CAUSES OF PUG DOG ENCEPHALITIS
Unlike other forms of encephalitis that can be linked to infections, PDE is unique in that it is idiopathic, meaning that the cause is not known. However, because it tends to strike Pugs who are closely related (e.g., littermates), many veterinarians suspect that it is hereditary and immune-mediated. Immune-mediated diseases are those characterized by an abnormal immune response in which the body’s immune system is tricked into seeing normal tissues as dangerous, and then attacks them. In the case of PDE, the immune system would attack the brain.
Regardless of this widespread theory, there is still no definitive answer for what causes Pug dog encephalitis.
PDE usually strikes pugs between 2 and 3 years of age, though it can be seen in Pugs as young as 6 months old and as old as 7 years.