Pugs, also called pugs or pugs, are short, stocky dogs.
Just like boxers or bulldogs, they are called brachycephalic, species with flat or flattened faces and short snouts. (The word “brachycephalic” derives from the Greek terms “brachy” or short and “cephalic” or head).
Pugs are bred for their distinctive appearance, but these same popular traits have been taken to such extremes that they pose serious risks to their survival.
A new study by British scientists indicates that pugs face such serious health problems that “he can no longer be considered a typical dog from a health point of view”.
what the study says
The survey, conducted by the Royal Veterinary College or the Royal Veterinary College in the UK, found that the health of pugs is now significantly different and much worse than that of other dogs.
The study compared the health of 4,308 pug dogs and 21,835 dogs of other breeds in the UK.
“Their brains are crushed in a box that is too small,” said veterinarian Myfanwy Hill.
The investigation concluded that pugs are almost twice as likely to suffer from one or more disorders per yearcompared to other dogs.
“Now we know that Several serious health issues are linked to the extreme body shape of Pugs that many humans find so attractive.said Dan O’Neill, associate professor of animal epidemiology and lead author of the new study.
Since the time of Confucius
Before we dive into pug health issues, a bit of background.
In their study, the British scientists include a section on the background and general characteristics of the species.
Pugs are thought to represent an ancient dog morphology, the researchers note.
Short-nosed dogs similar to today’s pug”They have already been documented by Confucius in the year 551?“.
The breed originated precisely in China, but in the 16th century Dutch traders brought copies to Europe and today the pug is particularly sought after in the UK, although its popularity is worldwide.
A survey by the largest canine club federation, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, noted that pugs are one of the 30 most popular breeds internationally.
Scientists from the Royal Veterinary College note that the name of the breed “derives from pugnus, fist in Latinbecause the side profile of the head resembles the shape of a clenched fist”.
The name “pug” comes from an old Italian comedian of the 18th century, Carlo Antonio Bertinazzi, who was called Carlin and who in his performances dressed as a harlequin with a black mask reminiscent of the black area around the pug’s eyes.
“Arouse positive emotions”
The popularity of pugs has increased dramatically over the past two decades.
In the UK, for example, the number of registrations tripled between 2005 and 2015.
Pug or Pug body type “can elicit positive emotions by adapting to the facial configuration of a ‘baby pattern'”
This is mainly because the pug’s small size, combined with its short nose and wide head and eyes.”can arouse positive emotions by adapting to the facial configuration of the baby’s pattern“, triggering innate nurturing responses in humans,” note the British researchers.
And they add: “Empirical studies have shown that these characteristics increase attractiveness, especially for women.”
A catalog of suffering
The same facial features that some people find so adorable have been widely associated with various disorders.
The new study cites among the most common ailments of pugs brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome (BOAS).
This means that due to their very short snouts, pugs often suffer from breathing difficulties.
They can also suffer ulcerations or lesions on the corneadue to constant irritation of the nasal fold hairs.
On the other hand, having difficulty breathing, they do not tolerate heat well, and because they have a narrower trachea than other breeds of dogs, they can suffer from other respiratory and cardiac problems.
Obesity is another big problemaggravated by limited movement due to breathing difficulties and the fact that pugs, despite their small size, tend to be overfed by their owners.
This breed also has a high degree of inbreeding. A 2008 study by Imperial College scientists noted that 10,000 registered pugs in the UK were so inbred that they were the equivalent of just 50 separate individuals.
Sticking out the tongue all the time actually indicates difficulty in breathing
“Their brains are crushed”
The findings of the Royal Veterinary College study “come as no surprise” to Myfanwy Hill, a veterinarian who works at the University of Cambridge.
“The problem is that he’s a dog with a smaller skull, but none of the other dogs have gotten smaller as a result,” Hill told BBC Newsbeat reporter Manish Pandey.
“Their brains are crushed in a box too small“, and other soft tissues are “compressed into a smaller space”.
Hill claims that due to their narrow nostrils, pugs must “try to breathe as if they were breathing through a very narrow straw“, so something simple like breathing becomes “a much harder job”.
The common image we have of pugs smiling and sticking their tongues out as if panting actually points to a serious problem, according to Hill.
“They really have to breathe through their mouths because they can’t breathe through their noses effectively.”
The abundance of folds can also cause skin problems. “They have more skin than is needed for the size of their face,” which can cause skin infections, pain and itching.
And the spiral-shaped “attractive tail” that many people love actually shows a “malformed vertebra” which can lead to herniated discs.
What can we do?
O’Neill says it’s important to “focus on the health of the dog rather than the whims of the owner when choosing the type of dog to adopt.”
“As long as these extreme and unhealthy characteristics remain, we will continue to strongly advise potential owners of do not buy brachycephalic breeds like pugs,” said Justine Shotton, president of the British Veterinary Association.
It’s important to ‘focus on the health of the dog rather than the whims of the owner’, says Dan O’Neill
Hill says people who buy dogs do so “in good faith” and it’s important “not to blame”.
Those who already own pug dogs can take a few precautions into account.
One of them is to be attentive to the possible symptoms of breathing difficultiessuch as excessive panting or noisy breathing.
Care is especially important during the summer when pugs are more at risk for heat-related issues. must stay cool.
And although “barrel-shaped bodies are really cute for many” weight control is importantbecause “an overweight short-faced dog like a pug is even more at risk.”
“Animals have their own thoughts and feelings,” Hill told the BBC.
“We have to make sure that live a long, happy and healthy life”.
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