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brachycephalic dogs tend to have difficulty breathing due to having scrunched up noses thanks to their breeding, this can cause other issues such as overheating and they are more likely to choke on water going up their nose.

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What are the health risks for flat-faced dogs? Not all dogs that are short-nosed will suffer from health problems relating to breeding, but too many do. As these breeds grow in popularity, our Blue Cross veterinary hospital teams are treating more and more dogs of brachycephalic breeds who do have a wide variety of problems caused by breeding for a characteristic flat-face. Breathing problems Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) – also known as brachycephalic syndrome – is common in flat-faced dogs. The ability to breathe normally is commonly a struggle for dogs with this syndrome. Four-year-old bulldog Frank was treated by our Merton animal hospital for painful ulcers on his eyeballs, skin and ear infections, and a partially blocked airway There are a few reasons why this syndrome causes these dogs breathing difficulties: Flat-faced dogs have shorter muzzle bones in their skulls than dogs that have retained their traditionally longer snouts, but often the soft tissue around the mouth, nose and throat hasn’t decreased is size. Because of this, there is comparatively more skin and other soft tissue around these areas, which means the airway becomes narrowed or partially blocked as the tissue squeezes into a smaller space. The windpipe in brachycephalic dog breeds is often deformed and narrowed, so less oxygen can be taken in with each breath. Dogs cannot sweat and instead regulate their temperature largely through panting. Dogs with a traditional longer muzzle cool themselves down quickly by drawing in air over the large surface area of the tongue, but shorter nosed dogs cannot do this as efficiently. Because of this, brachycephalic dog breeds are more likely to overheat. Some are even killed by hot weather, particularly if they are overweight or older. Nostrils are one of two ways a dog can take in oxygen; the other being through the mouth. Brachycephalic dogs are more likely to have narrowed nostrils – also known as stenotic nares – making inhaling more difficult. Heart problems Shortened and narrowed airways result in laboured breathing meaning that these dogs constantly struggle to cope with a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream. This puts a strain on the dog’s heart and makes them more susceptible to secondary heart problems. Pug Bertie being anaesthetised before having his mouth and teeth examined by a Blue Cross vet team. Tooth problems Dog breeds have been selectively bred over many generations to meet certain characteristics, and those bred to have a shortened upper jaw still have the same number of teeth as those of their species with longer snouts (adult dogs have 42 teeth). Because they have to fit these teeth into a much smaller area, their teeth can overlap, increasing the risk of decay and gum disease. Nine-month-old French bulldog Boss on his fourth visit to our Blue Cross mobile clinic for skin problems, Skin and ear problems, The shape of their heads means that these dogs often have deep skin folds around their eyes and narrowed ear canals. At just five months old, French bulldog Henri needed treatment for ‘cherry eye’, which is when the third eyelid (a membrane in the corner of the eye that helps with tear production) sticks out abnormally, which can cause the sensitive tissue to dry out and become prone to infections or other eye problems. These are poorly ventilated which tends to encourage yeast infections so these areas can become very sore. Eye problems Many of these dogs have prominent eyes so their tear film doesn’t spread properly and they are very vulnerable to injury.They easily develop ulcers on the eye which can easily result in loss of an eye if untreated. Mating and giving birthHigh numbers of some brachycephalic breeds struggle to give birth naturally. English and French bulldogs commonly need Caesarean sections when their pups are ready to be born because selective breeding has caused a mismatch between the puppies’ large heads and the mothers’ birth canal. Vets call this ‘dystocia due to foetal-pelvic disproportion’. While some bulldogs are able to give birth naturally, 86 per cent of English bulldog puppies, and over 80 per cent of French bulldog puppies, are delivered by C-section in the UK (Evans and Adams, 2010). Without assisted births, these bulldog mothers would likely die in pain during the birth and their offspring are unlikely to survive, too. Caesareans are major operations for any dog, but the risk increases for dogs who suffer from brachycephalic-related breathing problems. Neurological problems Brachycephalic breeds can suffer from neurological (brain) problems because of their generally compressed skull shape. Syringomyelia is the most common of these; this is a painful condition where cavities or cysts form in the spinal cord. It is most often seen in Cavalier King Charles spaniels.

