Pug Health: What Australian Vet Records Show About How Pugs Die
In 691 Australian Pugs that died under vet care, airway disease, seizures and spinal cord disease led the causes. What that means for owners.
Written by thecanineledger
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If your Pug is struggling to breathe, has blue or grey gums, collapses, or has a seizure, call a vet now.
Our note: This advice is ours. If your Pug has a seizure, even a short one that has stopped, call your vet.
A study of Australian vet records found that the most common single cause of death in Pugs was brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, or BOAS. That is the breathing disease caused by a flat face. The authors write that this “is an important finding as BOAS has often not been considered to be immediately life-threatening” (Wong et al., Veterinary Sciences 2025).
While Pugs in the study often reached old age, many did not. The authors found two peaks in age at death: one under a year old, and one between 10 and 12 years.
1. The study
The dogs. Researchers used VetCompass Australia, a database of primary-care vet records. They found 7,909 Pugs seen between 2008 and 2017, and reviewed the records of all 691 that died.
Not only pedigree Pugs. The vet recorded the breed. “However, the current study does not represent solely purebred Pugs.”
Funding. The VetCompass Australia project is supported by an Australian Government research grant. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
2. How long Pugs lived
Median age at death: 10 years. The authors note this is shorter than earlier estimates for Pugs of 11 and 12 years. Those came from an owner survey and from Japanese pet cemetery records.
Sex. Males had a lower chance of surviving than females, especially between 4 and 10 years old. The median age at death was 10 years for both.
Neutering. Neutered Pugs lived longer than entire Pugs, at a median of 11 years against 8. The age at neutering wasn’t recorded, so this doesn’t show that neutering itself lengthens life.
Errors in the paper. The paper gives two different p-values for the sex difference (0.02 and 0.03). The range it gives for the middle half of entire Pugs’ ages, 2 to 6 years, cannot be right if the median was 8.
3. What they died of
The most common specific causes of death were:
| Cause | Share of deaths with a cause recorded |
|---|---|
| BOAS | 8.2% |
| Seizure disorder | 6.7% |
| Degenerative spinal cord disorder | 4.7% |
| Unspecified neurological disorder | 4.5% |
| Cognitive dysfunction (dementia) | 4.3% |
Euthanasia. Of the dogs euthanised, 29.6% were put to sleep for a neurological problem. That was the largest group.
Sudden deaths. Among Pugs that died without euthanasia, a quarter died of a breathing problem. Heatstroke caused 11 deaths. The authors also report deaths under anaesthesia from breathing complications.
Breathing deaths at every age. BOAS gets worse over time, yet the authors write that “it was unexpected to find that there was no association between age and respiratory causes of death, revealing that death due to respiratory complications is a risk for Pugs across all life stages.”
Our note: The paper mentions necrotising meningoencephalitis (NME), an inflammatory brain disease seen in Pugs, and a genetic test for a related mutation. We don’t cover them.
→ Brachycephalic Airway Disease: Grading, Surgery, and What “Normal Snoring” Hides · → Heatstroke: It Isn’t Just Hot Cars · → First Seizure: What to Do, and What Counts as an Emergency
4. What the study can’t tell you
Deaths at home are missing. The authors note breathing deaths “may be underrepresented in the study, because dogs that died unexpectedly at home, e.g., from respiratory collapse or heat stress, were less likely to be presented to veterinary practices.”
Brief notes. The researchers had to interpret short clinical notes to find a cause of death. Of the 691 dogs, 491 had one recorded.
Our note: The study is Australian. Pugs elsewhere may differ.
5. If you have, or want, a Pug
- Treat noisy breathing as a sign to ask about, not as normal for the breed.
- Keep your Pug lean. The authors note obesity makes BOAS worse.
- Keep your Pug cool, and avoid exercise in heat.
- Before any anaesthetic, ask your vet how they manage flat-faced dogs.
- If buying, ask whether the parents were assessed for BOAS.
Our note: These points are ours. We didn’t check whether breathing grading of parents is available to buyers.
→ Choosing a Breed or a Mix: The Health Data Breeders Don’t Lead With · → Breed and Lifespan: What the UK Primary-Care Data Shows
6. What we could not verify
| Commonly said | What we found |
|---|---|
| “Snoring is just what Pugs do” | BOAS was the top single cause of death in Australian records. |
| “Breathing problems only kill old Pugs” | No. Breathing deaths weren’t linked to age in this study. |
| “Neutering makes Pugs live longer” | Not shown. Neutered Pugs lived longer, but the age at neutering wasn’t known. |
Sources
- Wong K, Williamson P, Taylor RM. Demography and Causes of Mortality of Pugs Under Primary Veterinary Care in Australia. Vet Sci 2025: VetCompass Australia records, 7,909 Pugs and 691 deaths, 2008 to 2017. Australian Government research grant
Always confirm with your vet before acting on anything on this page.