How to care for a pug, basic principles

Every animal requires careful care and attention. When it comes to dogs, their care may vary depending on the breed. Pugs, due to their breed characteristics, require not only regular examination by a veterinarian, but also high-quality care. All this is due to the fact that the breed is susceptible to various diseases. Most often, the animal's ears leak. We will figure out what the symptoms and causes of diseases may be.

Diseases of pugs - running ears

The correct shape of a pug's ears

Every dog ​​owner tries to ensure that their animal's ears are perfectly shaped. This is necessary so that the dog can successfully participate and win at exhibitions; also, the correct form largely protects the animal from water, infection, and colds during the cold season.

The shape of the ears in this breed can have several types:

1. "Button" or "button". The animal's ear is correctly positioned and completely covers the auditory concha.
2. "Rose". The ear is slightly bent in the cartilage, the hearing aid itself is slightly open.
3. False "rose" The ear is almost completely open and the hearing aid is not protected in any way. Visually, such ears look raised.

Ear shape “button” and “rose”

Ideal ears are a “button”. The “rose” option is also preferable, but it is not entirely safe for the animal.

Pug ear shapes

If you plan to take part in dog shows, then the third option for the shape of the ears, as well as difference in ears (when two ears are different in shape), will be unacceptable.

How to shape pug ears?

The ears of an animal of this breed begin to break during the change of teeth. Both the "button" and "roses" are typical of this breed. Perhaps this issue will cause various disputes, but the fact remains: both ear options have a right to exist.

It is the correctness of pug ears that is very important at exhibitions. If you do not plan to visit them, it is also worth making your ears this way to avoid various diseases in the future.

Pug with taped ears

To get the correct shape, your dog's ears need to be glued together. For such a procedure, the owner will need a regular patch. The process looks like this:

1. Gently straighten the ear cartilage.
2. Easily and effortlessly give it the desired position.

   How to glue pug ears. Picture 1

3. Close the sides of the outer ear towards each other.
4. Secure these parts with the prepared plaster. Just two narrow strips of 10-15 cm plaster can well fix the required ear shape.

   How to glue pug ears. Figure 2

Important points to remember:

1. Do not remove the adhesive plaster; wait until it comes off on its own.
2. Please note that the ears will not become the correct shape immediately. After 2-10 days they will change shape again, and the procedure will have to be repeated again.
3. If you need to remove the bandage and you don’t want to tear out hairs from your pet’s ear, you can lightly lubricate the ears with baby cream, this will speed up the process of removing the bandage.

There are times when the ears don’t want to curl. In such situations, veterinarians advise using various cartilage supplements. Effective ones include:

1. "Canina Artro Tabletten".
2. "Polydex +".
3. "Calcigel".

Food supplement "Canina Artro Tabletten"

Gluing the ears of pugs or other dogs is considered a simple procedure. But, if you are afraid of harming the animal or are afraid to do such activities yourself, you should consult a veterinarian. The doctor will not only carry out the procedure correctly, but will also be able to diagnose and examine the animal.

It is necessary to glue the ears until the shape is suitable. Sometimes the final result is visible in a dog at the age of 1-1.5 years. Sometimes this process can last up to 2 years.

Video - How to properly seal a pug's ears and why?

At what age should you glue your ears?

In newborn pugs, it is simply physically impossible to predict the shape of the ears in the future, but it is this factor that determines the future quality of life of the pet.

If the cartilage of the outer ear is placed incorrectly, the entire ear canal is very exposed, and the animal often suffers from infectious ear diseases, and may also subsequently acquire hearing loss or complete deafness. Among other things, the presence of such an external defect does not allow a pet to participate in exhibition shows.

The age at which you can begin ear correction using adhesive patches may vary, but most often this procedure begins immediately after the change of teeth occurs, which begins at two to three months. It is during this period that the active growth of the pet begins, which can have a negative impact on the formation of the ears . If the ears do not “break” yet, then there is absolutely no need to glue them.

Allergic reactions in this breed

Pugs are prone to allergic reactions, and a large number of owners of this breed of dog at least once encounter this problem.

The causes of allergic reactions are of the following types:

1. Food.
2. Ecological.
3. Chemical.

Food allergies can occur due to the use of the following products: chocolate, eggs, various sweets.

Important! Veterinarians do not recommend giving chocolate and other weaknesses to animals, regardless of breed.

Environmental problems may arise due to the area of ​​residence. Allergies can occur due to certain plants or due to a nearby factory that releases various chemicals into the air.

Allergic reaction in a pug

Chemical reactions often occur due to flea collars, vaccines, sprays, shampoos, vitamin supplements, hygiene products, or as a reaction to taking antibiotics. Pugs are most likely to have food allergies.