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What are the health risks for flat-faced dogs? Not all dogs that are short-nosed will suffer from health problems relating to breeding, but too many do. As these breeds grow in popularity, our Blue Cross veterinary hospital teams are treating more and more dogs of brachycephalic breeds who do have a wide variety of problems caused by breeding for a characteristic flat-face. Breathing problems Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) – also known as brachycephalic syndrome – is common in flat-faced dogs. The ability to breathe normally is commonly a struggle for dogs with this syndrome. Four-year-old bulldog Frank was treated by our Merton animal hospital for painful ulcers on his eyeballs, skin and ear infections, and a partially blocked airway There are a few reasons why this syndrome causes these dogs breathing difficulties: Flat-faced dogs have shorter muzzle bones in their skulls than dogs that have retained their traditionally longer snouts, but often the soft tissue around the mouth, nose and throat hasn’t decreased is size. Because of this, there is comparatively more skin and other soft tissue around these areas, which means the airway becomes narrowed or partially blocked as the tissue squeezes into a smaller space. The windpipe in brachycephalic dog breeds is often deformed and narrowed, so less oxygen can be taken in with each breath. Dogs cannot sweat and instead regulate their temperature largely through panting. Dogs with a traditional longer muzzle cool themselves down quickly by drawing in air over the large surface area of the tongue, but shorter nosed dogs cannot do this as efficiently. Because of this, brachycephalic dog breeds are more likely to overheat. Some are even killed by hot weather, particularly if they are overweight or older. Nostrils are one of two ways a dog can take in oxygen; the other being through the mouth. Brachycephalic dogs are more likely to have narrowed nostrils – also known as stenotic nares – making inhaling more difficult. Heart problems Shortened and narrowed airways result in laboured breathing meaning that these dogs constantly struggle to cope with a lack of oxygen in the bloodstream. This puts a strain on the dog’s heart and makes them more susceptible to secondary heart problems. Pug Bertie being anaesthetised before having his mouth and teeth examined by a Blue Cross vet team. Tooth problems Dog breeds have been selectively bred over many generations to meet certain characteristics, and those bred to have a shortened upper jaw still have the same number of teeth as those of their species with longer snouts (adult dogs have 42 teeth). Because they have to fit these teeth into a much smaller area, their teeth can overlap, increasing the risk of decay and gum disease. Nine-month-old French bulldog Boss on his fourth visit to our Blue Cross mobile clinic for skin problems, Skin and ear problems, The shape of their heads means that these dogs often have deep skin folds around their eyes and narrowed ear canals. At just five months old, French bulldog Henri needed treatment for ‘cherry eye’, which is when the third eyelid (a membrane in the corner of the eye that helps with tear production) sticks out abnormally, which can cause the sensitive tissue to dry out and become prone to infections or other eye problems. These are poorly ventilated which tends to encourage yeast infections so these areas can become very sore. Eye problems Many of these dogs have prominent eyes so their tear film doesn’t spread properly and they are very vulnerable to injury.They easily develop ulcers on the eye which can easily result in loss of an eye if untreated. Mating and giving birthHigh numbers of some brachycephalic breeds struggle to give birth naturally. English and French bulldogs commonly need Caesarean sections when their pups are ready to be born because selective breeding has caused a mismatch between the puppies’ large heads and the mothers’ birth canal. Vets call this ‘dystocia due to foetal-pelvic disproportion’. While some bulldogs are able to give birth naturally, 86 per cent of English bulldog puppies, and over 80 per cent of French bulldog puppies, are delivered by C-section in the UK (Evans and Adams, 2010). Without assisted births, these bulldog mothers would likely die in pain during the birth and their offspring are unlikely to survive, too. Caesareans are major operations for any dog, but the risk increases for dogs who suffer from brachycephalic-related breathing problems. Neurological problems Brachycephalic breeds can suffer from neurological (brain) problems because of their generally compressed skull shape. Syringomyelia is the most common of these; this is a painful condition where cavities or cysts form in the spinal cord. It is most often seen in Cavalier King Charles spaniels.

