Yasmin | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association

Christmas Hazards to our pugs!

by Yasmin | 11 Dec, 2024 | Blog, News, Pug Health

It’s that time of year again where there are plenty of temptations which are potentially hazardous to our furry friends, particularly celebratory foods and treats that are being brought into the home.

As well as the festive greenery that may make your dog very ill, tempting foods which we may think are a treat for them can actually cause a great deal of harm, including hidden ingredients such as seasoning & spices.

Vets will treat 75% more cases of dogs eating foods that are poisonous to them in December, so it’s important to be aware of what to avoid and ensure others including visitors know about them too:

FOOD

– Christmas cake, mince pies and Christmas pudding.

– Foods containing grapes, raisins, sultanas & currants.

– Chocolate, boxes lying around, tempting foil coins on the tree.

– Traditional turkey, goose & chicken where cooked bones can easily splinter.

– Sage and onion stuffing, gravy, anything with onion, chives, garlic, celery.

– Do check for hidden seasoning ingredients in sausages, a particular Christmas treat from a roast dinner.

– Other foods, such as certain nuts, blue cheese, fatty and salty processed foods.

– Xylitol sometimes marketed as birch sugar, used in artificial sweeteners and sweeteners of products such as peanut butter, is toxic to dogs.

– All alcohol.

OTHER

– Particular festive greenery and plants may make your dog very For a comprehensive list that are dangerous to dogs, see this: poisons in your garden article.

– Oils from pine needles may be irritating to the mouth and stomach, causing excessive dribbling, vomiting and diarrhoea if chewed. Needles are also sharp so could cause physical injury in your dog’s mouth and throat.

– Potpourri is made up of various dried plants and flowers to create fragrant decorations. Depending on their toxicity they may cause, at the very least, vomiting and diarrhoea.

– Take care when using antifreeze (ethylene glycol). It tastes sweet so is tempting for dogs but can be lethal if ingested.

– Watch for dogs drinking out of puddles too as they may be tainted with antifreeze chemicals.

– Some snow globes contain anti-freeze and if broken, are a serious danger to your dogs.

– Salted roads & paths can also burn their paw pads.

Frostbite:

Ice and snow can build up in the fur between their pads which is not only uncomfortable but increases the risk of frostbite. If your dog raises its paws, stops walking or whines it could be a sign that their paws are too cold.

When cold, a dog’s body limits blood flow to their extremities (paws, tail, ears etc.) diverting to keep their vital organs protected. This puts their extremities at risk of being damaged by the cold. If you’re concerned about them having frostbite contact your vet immediately.

So, on very cold, icy or snowy days, try to keep the time they spend outside to a minimum, and consider using a coat or paw protectors to keep them warm.

If you do buy a coat make sure it fits well so that it doesn’t restrict their normal movement, either through being too tight or too loose. If you’re outside in the cold and your pet starts shivering, or appears very tired, then get them home as soon as possible. If they are very unwell, get worse or continue to be unwell, contact your vet immediately.

However, some smaller or short coated dogs feel cold in the winter nip, so it may be a good idea to buy a well-fitting coat that will help keep them warm and dry on walks.

The dark mornings and evenings mean that you’ll most likely be taking your dog out for a walk when it is dark or gloomy, and you should think about how visible your dog is to other people when out walking in low light. Reflective collars and jackets are a good idea, and there are even some bright LED collars and tags available to help make your dog easier to see by other walkers and road users.

Christmas can be stressful for pets. The change in routine, visitors, children, loud music and decorations can all confuse or over-excite them. Planning ahead can help minimise stress for pets and ensure they have a happy Christmas, too.

A few things to consider include:

Sticking to their routine as much as possible – their meals, exercise, bed and toilet break routines. Consistency helps them feel more secure plus they expect it!.
Introduce new people carefully, at your dog’s own pace.
Give them somewhere cosy and quiet to retreat to, away from all the excitement, leaving toys or familiar items to help keep them comforted.
Don’t leave them alone too long – it’s easy to become distracted at such a busy time.

Likewise, if you’re spending Christmas away with your dog/s take something that smells familiar, like their bed, or favourite toys and chews to help keep them entertained and feel secure. Also, plan for them if they’re not going with you.

Keep the number of an emergency vet on hand in case of accidents or if your pet eats something they shouldn’t.
If your pet is on medication, stock up before the holidays so you don’t get caught out.

Most of all, have a very safe, comfortable and very Happy Christmas for All the family!

For a lot more information about pug health, please see:
Seasonal Hazards for Pugs | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)
&
Pug Health & Wellbeing | The Pug Dog Welfare & Rescue Association (pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk)

Buzz & Woody!

by Yasmin | 9 Dec, 2024 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories

Many of the pugs rescued by the PDWRA come to us from quite dire situations, and this was certainly the case with Buzz and Woody. Adopted by Nikki around 2 years ago, it was one of those traumatic surrenders where they were never taken out and lived a completely miserable life.

