PUG heALth UPdAte 2016: FOCUS ON SPINAL ISSUES
by christine dresser, dvm Health Liaison, Pug Dog Club of America
B ack in the 1990s, as I devoted time and effort to breeding, training and exhibiting my Pugs, I noted a real problem with some of my aging population of dogs. I also saw the condition in clients’ pets that came to me for veterinary care. The aging dogs were developing difficulty walking, often dragging their rear feet and having a wide-based, stag- gering gait, which is called ataxia. Many of the dogs became incontinent. They seemed to arch their backs but seemed essentially pain free—just not as able to jump and get around in their usual fashion. I had not seen any description of the condition in Pugs but it seemed to me it was similar to the degenerative myelopathy seen in Corgis and German Shepherds. I wrote an article describ- ing my experiences and the various remedies I had tried.
be occur frequently in Pugs. One is a fluid-filled pouch by the spine called a spinal arachnoid diverticulum (SAD) and the other is a thick band of connec- tive tissue by the spine that pushes on it called constrictive myelopathy (CM). It is thought that these two problems could be related and are an important area of the research at Michigan as the group attempts to define the causes of spinal cord disease in the Pug breed, which will allow for better and faster diagnosis, better treatments and bet- ter outcomes. A complete physical and neurologic exam, a genetic test for Degenerative Myelopathy and advanced imagining such as a CT scan and/or an MRI are all used to determine the cause of the Pug’s unsteadiness. Allowing a post-mortem exam of the spinal column of participants allows the researchers to compare what they have seen in the
ian for an exam. If you would like to research the topic more fully you can reach Kathleen Smiler, DVM, DACLAM at smilerk@mindsring.com and ask for a questionnaire to fill out that chron- icles your dog’s history and neuro- logic problems. Dr. Smiler also has a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ PugDog-Health-Rear-AtaxiaParalysis. She has a website under construction at www.pugrearataxiaparalysis.com. As with any health issues facing our beloved breed, we would love to someday improve diagnosing and treat- ing Pug Myelopathy or, even better, eliminate it completely. Through sup- port of breeders and owners, whether they have experienced owning an atax- ic Pug or not, we look towards a future of better health for our dogs and are deeply grateful to everyone who has made a contribution and a commitment to promote health and wellness. About the Author Christine Dresser, DVM has had a lifetime spent in support of the health and well-being of dogs. She is a proud exhibitor and co-breeder of a remark- able line of black Pugs that spans over 14 generations.
“mAny doGs hAve Lived for yeArs with A very Good qUALity of Life.”
Fast forward a decade or two and this spinal issue is the basis of some seri- ous research efforts. Dr. Kathleen Smil- er, inspired by watching her Pug, Lily, grow increasingly unable to walk and increasingly incontinent, despite many medical and surgical treatments, went on a crusade to find someone willing to research what happens to some aging Pugs. Her persistence paid off when she contacted Dr. Jon Patterson at Michigan State University. Dr. Patterson and his team are currently working with live dogs who are affected as well as doing post-mortem research on affected and normal dogs that had passed away. There are many reasons why dogs will develop ataxia, from spinal trauma to herniated discs to tumors. There are two other spinal issues which seem to
living patient to what the actual spinal lesions are. The Pug Dog Club of Ameri- ca is financially supporting the research and helping to pay some of the costs of dogs enrolled in the MSU study. While most of the affected dogs are able to function fairly well and live for a normal lifespan, some get to the point of needing a wheelie cart to help them get around. Long-term care of an affected Pug currently focuses on some physical therapy, often including under- water treadmill walking, to maintain muscles, and careful attention to the dog’s ability to empty its bladder. Many dogs have lived for years with a very good quality of life. If you have a Pug having issues such as the ones described here, your first step should be a visit to your veterinar-
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