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Struggling to see
English bull dog struggle to see because of the wrinkles, the wrinkles above the dogs eyes cause the eye lashes to I bed in the the dog eye with will cause infection and could cause the dog to go blind if you don't do anything about it

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In periods of hot weather, brachycephalic breeds are at risk of overheating due to their short snouts, they can sometimes struggle to cool themselves down through panting. Make sure to give them plenty of breaks when blow drying them and be aware of the room temperature.

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When grooming a brachycephalic dog we shouldn't use blasters or finishing dryers in the direction of their faces as they might have difficulty breathing.

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Abnormally shaped vertebrae may be due to a selection of screw tails in some brachycephalic breeds. Curved or screw tails in these breeds result from abnormally shaped vertebrae in the tail region of the spine, these breeds have genes that tend to cause the formation of abnormally shaped vertebrae elsewhere in the spinal column as well as the tail.

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Article outlining the danger of heat stroke for brachycephalic dogs due to Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome:

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Article outlining the danger of heat stroke for brachycephalic dogs due to Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome:

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At first glance, it may seem like a small French Bulldog is better equipped for the heat than a heavy coated Siberian Husky. They have shorter fur and generally like to take it easier when it comes to exercise than Huskies do.

But French Bulldogs, along with other breeds like American Bulldogs, Pekingese, Pugs, and Boston Terriers, are Brachycephalic dogs. " Brachycephalic " refers to dogs with short muzzles, and this face shape is a huge disadvantage to dogs in the hotter months since their main mechanism for cooling down is panting.

Here's how that can be dangerous-even deadly-for dogs with shorter snouts.

Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome (BAS)

Brachycephalic dogs are ineffective panters.

Panting is a form of evaporative cooling that helps regulate dogs' body temperatures in the heat. The shorter, "smushed" faces of brachycephalic dogs are quite cute, but they can create big problems when it comes to airflow.

This causes short-muzzled dogs to snort, gurgle, and sometimes have a difficult time breathing. The tight bone structure of their faces makes their airways like a tight maze, so much less air reaches the lungs in a breath than it would for a non-brachycephalic dog.

Many short muzzled dogs will breathe through their mouths, but they are still not getting as much air as their longer-snouted counterparts.

Soft palates in brachycephalic dogs' mouths block a majority of the air coming in to the trachea, which means your short-snouted dog needs to work even harder just to get a sufficient amount of oxygen in their system.

Imagine trying to breathe while someone is pinching your nose and you have a swollen throat. That is what it can be like for brachycephalic dogs in the summer.

Heat Stroke And Heat Exhaustion

Due to Brachycephalic's dogs' inability to pant efficiently, they are at a substantially higher risk for summer health issues such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

They require a lot more TLC in the summer than other dogs to insure they are safe and healthy in the midst of the heat.

If you have a brachycephalic dog, be sure to do the following:

Always Have Cool Water Available To Them

This isn't exactly rocket science, but another way for your dog to cool down is with water. Be sure that cool, clean water is easily accessible to your short-snouted friend 24/7 during the summer.

Take It Slow

Your dog still needs exercise during the summer, but try to do so in a slow, breezy fashion. Take shorter, slower walks during the cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or later in the evening after some of the heat of the day has worn down.

Use A Harness

Brachycephalic dogs already have the cards stacked against them when it comes to breathing; don't add to their obstacles with an airway restricting collar.

Use a harness to walk your dog at the appropriate times of the day.

Do NOT Leave Them Outside For Long

Even if you have a shady area in your backyard for your dog to rest, do not leave your brachycephalic dog outside, even if it doesn't seem all that hot to you. These are not the type of dogs to leave outside, even just for 20 minutes.

Dogs with this condition can succumb to the heat in that short of a time period. If you let your dog out in the yard to do their business, bring them back inside as soon as they're done.

Invest In A Cooling Pad

Getting a comfy cooling pad for your dog to lay on indoors is an excellent way to help your dog maintain a comfortable and healthy body temperature in the heat.

