People warned not to buy pugs because of health issues linked to 'extreme body shape'

ITV News Correspondent Neil Connery reports on the new research that has revealed the health of pugs is now substantially different - and largely worse - than other dog breeds

People have been warned not to buy pugs as pets as they can no longer be considered a typical dog due to health issues associated with the breed.

A new study by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has revealed pugs are almost twice as likely to experience one or more disorders annually compared to other dogs.

Experts are advising people not to buy the dogs until there is an improvement in their health and their body shape shifts to being less extreme.

The flat-faced nature and body shape of pugs – behind many of their health issues – has seen them increase in popularity in recent years.

But researchers argue the health of the dog should be prioritised over people’s desire to own one.

“Although hugely popular as pets, we now know that several severe health issues are linked to the extreme body shape of pugs that many humans find so cute," Dr Dan O’Neill, associate professor in companion animal epidemiology at the RVC and lead author of the paper, said.

“It is time now that we focus on the health of the dog rather than the whims of the owner when we are choosing what type of dog to own.”

From 2005 to 2017 there was a five five-fold increase in Kennel Club registrations of pugs.

But there is growing concern over health issues stemming from pugs' bulging eyes, wrinkled skin and tendency towards obesity.

The study, led by the RVC’s VetCompass programme, compared the health of random samples of 4,308 pugs and 21,835 non-pugs.

Overall, pugs were found to be around 1.9 times as likely to have one or more disorders recorded in a single year compared to non-pugs, with a higher risk of 23 out of the 40 (57.5%) disorders compared with a lower risk of only seven out of 40 (17.5%) disorders.

Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) was the disorder with the highest risk in pugs, with the breed almost 54 times more likely to have the condition.

This reflects the common respiratory difficulties experienced by flat-faced (brachycephalic) breeds due to the shape of their faces.

Pugs were also at higher risk of many other conditions compared to non-pugs, including narrowed nostrils, skinfold infections and obesity.

But they did have reduced risk of some conditions, including heart murmur, aggression and wounds.

The researchers suggested pugs' body shape must become more moderate, and less extreme to improve their health.

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Stop and think before buying a flat-faced dog

Justine Shotton, British Veterinary Association (BVA) president, said: “These statistics are shocking but, sadly, they will not be surprising to our members.

“Vet teams see pugs with these distressing health problems – from breathing difficulties to eye ulcers and painful spine abnormalities – in veterinary practices across the UK on a daily basis.

“This study clearly demonstrates how it is the extreme characteristics many owners find so appealing, such as squashed faces, big eyes and curly tails, which are seriously compromising pugs’ health and welfare and often result in a lifetime of suffering.

“While these extreme, unhealthy characteristics remain, we will continue to strongly recommend potential owners do not buy brachycephalic breeds such as pugs.”

The research is published in Canine Medicine and Genetics.