PugMamaBlog

Henry has recovered from pneumonia!

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:32:00 -0500

I have not posted in a long time because Henry has been very sick and you know how that is. When your pug baby is suffering the whole world grinds to a halt and you are focused on only one thing..getting that pug well!

Our vet said that one of the lobes of Henry’s right lung was “impacted” meaning, congested with an infection. She was amazed at how perky he was in spite of serious difficulties with breathing. She said that she had seen other dogs with the same amount of impaction that couldn’t even walk across the room.

Although he was perky at moments, especially when seeing his beloved Dr. Jenny, Henry was the sickest I had ever seen him, and I really thought he might die. Even Dr. Jenny thought he might not make it the first time he aspirated (regurgitated food into his lungs).

In a previous post I mentioned the terrible, hacking, honking cough that Henry had. That cough persisted all through the bout with pneumonia, and I am happy to announce that it is gone!

Although X-rays showed that he had some narrowing of the trachea, it turns out that the cough was caused by the lung infection and was exacerbated by the narrowed trachea, but it was not caused by the condition known as Collapsing Trachea.

After several months of illness, a time in which he could not bark without gagging, could not roll onto his back (which is his favorite expression of contentment) without choking, and could not drink water without choking and gagging, finally, Henry can do all these things again.

Hearing him bark in the window at passers by is music to my ears! That pug can bark his little butt off and I will love every minute of it! Also, while he was sick, of course the poor little guy could barely walk, so our walks had dwindled to just going down a few houses on our street and back. Now he is back to walking our usual 4 to 5 block loop. He is a miracle pug!

Or should I say, our vet is a miracle vet!! I believe Dr. Jenny Taylor at Creature Comfort in Oakland literally saved Henry’s life. She put him on a course of antibiotics that arrested the lung infection while she did a series of X-rays and exams to try to pinpoint the source of the cough.

When she realized that he had a narrowing trachea she counseled us on how to feed him so as to prevent choking and gagging. She also advised me on some research I was doing into Chinese herbs for lung heat, and approved my going ahead with giving him those.

Finally, she decided to give him an aqua-puncture injection of Baytril into an acupuncture point (not sure which one it was)…and I am telling you, within one day of that aqua-puncture shot Henry was on the mend. All of a sudden he could breathe easier and his energy increased.

I think the combination the the aqua puncture and the Chinese herbs did the trick.

A professional took this amazing photo of Louie.

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:06:28 -0500

A professional took this amazing photo of Louie.

Henry enjoyed Christmas

Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:13:07 -0500

Henry with digital fireplace.

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 23:42:44 -0500

Henry with digital fireplace.

What is CT and why is it hurting my Henry??

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:35:00 -0500

Henry has gotten up in the years and is starting to have serious health problems. He looks pretty good for a Senior Pug and sometimes I can’t believe he is as old as he is.

About a month or two ago, He began a pattern of recurring health problems that continue to escalate. First, he scratched his cornea, a very common injury in the bulgy eyed set. Then, he began coughing and gagging on a daily basis.

He always struggles with a skin allergy that makes him itchy, but we have managed that with Vitamin B shots, which act as an anti-inflammatory and keep him comfortable.

Recently, Henry had some kind of seizure that caused him to end up on his back struggling to breathe. I quickly uprighted him and found that there was food coming out of his nose. He was trembling and gasping for breath, so we rushed him to the vet where he was put into an oxygen chamber and kept there all day to stabilize his breathing.

Turns out he had regurgitated into his lungs, resulting in what is called “aspiration pneumonia”. That means that anything that is in the lungs can cause an infection and is very dangerous. He has been on antibiotics (as well as probiotics) for weeks.

Meanwhile the coughing and gagging has increased. It is a sound like none other I have ever heard. Calling it a “cough” really does not describe it because it is more of a roar or a honk.

Our vet thought that Henry may have Laryngeal Paralysis or LP. After three sets of x-rays, on the chest lungs and trachea, she has determined that Henry’s trachea is collapsing, a condition common in older, small breeds such Pugs, Pekes, etc.

As the windpipe ages, the rings of cartilage become hardened, weakened and sometimes flatten out, narrowing the space for air to pass. The cough resulting from this situation is more of a honk coming from the compromised structure of the larynx than a cough coming out of the chest or lungs.

The cough itself can irritate the windpipe further and is hard on the heart. I have been researching alternative treatment for CT online and may have found a solution with TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). There are actually Chinese herbs and cough syrups that can moisturize and tonify the throat. I will be consulting with the Vet about trying these and will keep you posted.

Henry now at twelve years old.

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:38:54 -0500

Henry now at twelve years old.

Still Life with Pug

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 23:21:33 -0400

Still Life with Pug

Pugnaciousness is Real

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 00:38:00 -0400

I have lived with pugs now for over 16 years and cannot imagine life without a pug by my side, schnuffling along, smiling up at me with that goofy frog dog grin, big brown eyes bulging with joie de vivre.

A happy healthy pug is a most amusing companion, filled with opinions and observations. When out walking they tell you where they want to go and can be very bossy if you decide to go in a different direction.