Watch Their Weight

Excessive weight can lead to breathing and other health problems in any dog, but it greatly exacerbates a brachycephalic dog's inability to keep cool and properly breathe.

If you have a short-muzzled dog that has a little too much extra weight, talk to your vet about healthy strategies to help them shed the pounds.

Know The Signs Of Heat Stroke

Be sure to educate yourself on the signs of heat stroke. You can use DogTime's handy guide to do so. If you suspect your dog is suffering from heat exhaustion, cool them down immediately and contact your vet.

Brachycephalic dogs can still enjoy the summer, but they do need to be monitored vigilantly.

Do you have any tips on how you keep your adorable, smushed-faced pup cool and safe during the summer months? Let us know in the comments below!
DogTime is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

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Why Summer Heat Can Be Deadly For Brachycephalic (Short-Muzzled) Dogs - Dogtime

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"Brachycephalic" refers to dogs with short muzzles, and this face shape is a huge disadvantage to dogs in the hotter months since their main mechanism for cooling down is panting. Here's how that can be dangerous--even deadly--for dogs with shorter snouts.

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Overview
Pugs, Bulldogs, Shih Tzus, and Boxers all have something in common: that familiar, endearing, smooshed-in face. There's a name for that adorable face: brachycephalic. The above breeds, and many more, are considered brachycephalic breeds and all possess the flat face, pushed-up nose, narrow nostrils, and large eyes.

Unfortunately, because of this peculiar anatomy, brachycephalic dogs often have a hard time breathing and have respiratory abnormalities. This condition is known as brachycephalic syndrome, and it is characterized by one or more of the following:

An elongated soft palate

Stenotic nares

Everted Laryngeal Saccules

A narrow trachea

We explain each of these issues in greater depth in separate articles, but below is a general overview of brachycephalic syndrome.

Elongated soft palate
Ever notice that Bulldogs do a lot of snorting? That's probably due to an elongated soft palate.

The soft palate is the soft part at the back of the roof of the mouth that separates the nasal passages from the mouth. In brachcephalic breeds, the soft palate often extends into the throat and may partially block the trachea, or windpipe.

As bad as those snorts sound, an elongated soft palate actually isn't usually a big issue and doesn't generally cause significant respiratory distress. However, lots of barking and panting can cause the tissue to swell, which can lead to breathing problems and respiratory distress. To help correct this problem in excitable dogs that like to bark and pant a lot, the elongated soft palate can be surgically corrected.

Stenotic nares
Stenotic nares is the medical term referring to narrowing of the nostrils. This can limit the airflow, making breathing through the nose difficult. If the nostrils are extremely narrow and cause significant breathing problems, corrective surgery is possible.

Everted Laryngeal Saccules
Laryngeal Saccules are small pouches that are located behind the larynx, or voicebox. Over time, due to the increased respiratory effort, the pouches will turn inside out and stick out into the trachea, further obstructing the airways. These are often surgically corrected at the same time as the elongated soft palate.

Narrow Trachea
The trachea, or windpipe, can often be very narrow in brachycephalic breeds, making breathing difficult.

Risks and Symptoms
Symptoms of brachycephalic syndrome really vary with the severity of the abnormalities, and can range anywhere from noisy breathing, snorting, snoring, and coughing to exercise intolerance and even collapsing or fainting after exertion.

Hot and humid weather can cause symptoms to get worse - because of the anatomy of these dogs, they can find it difficult to cool themselves by panting. The increased effort to move air through can cause swelling and inflammation in the airway. This will further obstruct breathing, cause respiratory distress and cause further overheating and a high possibility of heat stroke.

In most brachycephalic dogs in normal conditions - not too hot or humid - breathing isn't difficult enough to cause major problems. But situations that cause extra panting, such as obesity, heat, vigorous exercise, or anxiety and excitement can all trigger the vicious cycle: panting, which causes inflammation of the airway, which increases anxiety, leading to more panting, and so on.

