Pug dogs belong to the toy group. They grow to about 8 inches in height, weigh about 18 pounds and have a life span of about12 to 14 years. However, like most pure bred dogs, Pugs are susceptible to several breed specific diseases and conditions. One of them, which is fatal, is Pug Dog Encephalitis.
Pug Dog Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain. However, the jury is out on just how breed specific the disease is. It used to be considered just a Pug problem but Maltese, Pekingese and Yorkshire Terriers have a similar condition. Whether or not it is the exact same condition or if there are differences has yet to be determined.
Symptoms include seizures, depression, abnormal gait, blindness, staring off into space, pressing head against the wall or furniture, a staggering walk, and intermittent screaming. If a Pug under the age of one or over the age of 5 exhibits any or all of these symptoms, it should be tested not only for Pug Dog Encephalitis but other inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system as well.
Pug Dog Encephalitis is always fatal. The onset of the disease is in its acute stage and progresses at different rates. It can be as little as a few days to 6 months or in a few cases even longer. There are actually two classifications of Pug Dog Encephalitis: Slow Progressive PDU has seizure activity. In some cases the other symptoms will appear first. The seizures can last for a few seconds or a few minutes and then come back in as little as a few days or as long as a few weeks. In between, the dog will seem perfectly normal.
Rapid Progression PDE also has seizures but in most cases they are more frequent. The main difference is that between the seizures, the dog will not return to normal. The dog will exhibit other symptoms such as depression, bewilderment, disorientation and difficulty walking.
There is no cure and no treatment per se. The only thing that can be done is to administer treatment to reduce the inflamation and seizures, but that will not work long time.
PDE is thought to be a genetic disease because it is usually found in litter mates. However, it has also been found in dogs that have no family history of the disease. It could be that it is similar to other genetic diseases where the female is a carrier, not showing any symptoms of the disease, and passes it down to her offspring. Reputable breeders will not breed a dog who had PDE, and that is something that a prospective buyer should ask about before purchasing a pup. However, since it can appear out of the blue, with no prior known history, it is not a fool proof check and balance.
sources:
Pug Dog Information
Go Pets America
Pug Village