Sometimes allergic reactions can cause severe itching in the pug's ears. This may be due to a flea or tick allergy. Sometimes insects can penetrate very deep into the ear and can only be removed with an ear stick. If you cannot penetrate deeply and eliminate the insect, you should immediately consult a doctor. Ignoring such cases can lead to the death of your pet.

You can read more about allergies in dogs

Now you can lick your lips

Special care is required for the folds of skin near the pug's nose, as dirt and food debris accumulate there. Inattention to this part of the muzzle can lead to serious inflammation and the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

After each meal, wipe the area near the nose with a damp cloth. This should be done with blotting movements, pushing the folds apart. You should not rub or press hard, as the skin here is very delicate. She has virtually no hair and tampering too much will cause your dog pain.

Veterinarians advise once a week to wipe the inside of the folds with a solution of miramistin or hydrogen peroxide, and then lubricate with olive oil. And even if the dog licks his lips, nothing bad will happen. For lubrication, baby cream or Vaseline is quite suitable, but provided that the pug is accustomed to the treatment and will not lick itself.

Signs and symptoms of allergic reactions

The most visible symptom of an allergy in pugs is the fact that the dog feels very itchy skin. The animal is constantly itching and constantly appears restless. And although itchy skin can indicate various problems, in order to accurately diagnose an allergy, it is worth paying attention to other symptoms: affected areas on the dog’s skin, which also manifest as red rashes and hair loss.

In such affected areas, a crust begins to form on the skin. This often manifests itself on the animal’s face; the folds begin to increase in size and become swollen. The allergy can also affect areas near the tail and hind legs. Owners may experience redness and purulent pimples.

Peeling skin

The second common symptom is dandruff on the animal's fur. Copious dandruff, reddish pimples, sometimes pustules - all this occurs very suddenly and can provoke an inflammatory process in the outer ear.

Other possible signs of an allergic reaction:

1. Slight redness of the eyes.
2. Exudate from the mucous membranes of the nose and eyes.
3. Vomiting and possible stomach upset.
4. Wool has an unpleasant odor.

These can be called common signs of an allergic reaction in Pugs. There may also be individual symptoms, possibly associated with other diseases of the animal. As soon as any of the symptoms appear, you should contact a veterinarian for diagnosis and examination. Only in this way can the animal owner avoid complications and further reactions of his pet’s body. You can watch the video for more information about allergic reactions in pugs.

Video - Diseases of pugs

How to treat?

Blushed

Any redness of the ear indicates a functional deviation from the norm. The change in color may be accompanied by increased secretion of exudate, a local rise in temperature and general lethargy of the dog. The reasons for this condition may be the following:

• Ear inflammation, or otherwise otitis media. Accompanied by increased liquid discharge with an unpleasant odor. The pet constantly shakes its head and looks tired.
• An allergic reaction to any food component. Most often it manifests itself in sweet, spicy or salty foods. But it can also be for any product to which there is an individual intolerance.
• Otodecosis and otomycosis are also accompanied by redness of the tissues and severe scratching. There is an intense unpleasant odor and dark-colored scabs form. The scratching becomes so strong that the outer side of the ear becomes bald and often, in addition to the underlying disease, a secondary infection is added.

There is a bad smell

• The sour tint appears due to the lack of preventive treatment of the ears. Sulfur accumulates, the surface becomes dirty and the more dirty it is, the more intense the smell becomes.
• Mushroom or fishy notes accompany the appearance of ear mites.
• The sweetish smell of a rotten apple appears with otitis media.

Sometimes the smell becomes so intense that spending time together between the dog and the owner turns out to be unpleasant for the person. The pet is held less often and, by limiting communication, is driven into additional stress, which only aggravates the problem.

Swollen inside or outside

The most severe complication of ear pathologies is the presence of tissue edema; this always indicates the occurrence of an acute inflammatory process. The outer, middle or inner ear may become swollen. Without treatment, there is a high probability of hearing loss and the tumor spreading to the membranes of the brain.

The owner can notice the presence of swollen tissues on his own, but to make a diagnosis it is recommended to contact a veterinary clinic. Externally, the tissues look reddened, swollen, and are much hotter to the touch than the body. Most often, swelling indicates ear diseases such as:

• otitis;
• acute food allergy;
• hematoma;
• abscess;
• entry of water or foreign objects into the ear canal.

Treating allergies in pugs

Many pet owners, when faced with the first signs of an allergy, do not pay due attention and begin to eliminate the symptoms on their own. Most often, such treatment ends with the usual intake of an antihistamine, which quickly eliminates the symptoms, but the reaction to the allergen does not disappear. This means that under certain circumstances the allergy will manifest itself again and perhaps with greater force. It is for this reason that you need to see a doctor.

Food allergies can be treated through the elimination method. To do this, foods that make you suspicious should be excluded. By testing each product, you can achieve a positive result in a few days.

