When Do You Need to Visit a Veterinarian?
Your pug needs a veterinary exam every year. Even if you choose not to vaccinate him annually, he still needs a physical exam to make sure his overall health is good. Here's what the veterinarian might do during a normal physical exam:
Listen to the heart and lungs.
Check temperature, pulse, and breathing rate.
Check weight.
Examine eyes, ears, and skin for infection or parasites.
Look inside the mouth for tartar buildup on teeth or other dental problems.
Check for patellar luxation or other orthopedic problems.
Palpate (feel) the body to ensure that organs don't seem enlarged.
Palpate the body for suspicious lumps or bumps that might indicate infection or tumors.
The annual exam is also a good time to take in a fecal sample to make sure your pug doesn't have any intestinal parasites. That's not necessary, of course, if he's on a heartworm medication that also kills intestinal worms.
Unless a wound is deep, there's no need for a trip to the veterinarian. Simply clean it with chlorhexidine (Nolvasan), and then apply an antibiotic ointment, available from your drugstore, to prevent infection. Signs of infection are redness, tenderness, and swelling.
Following are some of the common illnesses or injuries your pug might encounter and what to do about them.
