Pug dogs, although extremely loyal to their owners and incredibly cute and friendly, often end up with some pretty serious health concerns. If you are a pug owner, or are thinking of adopting a pug dog sometime in the near future, there are some pug-specific health concerns that you will want to be aware of so you can keep your pug as healthy for as long as possible.

First, because of the pug’s smooshed-in facial appearance, which gives him those wrinkles, a pug is often prone to yeast infections within the folds of skin on the face. To keep your pug clean, comfortable, and infection-free, you will want to wash his deep nose-wrinkle at least once a day with a damp washcloth. While you are removing any debris with the wet washcloth, check for any signs of infection such as redness, crusting, or a foul smell. Clean his smaller face wrinkles in the same way.

Pugs’ little fold over ears are adorable. But they can also be a great hiding place for yeast. It is easy to check for problems in your pug’s ears, and you should do so once a day. Simply lift one ear at a time, gently. Look inside for any signs of redness or excess buildup. You will also want to give each ear the “sniff test”. If there is a problem, you will smell a somewhat musty, earthy odor, and there will likely be some dark brown or black build-up inside the ear canal.

Regular ear cleanings can help prevent your pug from developing an ear infection in the first place. Ask your veterinarian for a safe ear cleaning solution. Often the ones sold at pet stores are filled with alcohol, which will only sting and burn your pug’s ears instead of gently cleaning. With the veterinarian-recommended cleaner, squirt a small amount of the liquid into one ear at a time. Close the ear and gently rub the ear against your pug’s head for a few seconds. You will hear a wet sound, which is the cleaner working its way into the ear canal. If your pug’s ears do not appear to be that dirty, simply allow him to shake his head several times (he will do this instinctively) and that will shake loose the cleaning solution and any debris as well. However, if his ears seem to be filled with build-up, use a large cotton ball or cotton cleaning pad rolled up. Insert it into his outer ear area with your finger tip, gently roll it around for a few seconds, and remove it. If it is covered with brown or black debris, repeat until it comes out clear.