Nikki told us in a quick update on Buzz and Woody;
“As you know Woody settled in being the youngest quite easily and minus the behaviour issues has been comfortable around us. Buzz however, being the oldest and probably been through a lot more of a tough start as he was used as a stud dog, hasn’t been so trusting.

It’s been a long couple years of work but these last couple of weeks we have noticed Buzz settling and being a lot more playful and joining in with the puppies and other dogs in the home including wanting a fuss and cuddle. Before, he used to run to his bed or the corner of the room and hide when you tried to stroke him or raised a hand. Yesterday he let me groom him without any issues and actually seemed to really enjoy the attention.

Buzz has been coming up on the sofa and napping on me and is very quick at coming over when called to get a fuss and treat. It’s been so rewarding to see this massive change in him, one that I didn’t think we would ever see and just came to accept he’d always be scared and jumpy.

He loves kids and when my son’s mates come over, rather then hiding as he once did, he’s more intrigued and excited at who it could be.

Walks are still a little difficult when he’s on a lead and the same for Woody. Neither of them are any good on the lead as they just go in circles and tangle you up, which means now as they do stay close and have good recall it’s easier to keep them off the lead to walk the countryside lakes.

I guess healing has no time limit and hopefully Buzz comes more and more out of his shell to become the dog he should have been at the start 🙏❤️🤞”

We can’t thank people like Nikki enough for what they do for pugs like Woody especially, & Buzz, but it’s a win-win situation all round!

To read a variety of rescue & adoption stories, please go to our webpage:

https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/category/rescue-stories/

If you would like to know more about adopting through PDWRA, please read our webpage:

https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/adopting-a-pug/

Victoria on Adopting Howie!

by Yasmin | 8 Dec, 2024 | Blog, News, Rescue Stories

Victoria on Howie.

I have always loved dogs and have owned various breeds my whole life but my love affair with pugs started in December 2016 when an elderly neighbour had to go into hospital and needed someone to look after her little black pug. Pugsley came to stay for Christmas, and it was love at first sight. I could not get over her quirky habits and how friendly and cuddly she was. When the time came for her to go back to her owner, I just couldn’t stop thinking about what great little dogs pugs are, and over the course of the next six months I did lots of research into the breed and came across PDWRA.

I was contacted by the VAC for my area almost immediately after submitting my application form and within a few weeks a home check had been completed and I was an approved adopter. It was then a case of waiting for the right dog to come along. In late October 2017, I got the call I had been waiting for. A bonded pair needed re-homing and I jumped at the chance. Howie (fawn) aged five and Moog (black) aged 11 arrived on 9 November 2017 via a volunteer road train travelling across the country with the final stop being Reading services on the M4 where I was ready and waiting for them. The rest as they say is history!

I used to work in a rehoming kennel so I would always choose to adopt rather than buy a puppy and after nine months of reading and preparing, I took the plunge and completed the online form to adopt from PDWRA. I am of the opinion why only rescue one if you can have two so stated on my form that I was happy to take a bonded pair. I can still remember now how excited I was when I clicked the submit button.
Howie is the most loving dog I have ever met. Never before have I known a dog that likes cuddles so much. He has classic pug traits – barking at animals on the tv being one as well as barking at other dogs when we are out and about but despite being a bit highly strung, he is my soul mate in dog form.

Howie originally arrived with his first wife Moog who he had been with his whole life. When she passed away, we thought it only right that we look to PDWRA to help us find him a new girlfriend. In March 2019, we agreed to foster Minnie and see how she got on with Howie. Needless to say, we became failed fosterers and it was a love match (well more so on his side, she took some time to come around to his adoring ear washing and constant stalking). They became the best of friends and spent five very happy years together before we very sadly and suddenly lost her in late October this year. We are all missing her very much.

Howie was five when I got him and he is now 12 years old and a double widower, but he is still young at heart, enjoying his walks and chillaxing on all the cushions on the sofa – oh boy does he really love a cushion! He can’t hear very well, and his eyesight isn’t what is used to be, but he is still enjoying life as my numero uno.

The adoption process was really easy to navigate from completing the form online and paying the registration fee to the home check followed by the payment of the adoption fee and then the exciting part, the collection of the pugs. The VACs and volunteers are always so helpful and knowledgeable and the majority of the people that helped me adopt Howie are still actively involved with the charity even now, many years later.

I think anyone considering adopting or fostering a pug should be aware, if they are not already, that they are not your average dog. In fact, I am not sure that we can call them dogs as they are like no other. One big thing to be aware of is that when people say that they are a companion breed multiply this concept by at least three and that is how much attention a pug needs alongside most of them having zero concept of personal space!

They snore like nothing you have ever heard before and my goodness me do they shed their fur (well the fawn ones do due to being double coated, the blacks less so). However, they are small dogs with the biggest personality and so much love to give. I have been both an adopter and a fosterer (albeit it failed) as well as having a stint as a VAC and it is the most rewarding thing to see a little dog come into their own upon being taken in by PDWRA. Pugs are not without their health conditions, and it is important to note that many have issues that will require long term medical care, but my experience is that the charity are brilliant at providing advice and guidance on this and ensuring that any health conditions are identified early on.