It should be noted that brachycephalic dogs are at a higher risk of problems during sedation and anesthesia, as well. If your brachycephalic dog needs surgery or any other procedure requiring sedation, your veterinarian will recommend the best course of action.

Besides the breeds listed above, other breeds at risk include:

Diagnosis
Some brachycephalic conditions, such as stenotic nares, can be diagnosed through a simple physical. Others, such as the elongated soft palate, usually require general anesthesia. Since most brachycephalic dogs have one or more of these abnormalities, it's really a matter of determining how severe the problems are and whether treatment is necessary.

Other diagnostic tests may include:

Chemistry tests to evaluate kidney, liver, and pancreatic function, as well as sugar levels

Electrolyte tests to ensure your dog isn't dehydrated or suffering from an electrolyte imbalance

A complete blood count to screen your pet for infection, inflammation, or anemia and other blood-related conditions

Urine tests to screen for urinary tract infection and other diseases, and to evaluate the ability of the kidneys to concentrate urine

Screening tests to rule out certain infectious diseases.

Radiographs (x-rays) of the chest and neck

Treatment can range from short term therapy such as oxygen therapy and steroids to decrease inflammation to more permanent solutions such as surgery.

Prevention
The conditions caused by brachycephalic syndrome are the result of the natural anatomy of flat-faced breeds, so they aren't preventable. One way of curbing more severe cases of the syndrome is through selective breeding - dogs that need a lot of surgery to correct these problems should not be used for breeding.

If your dog suffers from any of the issues caused by brachycephalic syndrome, you can make things easier on him or her by keeping your dog at a healthy weight and avoiding extremely hot weather, especially strenuous exercise, or stressful situations. Because all dogs need exercise, you shouldn't do away with daily walks. However, try using a harness instead of a traditional collar to make breathing easier. Finally, make sure to have your dog examined by your veterinarian regularly to make sure abnormalities aren't getting worse and need to be corrected.

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian - they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

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OverviewPugs, Bulldogs, Shih Tzus, and Boxers all have something in common: that familiar, endearing, smooshed-in face. There's a name for that adorable face: brachycephalic. The above breeds, and many more, are considered brachycephalic breeds and all possess the flat face, pushed-up nose, narrow nostrils, and large eyes.

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The kinds of health concerns owners of brachycephalic breeds should be monitoring for include: Breathing difficulties, termed Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) Difficulties swallowing due to tracheal obstructions Trouble sleeping Higher risk of heat stroke due to the inability to pant efficiently Eye problems due to shallow eye sockets, which can include ineffectual eyelid closing, drying out of eyelids and cornea, watery eyes, eyelid curling, cornea irritation, and the risk of an eye dislodging from the socket Dental and gum issues due to teeth crowding Facial fold infections Reduced quality of life leading to a shortened life span; this is due to reduced exercise, sleeplessness, breathing difficulties, inflammation, and heart strainRead more at: https://wagwalking.com/condition/health-concerns-brachycephalic-breeds

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The kinds of health concerns owners of brachycephalic breeds should be monitoring for include: Breathing difficulties, termed Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) Difficulties swallowing due to tracheal obstructions Trouble sleeping Higher risk of heat stroke due to the inability to pant efficiently Eye problems due to shallow eye sockets, which can include ineffectual eyelid closing, drying out of eyelids and cornea, watery eyes, eyelid curling, cornea irritation, and the risk of an eye dislodging from the socket Dental and gum issues due to teeth crowding Facial fold infections Reduced quality of life leading to a shortened life span; this is due to reduced exercise, sleeplessness, breathing difficulties, inflammation, and heart strainRead more at: https://wagwalking.com/condition/health-concerns-brachycephalic-breeds

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Eyes: The flattening of the skull causes the eye sockets to become shallow. This means that the eyeball protrudes significantly. As a result the cornea (outer surface of the eye) is more exposed which makes it more likely to become dry and can lead to ulceration or direct trauma.

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Eyes: The flattening of the skull causes the eye sockets to become shallow. This means that the eyeball protrudes significantly. As a result the cornea (outer surface of the eye) is more exposed which makes it more likely to become dry and can lead to ulceration or direct trauma.

