skin Archives - Two Pug Tails

Where Do Pugs Have Wrinkles?

Most pugs have some wrinkles in their forehead area and between their eyes, as well as below their eyes and above their nose. Some pugs may also have wrinkles or creases along their neck/shoulder area if they have enough excess skin for it to fold.

Do Pug Puppies Have Wrinkles?

Newborn pug puppies are usually born without wrinkles at all, and by 8 weeks old some pugs have significant wrinkles while others are still wrinkle-free. Exactly when the wrinkles appear can vary, but the wrinkles will get more pronounced as they get closer to full grown.

The pug wrinkle above their nose

The wrinkle above a pug’s nose is usually the one that needs the most care. This wrinkle may be really tight and deep in some pugs, while others may be more spacious. My pug Frank had a slightly longer nose than some other pugs, and this resulted in the wrinkle above his nose not being as ‘tight’ as my other pug’s was. This made it a lot easier for his to stay clean and dry. All pugs need to have their wrinkles kept clean, but if you have a pug with a tight nose wrinkle you’ll need to be extra diligent about keeping it clean and dry.

How To Clean A Pug’s Face Wrinkles

Take a cloth or dog-safe wet wipe over one of your fingers and go along your pug’s wrinkle crease. This will help free any shed hairs, dirt or other debris that has collected in their fold. Repeat this process again until the cloth shows that no more dirt or hair is coming out. Once done, use a clean and dry cloth to dry the crease.

If your pug has tight wrinkles, you should do this daily. If your pug has looser or shallower wrinkles, you may only need to do it every couple of days. If you aren’t sure, it’s always better to err on the side of more frequent.

Why you have to clean a pug’s wrinkles

Pug wrinkles need special care because they can trap bacteria or begin to grow yeast! Some people complain of noticing that their pug’s face wrinkles smell. That is a sign that it is getting infected due to not being clean. The wrinkles have creases which can allow shed hair, sweat, water (frequently happens from missy drinking), food, dirt and other things to collect in the crease. If anything gets trapped in the crease and isn’t cleaned out it can get irritated and even infected over time.

The best wrinkle wipes for pugs

I recommend PetPost bulldog wrinkle wipes. Of course, pugs are not bulldogs but they have similar needs. These wrinkle wipes are specifically formulated for dogs. Baby wipes and other types of wipes can include alcohol or other ingredients that can be harsh or drying to pug’s face, or could be irritating to their face.

Signs of an infected nose wrinkle

If your pug’s nose wrinkle is red, losing hair, swollen, itchy, wet (oozing), or has an odor those are all signs that it may be infected. If you see any signs of infection, head to the vet! They will be able to give you medication or ointment to clear it up.

Pug Wrinkle creams or balms

If you really struggle with keeping your dog’s face wrinkles clean and dry, you may consider a cream or a wrinkle balm. I don’t have personal experience with trying these, but they should be used after cleaning your dog’s wrinkles and after they’ve dried. The goal of the balms is to keep moisture off the skin to protect from infection.

How To Get Your Pug To Accept Face Cleaning

“But my pug won’t let me clean their wrinkles!” you say? You aren’t alone in having a pug who doesn’t like their face touched. Pugs have big eyes that stick out which makes their eyes vulnerable to injury. As a result of that, it’s very common for pugs to be even more hesitant than other dog breeds to let people near their face.

However, it’s really important to keep their wrinkles clean to avoid infection. You can train your pug to tolerate face cleaning by making it a positive experience. Most pugs are highly food motivated, so using treats to reward them while they have their face cleaned is a good way to make them more tolerant of it.

Be calm but firm when cleaning your pug’s face. You want them to feel safe, yet to also know that you are in control.

Can you clean pug wrinkles with baby wipes?

Most popular baby wipes have alcohol which can be drying to a pug’s facial skin. However, I understand that the wipes specifically designed for cleaning a dog’s face are a bit pricy. If your dog’s skin is irritated or sensitive, I’d recommend sticking with the dog wrinkle wipes. However, if your dog’s skin is in good shape and doesn’t seem overly sensitive, you can try one of the more natural brands of baby wipes. Look for one that is free from alcohol. I’d recommend Water Wipes, as those are 99.9% water, and the remaining ingredient is a fruit extract which has naturally antimicrobial properties.

Why do pugs have wrinkles?

Pugs were originally bred in China, and the people breeding pugs wanted them to have wrinkled faces! They wanted the wrinkles on a pug’s face to resemble the character that means “prince.” Wrinkles are genetic for pugs, so you can get a rough idea of how deep (or severe?) of wrinkles a pug puppy might develop as they mature if you look a the wrinkles of their parents.

Why Is My Pug’s Tummy Turning Black?

A mild darkening of the skin is common as dogs age. If the change is more dramatic or you also notice that the skin has thickened, it may be black skin disease.

Also, much like people, dogs skin can darken with sun exposure. If your pug has been spending time on its back while laying outside or near a window, that can cause a darkening of their belly skin.

What Is Black Skin Disease?

Black skin disease is actually not a disease, it’s a set of symptoms. It’s when a dog has a darkening and thickening of their skin in response to certain conditions such as weight gain, hormone imbalance, allergies or skin infection.

Often the areas impacted by ‘black skin disease’ will become hairless, making them velvety feeling. The skin will also be thicker and darker than it naturally is.

The most common location for black skin disease to begin is the back legs and groin area, but it can occur in other areas, and it often spreads.

If you suspect that your pug may have black skin disease, their age of symptom onset can assist with diagnosis. There is primary and secondary black skin disease. When primary, it will be evident by 1 year of age and it’s an inherited skin condition. This is quite rare.

Secondary black skin disease is more common and can occur at any age. It is often seen in dogs that are prone to obesity, hormone imbalances, allergies, contact dermatitis and skin infection. Pugs are prone to obesity, and allergies and skin infections are fairly common in pugs as well. For some, these can contribute to them developing black skin disease.

Secondary black skin disease is caused by inflammation or friction that is caused by some other source, such as an allergy response or infection. The edges of the affected areas are often red which is a sign of infection whether bacterial or yeast.

It can spread rather widely, sometimes covering neck, groin, abs, hocks, ears, eyes and more. In some dogs it causes them to itch and scratch, in others it doesn’t.

Seems how secondary black skin disease is brought on by some other cause, it’s important to see your vet if you suspect black skin disease.

They may need skin tests, blood tests or other diagnostic tests done to determine what has brought on he symptoms of black skin disease. Black skin disease itself isn’t treated. Instead, the secondary cause is treated (the allergy, infection, etc), and then the symptoms of black skin disease go away on their own. In some cases topical treatments like medicated shampoos may be needed as well.

How To Reduce The Odds Of Your Dog Getting Black Skin Disease

Black skin disease is usually brought on as a response to an allergy, infection or some other irritation or inflammation. Therefore, prevention of black skin disease would involve avoiding irritants.

Ensuring that your pug is on a high quality diet is a great start to keeping their fur and skin healthy.

Keep their skin folds clean and dry to avoid skin infections. Dry their ears after a bath.

Keep their food and water dish clean and don’t use plastic bowls. Plastic food and water dishes can harbor bacteria which can lead to pug acne or skin infections.

If your dog presents with allergy symptoms, seek testing to determine the cause of their allergies so that you can adapt to help them avoid their allergens.

Other Causes Of Dark Skin:

Sometimes as dogs age their skin darkens a little just due to age.

Like us, dogs’ skin can darken from sun exposure.

Dogs can be born with different skin tones. Especially dogs with darker fur can have darker skin.

All About Pug Wrinkles