Henry stops in his tracks and glares at me, as if to say “How dare you? I was headed that way!” If I insist and try to be the alpha sometimes he will just give in like “Oh well”. Other times, he will dig in and refuse to come with me so that I either have to drag him, pick him up or I give in. Louie was even worse in his bossy behaviors because he was a chest thumping alpha male with attitude up the ying yang.

I am actually shocked at how bossy and controlling Henry has become over the years. But its also hilarious because the little dude only weighs 15 pounds for crying out loud. I mean…he honestly thinks he rules the world! And he knows he rules mine.

I have never been able to dominate my pugs. I give into them because I am a giant and they are small. Or is that I give into them because they are giants and I am small? Yes that must be it. They are forces of nature. Because they are animals and much closer to pure being, they are very powerful.

Add to that natural power those astonishing human faces and cobby little fat bodies reminiscent of the cherubim, and I am just a puddle of powerlessness. I do what they say. Which is usually: FEED ME. It really is a wonder I have not overfed Henry and made him fat. The other thing they say is: LAP TIME! I have spent a huge chunk of my life trapped underneath pugs.

And that is as it should be. If you are going to bring a pug into your life you owe them the best of everything because they are breathtakingly precious and fierce little beings. Like all dogs they are superior to us lousy human beings.

Moishe at the beach.

Sun, 14 Aug 2011 00:02:43 -0400

Moishe at the beach.

Eli and Farmer the Pug Frenchies.

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:39:40 -0400

Eli and Farmer the Pug Frenchies.

Handsome couple with their handsome kids.

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:40:28 -0400

Handsome couple with their handsome kids.

Pug Alert? No. This time its Pug-Frenchie Alert!! Today Henry...

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 22:37:55 -0400

Pug Alert? No. This time its Pug-Frenchie Alert!!

Today Henry and I met some folks in the neighborhood who have rescued two Pug/Frenchies. So that is correct…yes….a mix of Pug and French Bulldog!! Apparently they are “designer dogs.” The brindle is a female, named Farmer, and the little tan guy is Eli. They are extremely sweet and well behaved.

Oh I love these precious little ones!

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:12:53 -0400

Oh I love these precious little ones!

Mr. Cranky Pants Hates Rain in June!

Sun, 05 Jun 2011 18:22:50 -0400

Mr. Cranky Pants Hates Rain in June!

Henry in Mendocino

Sat, 14 May 2011 12:32:19 -0400

We took a trip up North to the Mendocino Coast with little Henry in tow. We found a nice hotel that would accommodate doggies and spent only one night away. But the truth is, Henry was miserable!! He hated being out of his routine.

We assumed that Henry would be fine because he was with us. We who dote on him, adore him, anticipate his every need, abjectly worship his little highness.

He moped around with his tail down the entire time, unless he met a “person” of course. (He lives for “people”.) Then he would come to life and his adorable personality would return for a brief moment while they pet him and talked to him.

Afterwards down would droop the tail and he would look so sad. We don’t count, I suppose, as “people”. No, we are the ever present, all enveloping pug mamas who don’t count and can be taken for granted on road trips.

He also refused to poop the entire time we were gone!!! He rarely peed, but of course now and then he would have to, much to our stressed out relief. We spent so much time begging him to do his business it was just ridiculous.

In spite of Henry’s difficulties we did have a wonderful time because the weather was glorious and Mendocino is just magical and mystical. Very romantic. Even with a grumpy Pug waiting back in the hotel room.

Photo

Sat, 14 May 2011 12:01:16 -0400

Business as usual - Springtime in Berkeley!

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 12:20:03 -0400

Business as usual - Springtime in Berkeley!

Photo

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 22:52:53 -0400

The Double Curled Tail

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 22:51:00 -0400

The Pug tail is supposed to curl tightly and sit right over the back end. If a Pug is champion quality and competing in the ring, they are scored for the quality of their tails. The Double Curl is ideal and gets more points. If a Pug tail is loose and not tightly wound in a nice curl, points are deducted.

Henry’s tail is a double curl. It is very tight and sits high upon his back end. Louie’s tail was somewhat loose although not too bad. I would say it was a single curl. I have seen Pug tails that do not curl at all.

Pugs express many emotions with their tails. The wagging tail of happiness we all know, as well as the happy butt shake, but did you know that when a Pug is insecure or unhappy they communicate this very clearly by dropping their tails?

A dropped Pug tail is a sure sign of uncertainty. Henry’s tail often drops while he is waiting for me to sit down and provide a lap. If I am ignoring him because I am busy and do not have time to “assume the position” his tightly wound little tail just collapses.

Nothing makes a Pug look more unattractive than a dropped tail hanging down. Gone is it’s former beauty, the tight spiral of confidence and happiness. In its place hangs a shaggy looking, crooked thing that doesn’t even resemble a tail.

Because the Pug tail is built to curl, it looks might funky when unfurled. Every time I see Henry’s tail droop I ask him what is wrong. What can Mama do to make it all better? Usually, whispering some sweet nothings and giving him a few strokes down his back breaks his unhappy trance.

The minute a Pug is reassured and feels better, the tail pops right back up! Voila!

Perky curled tail, perky happy Pug!

Photo

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 01:03:36 -0400