Pugs no longer considered a 'typical dog' due to health risks, study finds

A new study has found that pugs face such serious health conditions that they can "no longer be considered as a typical dog from the perspective of its disorder profile."
The study, conducted by The Royal Veterinary College in the U.K., found that the breed has "diverged substantially" from other dogs in suffering from increased health risks affecting the airways and the eyes, which can be detrimental to the overall health of pugs.
The popular small breed is known for its flat face, bulging eyes and wrinkled forehead. However, breeding pugs for their appearance has created major health problems for them, ranging from respiratory issues to seizures.
According to the study, pugs were found to have an increased risk for 23 disorders as well as a higher risk of skin infections.
"Pugs are almost twice as likely to experience one or more disorders annually compared with other dogs," the study's authors wrote.
The findings were published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal Canine Medicine and Genetics.
To better understand the health impacts, researchers analyzed 4,308 pugs and 21,835 dogs of other breeds in the U.K. The study compared their health profiles and odds of developing 40 common disorders.
According to the findings, pugs are 54 times more likely to have brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (a breathing condition due to their short noses), 51 times more likely to have narrowed nostrils, 11 times more likely to have skin fold infections, and nearly 10 times more likely to experience ear discharge.
"These findings suggest the pug can no longer be considered a typical dog from a health perspective and urgent action is required to reduce the high rate of health issues associated with the breed," the study's authors wrote.
In addition, the study found than more than 17 per cent of the pugs evaluated were obese, compared to less than seven percent of other dogs.
The study noted these health conditions result in "severe welfare consequences for affected dogs, including shortened life span, reduced quality of life and increased risk for osteoarthritis, diabetes mellitus and neoplasia."
Researchers found that pugs did have a reduced risk for some conditions, such as heart murmurs, aggression and wounds, but despite this, concluded that the breed’s predisposition to disease significantly outweighs its protections.
The study's authors say dog owners should be aware of the health conditions common in pugs before purchasing the popular breed.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
U.S. Capitol riot: More people turn up with evidence against Donald Trump
More witnesses are coming forward with new details on the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot following former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson's devastating testimony last week against former U.S. President Donald Trump, says a member of a U.S. House committee investigating the insurrection.

Dog left with lost baggage at Toronto Pearson Airport for about 21 hours
A Toronto woman says a dog she rescued from the Dominican Republic has been traumatized after being left in a corner of Toronto Pearson International Airport with baggage for about 21 hours.
Chinese-Canadian tycoon due to stand trial in China, embassy says
Chinese-Canadian billionaire Xiao Jianhua, who went missing in Hong Kong five years ago, was due to go on trial in China on Monday, the Canadian embassy in Beijing said.
'Hell on earth': Ukrainian soldiers describe life on eastern front
Torched forests and cities burned to the ground. Colleagues with severed limbs. Bombardments so relentless the only option is to lie in a trench, wait and pray. Ukrainian soldiers returning from the front lines in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, where Russia is waging a fierce offensive, describe life during what has turned into a gruelling war of attrition as apocalyptic.
Video shows police in Ohio kill Black man in hail of gunfire
A Black man was unarmed when Akron police chased him on foot and killed him in a hail of gunfire, but officers believed he had shot at them earlier from a vehicle and feared he was preparing to fire again, authorities said Sunday at a news conference.
Poorest Canadians nearly 4 times more likely to die from opioids than richest: study
A new study looking at opioid deaths across Canada over 17 years has found that low-income Canadians are almost four times more likely to die from opioids than high-income Canadians.
Shooting at Williams Lake, B.C. stampede injures 2, forces evacuation
Two people are injured and a third is in custody after what RCMP describe as a 'public shooting' at a rodeo in B.C. Sunday.
After a metre of rain, 32,000 around Sydney, Australia, may need to flee
More than 30,000 residents of Sydney and its surrounds were told to evacuate or prepare to abandon their homes Monday as Australia's largest city faces its fourth, and possibly worst, round of flooding in less than a year and a half.
Pope Francis denies he's planning to resign soon
Pope Francis has dismissed reports that he plans to resign in the near future, saying he is on track to visit Canada this month and hopes to be able to go to Moscow and Kyiv as soon as possible after that.