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Problems of brachycephalic breeds. Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting a Pug or a French Bulldog has most likely been charmed by their friendly nature and great character. But the health of the animals is often not taken into account and needs to be brought back into focus.
In our article about the suffering of short-headed breeds we already explained what brachycephaly is and what health problems it can cause. Now we'll show you how to tell if your dog is suffering from a flat face and how you can help.
My dog has a short muzzle - what can I do?
Use the checklist below to see if your dog is suffering from a flat nose. If any of these apply, you should consult the confidu diagnosis finder [Link App Diagnosis Finder] or have your pet examined at a veterinary practice.
Checklist for brachycephalic dogs:
Your dog is more out of breath than you when running or playing.
Your dog gets tired quickly.
Your dog snorts, rattles or snores at rest.
Your dog is constantly breathing very fast or panting a lot.
Your dog has protruding eyes or is cross-eyed
Your dog has severe folds on the back of the nose.
Your dog has difficulty taking a bite or has a toothache.
Your dog has a dry tongue.
Often you don't notice how ill your dog really is, because you don't know his behaviour any differently. In many cases, dogs can and must be operated on. There are different surgical techniques that have to be adapted to the individual case.
It is possible to widen the nostrils and remove parts of the soft palate to allow more room for air to flow in. Malformed turbinates can be removed. Surgery is often the only way to relieve the suffering and permanent shortness of breath. Affected animals should not be allowed to breed under any circumstances, which can best be ensured by castration.
As you have probably noticed, this topic is very complex. If you would like to find out more about this, the German Veterinary Association provides a range of informative material. And also in our dog breed encyclopaedia you will find further options for action and advice on health insurance for the breeds concerned.
In future, it is important to adapt the breeding aims of the kennel clubs and to delete the over-stylised traits. In the meantime, for example, there is a stress test for short-nosed dog breeds as part of the breeding approval test, but this is not yet sufficient.
When buying a dog, one should keep as far away as possible from such breeds, because demand unfortunately still determines the market.
The confidu magazine is written by our veterinarians according to current scientific standards. The articles do not replace a veterinary diagnosis, but are intended to provide you with initial information on many topics related to your animal. If you have specific questions about your pet, our vets will be happy to advise you via the confidu app.