Mystery illness forces The Artist star Uggie to take his final bow-wow at Oscars

By CAROLINE GRAHAM

Top dog: Uggie relaxes by the pool at the Andaz Hotel in Hollywood. He will retire later this month

He is Hollywood’s undisputed top dog and widely tipped to steal the show at this year’s Oscars ceremony.
But Uggie, the irresistible Jack Russell star of the hit silent film The Artist, is suffering from a debilitating illness that has cut short his career.
Last night, Omar Von Muller, who trains ten-year-old Uggie, said the dog will retire after the Oscars later this month. Uggie is expected to open the show alongside host Billy Crystal.

Stars: Jean Dujardin as George Valentin with canine actor Jack Russell Uggie, and right, with an Oscar

‘It’s very sad but he is suffering from a mystery shaking syndrome. It is a neurological disorder and we’ve spent thousands on vets’ bills trying to figure out what is causing it but the experts don’t really know,’ said Mr Von Muller, 49.
‘He started shaking shortly before The Artist began filming in November 2010. It comes and goes and, ironically, it is worse when he’s relaxed. When we were filming you could hardly notice it.’
While it is not uncommon for Jack Russells to shake and shiver, Mr Von Muller says Uggie’s shaking is ‘abnormal’.

Uggie the dog who starred in the film The Artist is suffering from a debilitating shaking syndrome ithat has cut short his career

‘This is beyond what is normal for the breed but all the vets can tell us, after all the scans and tests, is that it is neurological and he is not suffering.’
Uggie has become one of the biggest showbusiness stories of the year and now has his own Twitter page following his life at red-carpet events and on TV shows, including a recent guest spot on The Graham Norton Show.
‘It is a shame this has happened when he is getting the biggest success of his career but we feel the best thing to do is to retire him after the Oscars,’ said Mr Von Muller. ‘For The Artist we were working 15-hour days and I can’t put him through that again.’

source: dailymail