Pugs are a favorite breed of many dog lovers, due to their gentle nature and amiability. Bred to be purely a companion dog in ancient China, they tend to be playful, amusing and even-tempered. Pugs are prone to skin conditions, in general, and are also susceptible to ringworm infection---a skin infection caused by fungi--as most dogs are. Fortunately, ringworm is easy to diagnose and fairly simple to treat.
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Transmission of Ringworm
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A pug can become infected with ringworm by being around another dog or cat that is infected with ringworm. It can also pick up the fungi that cause ringworm by coming in contact with contaminated items, such as carpet or grooming tools. Contaminated kennels or boarding facilities are sometime a source of ringworm. The spores that cause ringworm can stay in an environment for as long as 13 months, leading to reinfection.
Signs of Ringworm
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Circular patches of hair loss that have a dry, scaly center are a common sign of ringworm infection. The bald spots will start small and grow in size over time. These most often appear on the pug's head, but may also be found on other areas of the dog's body. The pug may scratch at these, due to itching.
Diagnosis of Ringworm
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Looking at your pug's coat under a Wood's Lamp---a special ultraviolet light---may reveal a ringworm infection. Many species of the fungi will glow fluorescent green under the lamp. A veterinarian can make an accurate diagnosis. He will examine the pug's hair under a microscope to look for fungal spores, and may also do a culture on a hair sample to determine the exact species of ringworm that is causing the infection.
Treating Ringworm
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Common treatments for ringworm infection include topical antifungal creams such as miconazole cream, Lotrimin or 1 percent chlorhexidine ointment. Antifungal shampoos and/or lime sulfur dips may be prescribed in severe cases. Oral antifungal medications may also be prescribed. These include griseofulvin, ketoconazole and itraconazole. If you have other dogs or cats, you will need to treat every animal in the household.
Pug Skin Conditions With Symptoms Similar to Ringworm
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Pugs are prone to several skin conditions that may be mistaken for ringworm without a proper diagnosis. Some pugs get seasonal allergies, which cause the dog to scratch their coats and chew at their feet. Demodectic mange is a frequent problem in pug puppies. It is caused by the demodex mite, and causes patchy hair loss. Staph infections---caused by bacteria---cause lesions that look very similar to the lesions caused by ringworm. Pugs treated with antibiotics for other skin infections sometimes develop yeast infections, which cause blackened, thick skin and itching.
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