If the allergy is caused by dust, mold, fungus, it is also worth using the exclusion method. But in addition, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room and carry out wet cleaning where the pet is most often.

Manifestation of allergies in a pug

Most often, doctors use the following drugs for treatment:

Table. Drug treatment of allergies

Inspection after the walk

In order to prevent the development of various problems, the pug owner needs to develop the habit of carefully examining his dog after walks.

During the summer, be sure to check your dog for ticks..

Regardless of the time of year, after a walk you need to carefully examine your dog’s eyes.

It is they who are often exposed to various injuries and infectious diseases in pugs. On the street, a pug can injure the mucous membrane of the eye even with a dry blade of grass.

Also, the dog's eyes are often exposed to insect bites. If, after a walk, wounds, cuts or scratches are found on the eyelids or mucous membranes, regenerating drops should be applied to the eyes.

At the same time, owners need to know that eye drops containing hormones are absolutely not suitable for caring for pugs.

Ear care

You need to take care of your pug's ears regularly. To do this, use various cleansers that need to be used to wipe the ear or regular wet wipes. To eliminate bacteria or severe contamination, you can use ear drops (“Bars”).

In practice, this procedure looks like this:

1. Initially, you need to remove the wax with a cotton pad or swab. Do not push the stick deep into the ear to avoid damage.
2. Gently clean out all the inner folds with a new ear stick.
3. If there is a lot of sulfur, wipe the surface with Vaseline oil and repeat cleaning after 10-20 minutes.
4. If purulent discharge or an unpleasant odor is noticeable from the ear, go to the vet immediately.

You can watch the video on how to clean your ears and what proper care should be.

Video - About the pug breed

How to clean?

To clean your ears, you need to prepare a cotton pad, lotion, powder, or choose special wet wipes.

• In order to soften the wax, you need to drop lotion into your ears and massage them for a minute. Next, the discharge is removed with a dry cotton pad. The most commonly used lotions are 8-in-1, Cliny, Twins, mr. Bruno, Bars and others.
• When using cotton swabs, there is a risk of damaging the eardrum.
• Wet wipes clean and disinfect at the same time, but can cause irritation. If redness or pimples appear, it is recommended to stop using this product.
• A special powder dries the surface of the ear and deodorizes. The most popular powders are 8-in-1, Biogrum. However, the cost of this product is significantly higher than others.

It is optimal to combine bathing the dog and cleaning the ears.

How can you tell if your pug is sick?

Dog owners, even those who just recently got a pet, always wonder: how to understand that a pug is sick, how to quickly recognize the disease if you have never encountered anything like this before.

Doctors say that the owner needs to independently monitor the animal, study habits and habits, monitor activity and proper nutrition. Just like in humans, signs of the disease are immediately visible in animals. Usually this is lethargy, reluctance to drink and eat, negative emotions when trying to play. It is usually clear from animals that health problems have arisen. In pugs, many diseases are manifested by difficult breathing and elevated temperature. The dog lies all the time and is not active.

If we say that a pug is experiencing an allergic reaction, the symptoms may not be noticeable at first and accumulate over time. In any case, you should not use traditional methods and self-medicate.

The owner needs to independently monitor the animal, study habits and habits

What you need for gluing

You can glue a pug's ears on your own even if you don't have any special experience . However, as practice shows, it is best to entrust the first fixation of the ear cartilage to a professional veterinarian, which will allow the owner of such a pet to become familiar with the peculiarities of the technology for performing an important cosmetic procedure.

Important! To glue your pug's ears on yourself, you need to purchase a fairly thin medical plaster at the pharmacy.

It is best to use for this purpose a fabric “breathable” adhesive plaster with a width of no more than 10 mm, which has a hypoallergenic adhesive base. Sensitive skin on a pug's ears often suffers when a patch with an irritating bactericidal impregnation is used during the gluing process.

What should you not do when your pug is sick?

Many people ignore the symptoms and use various methods to eliminate rashes or dandruff from their pug's coat. But doctors do not recommend using alcohol, brilliant green or iodine as medications. Each of these remedies can make the situation worse. For example, iodine can damage the delicate skin of a pug. Due to its high concentration, brilliant green can cause an additional allergic reaction.

Various methods for removing ticks using alcohol or oil are also not effective. Harmful substances that an insect can carry in this way easily penetrate your pet’s blood.

Beauty requires sacrifice

Before we tell you how to care for a pug, we will tell you what items, products and tools you should purchase:

• shampoo for short-haired dogs;
• ear cleaner;
• aerosol or drops for fleas and ticks;
• collar and leash for walking;
• baby cream, olive oil or Vaseline;
• eye drops;
• rubber brush-comb;
• furminator for hair care;
• wet wipes;
• cotton pads;
• nail clipper

As you can see, the list is impressive, and the pug will have a hard time. But the dog must calmly accept all the manipulations that will be carried out on him for hygiene purposes.