertebrae - the bones that make up the spinal column.
The main part of each vertebra should look like a spool
when seen from the side. A hemivertebra looks like a
wedge or triangle. Hemivertebra can occur in dogs that
have other kinds of vertebral malformations as well.
Whether the condition causes problems for the dog
depends on what part of the spinal column is affected,
and whether there is compression of the spinal cord
8. Immune Disorder
Atopy The condition is usually first seen between 1 and 3 years of age,
although it may develop as late as 6 or 7. Initially atopy may be
seasonal (eg. from spring to fall) but most affected dogs eventually have
signs all year round.
Dogs with atopy are very itchy. The areas most affected are the face,
paws, lower legs, groin, and, less often, the ears and eyes. In addition
to scratching themselves with their hind feet, they often lick or chew the
affected areas, or rub along the carpet to scratch the face or ears. The
intense itching can make them irritable and less tolerant of being
handled.
Initially, there are no apparent skin abnormalities, except possibly slight
reddening, even though the dog is clearly itchy. (This is important
because in other conditions there is often a rash or some visible lesion.)
Over time, lesions develop as a result of the scratching and self-trauma,
bacterial or yeast infections, and seborrhea, all of which can contribute
to the objectionable odor of these dogs. The skin becomes reddened
and eventually darkened (hyperpigmentation), abraded, thickened, and
wrinkled, with loss of hair and bronze staining from saliva.
9. Skin Disorders
Demodicosis/ Demodectic mange is a mite that is present in
small numbers in the skin of most healthy dogs. Nursing puppies
acquire the mite from their mothers during the first few days of life,
and in most dogs there will never be any associated problems.
In some dogs however, the normal balance is disrupted due to an
immune defect. The mites multiply by the thousands in the hair
follicles causing inflammation, in a condition called demodicosis.
Demodicosis may be localized - that is, confined to 1 or more
small discrete scaly reddened areas of hair loss, most commonly on
the face or front legs. This is usually seen in pups of 3 to 6 months
of age, and most cases resolve spontaneously. Alternately,
generalized demodicosis may develop, at anywhere from 3 to
12 months of age. This is a severe skin condition.
The defect in the cell-mediated immune system which allows the
development of generalized demodicosis is believed to be inherited
It is not infectious, to other pets or to people
10. Skin Disorders
Fold dermatitis/pyoderma Dermatitis means inflammation
of the skin. Where there are excessive skin folds or
wrinkles, fold dermatitis occurs due to rubbing of skin
and trapping of moisture in the folds. Pyoderma
(bacterial skin infection) commonly develops, almost
always caused by Staphylococcus intermedius (which
does not cause problems in people).
Common forms are tail, lip, and facial fold dermatitis and
associated pyoderma, in breeds where there is skin
folding in these areas
11. Heart Disorder
Sick sinus syndrome Sick sinus syndrome (also called sinus node
dysfunction or bradycardia-tachycardia syndrome) is a disturbance of the
normal rhythm of the heart in adult/older dogs. Normally, a dog's heart will
beat at a rate as low as 40 beats/minute during sleep and as high as 280
beats/minute during intense exercise. In sick sinus syndrome, the heart's
natural ability to beat is compromised. Some dogs suddenly have a heart
rate as slow as 10 beats/minute, even during physical exercise; this causes
a drastic drop in circulation, and then they recover for hours or days before
having another sudden drop in heart rate. Other dogs have the opposite: a
heart rate that suddenly is very fast, causing a pounding heartbeat and also
compromising the circulation. Overall, then, sick sinus syndrome is a
disorder that causes an erratic change in the heartbeat, and that begins
mildly and then develops over time into a potentially life-threatening
problem. The hallmark symptom of sick sinus syndrome is sudden loss of
consciousness (fainting), also called syncope
12. Nervous System Disorders
Spina bifida Normally, the spinal cord is surrounded and protected
by the vertebrae of the spinal column. In spina bifida, there is
defective fusion of the vertebral arches during embryonic
development, so that the vertebrae are incomplete
Most often, spina bifida occurs in the lower back region (caudal lumbar
spine). The clinical signs vary with the extent of the defect. With a mild
defect, you will likely never know there is an abnormality unless your dog
has x-rays that show the area
When the spinal cord itself is affected, you will see signs in the hind end
ranging from weakness and incoordination to paralysis and urinary and fecal
incontinence. With a severe defect (absence of several adjacent vertebral
arches with protrusion of spinal cord), signs are generally evident very early,
when pups start to walk.
13. Nervous System Disorders
Meningitis Meningitis means inflammation of the
meninges, which are the membranes that line the brain
and spinal cord. Most cases of meningitis are due to
bacterial or viral infection. Some forms occur in specific
breeds however, and are believed to have an inherited
basis. This may be because of a genetically determined
abnormality of the immune system .Signs develop
between 6 months and 7 years, and include seizures
(which increase in severity), change in attitude, neck
pain and rigidity, circling, and/or blindness
14. In Conclusion
Pugs have 14 health concerns Disorders relatively common in this
breed are : Keratoconjuctivitus siica “dry eye”
Note above disorder(s) is very common in this breed. Do not take lightly
the other disorders. Some are very serious .
Information for this presentation as a public service provided by:
www.delayrekennel.com with information provided by :
A joint initiative of the Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at the
Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, and the
Canadian Veterinary Medical Association..
Permission is granted to reprint pages from the database, provided that
credit is given as follows: Crook A et al. 2011. Canine Inherited
Disorders Database
Photos Wickipedia Encyclopedia
15. About the Presenter
Member of the Canine Ambassador Program with Orange Empire Dog
Club. Educating people in the joy canines bring into our lives through their
relationship, interaction, and unconditional love.
Pet Professional specializing in the training of puppies in Sun Valley since
1974 .
Breeder of Silky Terriers and Wire Fox Terriers
My boarding, training and breeding kennel was awarded Small Business of
the Year 2000
Better Business Bureau A+ rating
I have owned and/or bred 21 Conformation Champions including 6
International Champions
Member and former Vice President of the City of Angels Silky Terrier Club
Past President of Sun Valley Chamber of Commerce
Have also served on the boards of Associated Terrier Breeders, Animal
Safe Haven Foundation, United Chambers of Commerce