My partner Tom and I cannot thank PDWRA enough for bringing Howie (and our other beautiful black girls) into our lives. Howie is literally our first-born child, and he is the best big brother to our two year old human child (I am pretty sure that I probably have more photos of him than I do of my daughter!). We wouldn’t change him for the world and sincerely hope we have a good few more happy years together.

If you would like to foster or adopt, please go to our webpages:

https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/fostering-a-pug/

https://pugwelfare-rescue.org.uk/adopting-a-pug/

Pug Eye Conditions: Part 1 of 2- Corneal Ulcers and Associated Conditions

by Yasmin | 6 Dec, 2024 | Blog, News, Pug Health

Pugs have a number of significant eye conditions caused by extreme breeding creating the squashed appearance of the face. This has resulted in a shallow orbital cavity (the bony area where the eye sits), large palpebral apertures (the exposed eye) and prominent eyeballs. This together with reduction of corneal sensitivity in pugs, leads to a significant number of serious eye conditions, which are mainly due to the exposure of the eyeball and the reduced protection it has.

Because of the number and complexity of these conditions, I’m dividing the article into 2 parts (the 2nd will be in the next newsletter).

The 1st topic is as follows:-

Corneal Ulceration and Associated Conditions

Corneal ulceration (top layer of cornea is absent) can result from trauma (due to the vulnerability of a pug’s eye), hairs rubbing on cornea, or a dry cornea due to inability to close eyelids and/or lack of quantity/quality of tears. And as pugs get older, their cornea becomes more friable (and thus more prone to ulcers) so extra care and attention is needed with an aging pug’s eyes.

Unlike other dogs, when a pug has a corneal ulcer, it is potentially an eye threatening condition.

A pug’s cornea is poor at healing, so when the cornea is damaged, it is imperative to get your pug to the vet as soon as possible.

The ulcer needs to be treated intensively, and it is important your vet does this, rather than treat in a way they would a non-brachycephalic dog.

This can involve use of anti-inflammatories, along with a good quality antibiotic drops and serum or equivalent products. Drops need to be used multiple timer an day, and check ups very frequent to ensure the eye is responding to treatment.

Corneal ulceration can rapidly deteriorate to what its known as a melting ulcer without (and even with!) intensive treatment hence the frequent check ups required.

If not monitored closely, an ulcer can quickly result in a ruptured eye when surgical intervention to save the eye is too late.

If possible, as soon as a corneal ulcer is diagnosed, if you have access to an Advanced Practitioner in Ophthalmology, I would advise seeing them so the pug has the optimal treatment from the start.

A melting ulcer is where the lining of the eye (corneal stroma) starts dissolving due to bacterial and/or enzyme activity and needs intensive treatment or surgical intervention.

Non-surgical options include use of a specialised contact lens.

Sometimes the ulcer remains superficial and non-healing and the vet may suggest debridement of the edges of the ulcer to stimulate healing.

When an ulcer becomes deeper, the internal structures of the eye starts to bulge out through the cornea, which is a condition known as a descemetocele.

This is a photo of Quinn, a long term foster pug with the Charity, who recently developed the condition despite intensive treatment of the eye ulcer.

This is an ocular emergency, and will require immediate surgery if the eye is to be saved.

If the membrane breaks down, the eye will rupture (incredibly painful) and immediate surgery to remove the eye is the only option.

When an ulcer is rapidly deteriorating, surgical intervention allows the best outcome to save the sight in the eye.

If the dog has little/no sight in the affected eye, an option may also be enucleation (removal of the eye).

The most common surgery is a corneal graft, where a healthy part of the cornea is used to cover the damaged cornea. It requires a specialist to perform and is expensive, but well worth it in preserving the sight in an eye.

Another graft type uses the conjunctiva (conjunctional graft). This procedure is used when there is not enough healthy corneal tissue to use use for a graft. The conjunctiva is thicker and less translucent than corneal tissue so can reduce vision, so the preferred method is to use the cornea if at all possible.

Quinn had conjunctival graft surgery as there was too little non-damaged cornea to use for a corneal graft. His eye is recovering nicely though vision significantly reduced.

Photograph 6 weeks post op.

Following both graft surgeries, close and intensive management and monitoring is required for several weeks, to ensure the graft has been successful and the eye is healing appropriately.

Once the eye is healed the vet may recommend some ongoing maintenance treatment of the eye, for example, keeping the cornea moist by use of lubricants.

I personally think that all pugs potentially have dry corneas (and therefore an increased risk of eye ulcers), so I use a lubricant on all my pugs twice daily. A non-expensive eye lubricant that can be used as a preventative (rather than to treat a specific condition) is Carbomer which can be bought quite cheaply on Amazon.

I hope you have found this article informative, without being too technical. Part 2 of this article is available here.

The take home message is, if you notice your pug squinting, take him/her to the vet as soon as possible as it’s most likely there is a corneal ulcer, which is a potentially eye threatening condition.

Helen McKee (MRCVS)
Veterinary Advisor for the PDWRA