Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Pigmentary keratitis affects 92% of pugs in the UK study
By Maini, S et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2019·University of Bristol, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Pigmentary keratitis in pugs in the United Kingdom: prevalence and associated features.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Pugs in the UK were found to have a common eye condition called pigmentary keratitis, which affects the cornea and can lead to vision problems. Out of 210 Pugs examined, nearly 92% had this condition in at least one eye, with most cases being mild to moderate. The study revealed that older Pugs and those with a specific eyelid issue called medial entropion were more likely to develop pigmentary keratitis. This information highlights the need for more research and better breeding practices to reduce the occurrence of these eye problems in Pugs.
People also search for: pug eye problems · pigmentary keratitis in dogs · medial entropion treatment for pugs
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pigmentary keratitis (PK) is commonly recognised in Pugs, but its aetiology is not completely understood. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated features of PK in Pugs in the United Kingdom (UK). RESULTS: A total of 210 Pugs (420 eyes) were recruited from 12 UK dog shows and social events. The median age of Pugs recruited was 2.50 years (range 0.25-16.25 years). Pigmentary keratitis was detected in 369/420 (87.8%) eyes and in at least one eye 193/210 (91.9%) Pugs, of which 17/193 (8.8%) were affected unilaterally and 176/193 (91.2%) bilaterally. Pigmentary keratitis was typically mild to moderate (46.3 and 49.9% of eyes, respectively). Detection of PK was significantly associated with increased age (P = 0.002) and the presence of medial entropion of the lower eyelid (MELE) (P = 0.001). Severity of PK was significantly associated with the grade of MELE (P < 0.001). There was also a correlation between the presence of limbal pigment and PK (P = 0.036) that warrants further study. CONCLUSIONS: This study estimated a high disease prevalence of PK in UK Pugs, and demonstrated significant associations with age and the presence of MELE. These associations, which have not been previously reported, offer an insight into the underlying pathophysiology of this condition in Pugs. The results encourage further population research, such as prospective longitudinal studies. These findings also support the development of clinical and breeding strategies based on the reduction of MELE and, possibly, limbal pigment.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31666065/