A new UK study shows that pugs have so many health problems that they are not comparable to other dogs. From eye and spinal problems, to respiratory and cardiac difficulties, they are recurrent in this popular breed.
A study by the UK’s Royal Veterinary College concluded that the health of the popular pug is so poor that “they can no longer be considered a typical dog from a health perspective.”
Research published in academic journal Canine Medicine and Geneticsanalyzed the health of 4,308 pugs and 21,835 dogs of other breeds.
“Pugs are a brachycephalic breed of dog that have become extraordinarily popular in recent decades. However, there is growing concern about the serious health and welfare problems of the breed,” the study authors explain.
During the comparative survey, they were able to observe that the health of these dogs is much worse than that of other cannes, even other brachycephalics, that is, those with a flattened face and short muzzle.
The analysis found that pugs have nearly twice the risk of one or more diseases per year than other dogs.
Dan O’Neill, lead author of the study and an expert in animal epidemiology, told the network BBC what “We now know that several serious health problems are linked to the extreme body shape of pugs that many humans find so attractive.”.
Pug morphology makes them more susceptible to poor health
As the researchers explain, the pugs’ morphology makes them especially attractive because their facial features arouse tenderness and positive emotions by responding to the “schema of a baby”: short nose, with large eyes and head.
“They can arouse positive emotions by adapting to the ‘baby schema’ facial configuration, triggering innate nurturing responses in humans. Empirical studies have shown that these characteristics increase attractiveness, particularly for women”, comment the researchers.
However, these same traits make them more likely to get sick.
The most common problem they face is brachycephalic airway obstruction syndromewhich usually causes them to have difficulty breathing.
Another recurring health problem in pug dogs is ulcerations or lesions on the corneabecause the hair of the nasal fold usually pricks their eyes.
Also, they have the narrower tracheawhich favors heart and respiratory problems.
Along with this, due to their frequent breathing difficulties, they are not good at tolerating heat or doing much exercise, so they are also susceptible to obesity.
As if that were not enough, having many folds, they usually suffer skin conditions, such as infections, irritations, pain and itching. And its spiral tail is a “malformed vertebra” that can cause herniated discs.
Inbreeding and selective crossing
Some of the pugs’ health problems can be explained by the high degree of inbreeding and selective crossbreeding in the breed.
A 2008 study by Imperial College experts found that in a universe of 10,000 pugs, the degree of inbreeding was so great that they derived from only about 50 distinctive individuals.
Rowena Packer, a researcher at the Royal Veterinaty College, noted in 2016 that it was worrying that breeders of this breed of dog are determined to continue to exaggerate the physical characteristics of these animals through selective breeding and crossbreeding.
“Basically, it is a consequence of our choosing that they end up with this face, and this is incompatible with nature. We can’t boil everything down to what we want,” he said.
“The problem was directly caused by breeders, who have deliberately bred dogs seeking to exaggerate these traits,” added the researcher, stating that many people have profited excessively from defenseless animals, which most likely suffer from various ailments.
In 2016, the British Veterinary Association called for other types of breeds to be preferred so as not to contribute to the demand for pugs.
“People who want to own a dog need to take into account all the health problems that these breeds can suffer throughout their lives, from eye ulcers to painful spinal abnormalities and severe respiratory difficulties,” explained Sean Wensley, president of the organization.
“The surge in popularity of these dogs has increased animal suffering. Also, they are difficult pets for their owners, so we really encourage people to choose other breeds or healthier mixes instead, ”he added.