Puggle Eye Care – And Everyday Thing!
“The eyes are dark in colour, very large, bold and prominent, globular in shape, soft and solicitous in expression, very lustrous, and when excited, full of fire.” Pugs – AKC and CKC Breed Standards
“Eyes large, set well apart-soft and houndlike–expression gentle and pleading; of a brown or hazel color.” Beagles – AKC Breed Standards
It should come as no big surprise to anyone that Puggles get their beautiful and expressive eyes from the Pug half of the family. However, there can also be little doubt that the Beagle half has something to do with that “expression gentle and pleading.”
Unfortunately, they’ve also inherited many of the problems Pugs, and Pug owners (and, by extension, Puggle owners), experience with their eyes.
Consequently, it is up to you, as a Puggle owner, to be extra-diligent when it comes to eye care!
Pugs, and now Puggles, may develop eye problems as they age. So, the first step in avoiding eye problems is an obvious one:
- Proper Veterinary Care – And this may mean an annual visit to a veterinary ophthalmologist, especially as your little one ages. In fact, I’d recommend beginning this annual routine by no later than your Puggle’s 4th birthday, in “peoples’ years,” of course.
But don’t stress-out early!
Keep your Puggle’s eyes clean and healthy and the rather scary thought of serious eye problems may never become a reality.
Okay! Proper veterinary care should seem obvious, and no-doubt will to the majority of the Puggle owners who are taking the time to read this piece and watch the attached video, but if you don’t know what to watch for, even the best care in the world may not be enough until it’s too late to do much about.
So, here are some of the conditions you should watch for:
- Cataracts (opacities in the lens of the eye)
- Corneal ulcer (wound to the surface of the eye)
- Distichiasis (
- eyelashes grow from a part of the eyelid which does not normally produce hairs and the extra lashes rub on the surface of the eye and cause irritation)
- Entropion (
- abnormal inward rolling of the eyelid – check the lower corner of the bottom lid closest to the nose, where it’s most common)
- Exposure keratopathy syndrome (
- inability of the eyelids to close completely when the dog sleeps)
- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (Dry eye) (condition where one or both eyes do not produce a normal amount or type of tears)
- Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) (retinal disease that causes blindness - slowly progressing disease – not painful)
Many of these conditions have the same constellation of symptoms, so make sure you follow the advice provided above and make proper veterinary and veterinary ophthalmological care an important part of your Puggle’s health care.
Note: If you notice excessive tearing, a change in habits in the evening or when the lights in your home are low or dimly lit, get your little one to a vet at once! If you notice your Puggle no longer climbs stairs with the same ease and aggressiveness he or she once did, or hesitates before stepping off the top step of a landing (if they will step off at all), or won’t make jumps onto the couch, porch, or steps like he or she once did, they may be exhibiting the first stages of PRA.
- Night blindness
- Depth perception problems
- A shine in the eyes (caused by dilated pupils not responding to light as quickly)
Causes: PRA is considered an inherited condition, but the mode of inheritance is different in each breed and there is no treatment for PRA, at present. If your Puggle develops PRA, all you can do is make sure their living space is safe, comfortable, and familiar. In doing so, you should be able to make the final years of your Puggle’s life as comfortable as possible.
If you have any questions, you can always leave a comment below and thanks for stopping by!
Professor Jack Zajaros and His Shadow, TuffGuy
{ 0 comments }
