Pug eyes are dark, relatively large, round in shape, soft and solicitous in expression, very lustrous, and when excited, full of fire. Never protruding, exaggerated or showing white when looking straight ahead. Free from obvious eye problems.
During the visual health assessment, the vet will grade the Pugs eyes under a variety of headings, excessive tearing, pigmentation, dry eyes, ectropion, entropion and protrusion. The eyes will be graded from 0 (Nothing Abnormal Detected – NAD) to grade 3 (severely affected).
Figure 1 shows how we would expect a ‘normal eye’ to look, a transparent cornea and marked corneal limbus pigmentation. Clinically normal, or Grade 0 – NAD
Figure 2 shows mild pigmentation, 2mm to 3mm from the nasal aspect of the corneal limbus towards the centre of the cornea. This appearance is considered very mild, a vet may consider this grade 0 or grade 1.
Figure 3 shows a Pug with less than 25% of the cornea with pigmentation, this would be considered mild and grade 1.
Figure 4 shows an example of a Pug with corneal pigmentation spreading over 25-50% of the cornea. This would most definitely be considered moderate and be classified as grade 2.
Figure 5 would be graded 3, severely impacted cornea pigmentation, covering more than 50% of the cornea.
Please note: These are representatie examples, they should not be used by a Pug owner for their own diagnosis, the images are for information purposes only, they are not a diagnostic tool. Advice should be sought from a vet in the case of concerns from an owner.