Pugs should no longer be considered a "typical dog", according to the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).
A study from the highly-regarded veterinary medicine institute's VetCompass programme has concluded that the general health of the flat-faced breed is in such a poor state prospective owners should opt for healthier breeds instead.
The research compared the health of random samples of 4,308 pugs and 21,835 non-pugs, extracting information on all disorders recorded in each dog over a single year.
According to the RVC's study, the health of pugs across the UK is substantially worse than other breeds with many suffering from breathing trouble, obesity and skin infections.
New @RoyalVetCollege research paints a grim picture of the state of health of the pug - a breed whose whose extreme features cause such health issues it can no longer be considered a ‘typical dog’ from a health perspective'.
Read Here: https://t.co/J5aoo6uayr#Pugs #Dog #Health pic.twitter.com/i2ja7NBTly
— Animal Journal (@animaljournaluk) May 18, 2022
The condition of most concern is an obstructive breathing disorder known as Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome or BOAS, which pugs are 54 times more likely to develop compared to other dog breeds.
The report arrives amid soaring popularity for the petite dog breed with the British Kennel Club registering a five-fold increase in pug registrations between 2005 and 2017.
Commenting on the report, RVC associate professor Dr Dan O’Neill noted that it's time people focused on the welfare of their pets rather than "the whims of the owner."
He continued: "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."
Commenting on social media, Twitter users were quick to voice their support for the report with one Twitter user saying: "I hate seeing animals bred so they suffer. They usually don't even look attractive IMO."
While another said: "It is cruel how these dogs have been bred. Stop it."
Photo by Amit Talwar, Pexels
