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from the Pugs-prefer-"gaited"-communities dept.
Pug owners putting down their dogs due to common gait problems
Pugs, along with British and French bulldogs, already suffer from breathing difficulties due to their airways being obstructed. A team of Swedish researchers asked 550 owners of pugs whether their dogs had any gait problems, such as inability to jump, and abnormal wearing of the nails and the skin on their paws, and if so, how long these had been going on.
They were also asked about their dog's general health, and encouraged to send in video footage of their pet walking slowly back and forth on a leash, including a side view.
A prevalence of gait problems was found in just under 31 per cent of the dogs. On average, pugs were 2 years old when the gait abnormality first started, with front leg problems tending to show up earlier than problems with the back legs. But gait abnormalities were strongly associated with older age.
They were also associated with breathing problems and excessive scratching around the neck, ears and head. And pugs with abnormal gait were more likely to have incontinence issues.
Some 47 owners said their dogs had been put down with abnormal gait the single most frequently cited cause.
High prevalence of gait abnormalities in pugs (open, DOI: 10.1136/vr.104510) (DX)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 07 2018, @04:25AM (2 children)
Get a light-colored Labrador retriever. (yes, color matters)
Unless you actually need something weird, like a bloodhound for police work, you should get a nice dog. You'll probably want hair that isn't a horrible dirty tangled mess. Get the light-colored Labrador retriever.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 07 2018, @09:09AM
They have also problems due to inbreeding, especially the bone joints and muscles can become problematic at higher age.
My sister has one, and a medical insurance for all the costs related to these problems.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday February 07 2018, @05:20PM
All of the comments here, and I haven't seen one that has said "They are putting down dogs because their gait abnormalities were stronglt associated with older age, and so dogs are being put down because the dogs walk funny near the end of their lives? HOW HORRIBLE!"
No one has said that. I will -- this is horrible, you shouldn't put a pet down because it has a problem walking. Put it down if it killed somebody, but not because its cuteness wore out and now its a burden to you.
it's like everyone here is cool with it because they don't like pugs or don't like something about the system that made the dogs the way they are.
Putting down the dogs won't stop people from buying dogs that develop the problem later; maybe you people all could get angry at the fact it even happens and that the dogs are not to blame? but yeah ok animals are meant to serve people or something. its still cruel to kill them because they became inconvenient pets to take care of due to a design issue reinforced by repeat purchases.