Pug health: what owners should know

Pugs are well known for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, which includes narrow nostrils, an elongated soft palate and other airway changes. They are also prone to eye injuries and ulcers, skin fold irritation, kneecap problems, spinal conditions, and a rare inflammatory brain disease called Pug dog encephalitis. Obesity makes nearly all of these worse.

Reputable breeders assess breathing with a formal airway grading scheme where available, check eyes and knees, and often test for Pug dog encephalitis risk. At home, keep your Pug slim, use a harness, avoid heat and check the eyes daily. See a vet the same day for a squinting, watery or cloudy eye, and urgently for noisy breathing at rest, fainting, collapse or a seizure.