The pug is a very endearing little dog that seems to have both a cheerful and a scowl in its face. Its small size combined with its air of a mastiff has earned the pug a lot of popularity. Unfortunately, the Pug is also an extremely fragile breed of dog; so much so that it has been decided that he will no longer be considered a “typical dog”.
The pug: a dog bred for its appearance
The pug is a breed of dog that originated in China. The breed is easily recognizable with a large round head, nearly flat muzzle, and extensive forehead wrinkles. Although the origins of the pug date back to the 16th century, this breed remains very popular today. Indeed, the pug is very popular for its distinctive appearance, but also for its relaxed, playful and very friendly attitude. Yet, even though the pug is a rather hardy breed of dog, it is well known that this breed is prone to many health issues.
Moreover, a new study carried out by the Royal Veterinary Collegein London, claimed that the pugs’ health problems are so serious that they can no longer be considered ” typical dogs “. Primarily bred for their appearance, it is important to understand that the brachycephalic, short-faced characteristics of Pugs did not evolve naturally and are instead the results of selective breeding. Unfortunately, this facial structure is not without consequences for the health of pugs. Researchers have found that Pugs are more likely to suffer from respiratory, eye and skin disorders compared to other dog breeds.
Worse still, scientists have explained that pugs have far too small a skull that dangerously compresses their brains, a veterinarian explained in a report by BBC. ” The vastly different health profiles between pugs and other dogs in the UK suggest that the pug has diverged so much from traditional dog breeds that the pug breed can no longer be considered a typical dog “, thus concluded the researchers in their study published in the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics.
Selective breeding of pugs deemed ‘cruel’ by researchers
To reach this conclusion, the researchers compared the health parameters of 4,308 pugs with those of 21,835 dogs of other breeds. In particular, they took into account the risks of developing 40 common health problems, including respiratory problems, eye problems and heart problems. The results showed that pugs had an increased risk of developing 23 of 40 common dog problems. The risks were particularly high for obstructive airway syndrome, corneal ulceration and obesity.
Either way, there weren’t all negatives regarding the pugs’ health. This breed of dog has also been found to be less likely to develop common conditions, such as heart murmur and lipomas, reports Mail Online. Still, researchers have urged people to stop selectively breeding pugs, as the practice is proving extremely cruel to this animal. Because in addition to the many health problems they are subjected to, it has also been found in a study Pugs are among the dog breeds with the shortest lifespan.
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