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Brachycephalic breeds suffer with Malocclusion as they have flat faces and their 42 teeth are  crammed into such a tiny mouth.

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brachycephalic (ˌbrækɪsɪˈfælɪk)

adj(Pathology) having a head nearly as broad from side to side as from front to back, esp one with a cephalic index over80

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this is the link to the Original Video

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This is "Pedigree Dogs Exposed" by on Vimeo, the home for high quality videos and the people who love them.

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The first time available online... the 2012 sequel to Pedigree Dogs Exposed documents the changes the original film secured, plus the reform director/campaigner Jemima Harrison believes is still needed.

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why dont we have this campaign in the UK?
we are supposed to be a nation of animal lovers ??

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Please sign the Love Is Blind petition to ensure dogs are bred for good health and welfare rather than exaggerated physical features.

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Great Video

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The Purebred Crisis: How dogs are being deformed in the name of fashion

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The dark side of Britains Insta puppy trade

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The dark side of Britains Insta puppy trade

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A very interesting You tube video

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The Dark Side of Britain's Insta Puppy Trade

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In some brachycephalic breeds, because of their squashed faces, have maloccluision. This is where the jaw has either an over bite, under bite, or they do meet but the teeth are digging into the gums above or below. Their are two types of malocclusion, skeletal and dental.
Many animals will have to have surgeries having teeth removed and be on a soft food diet due to their jaws.

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In this video it shows different brachcephalic breeds and how they've changed in 100 years. It showed how the English Bulldog pretty much gets it the worst, getting every disease imaginable. its defiantly worth a watch.

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How 100 Years Of Breeding Changed These Popular Dog Breeds

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DRY EYE - symptoms include goopy discharge, cloudy cornea's and angry |Sclera (white part of eye).

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https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/things-think-about-buying-flat-faced-dog

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https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/soft-tissue-service/brachycephalic-syndrome/

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Hemivertebrae

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The change in the skull shape of the British Bulldog over the last fifty years. Notice particularly the extreme for-shortening of the nasal cavity.

Image courtesy of Natural History Museum, Bern

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2. Brachycephalic Dogs Have Eye Health Issues.The smushed-in face and skull also create eye anomalies. The most frequently diagnosed eye problems I encounter involve the eyelids, especially entropion — an inward-rolling eyelid that causes the eyelashes to rub against and scratch the eyeball (cornea). Surgery is usually successful, although some dogs may require additional eye tucks as they age.

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2. Brachycephalic Dogs Have Eye Health Issues.The smushed-in face and skull also create eye anomalies. The most frequently diagnosed eye problems I encounter involve the eyelids, especially entropion — an inward-rolling eyelid that causes the eyelashes to rub against and scratch the eyeball (cornea). Surgery is usually successful, although some dogs may require additional eye tucks as they age.

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https://www.dogster.com/dog-health-care/health-issues-for-brachycephalic-flat-faced-dogs

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A good website of how dogs used to look over 100 years ago before over breeding.

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Not long ago I ran across an article in a U.K. publication titled " How a Century of Breeding 'Improvement' Has Turned Once-Healthy Dogs into Deformed Animals." It featured some rather stunning pictures of certain dog breeds as they looked 100 years ago, compared to how they look today.

The article led me to the blog it was borrowed from, Science and Dogs. The author of the blog post gives permission to use his before and after pictures, so I thought I'd share them with my readers here at Mercola Healthy Pets.

As a veterinarian, I've seen first-hand the problems created when dogs are bred exclusively to achieve a certain look, without concern for their health, mobility, or quality of life. It is deeply disturbing to me, with all we know about the suffering these animals endure, that breeders persist in exaggerating their dogs' physical characteristics, even if it means sacrificing their health.

How Certain Dog Breeds Looked in 1915 vs. 2015

The images on the left are from a 1915 book titled Dogs of All Nations. The pictures on the right are today's poorly bred version of the dog on the left.

On the left is a well-conditioned, athletic Bull Terrier. The dog on the right has an altered skull and thick abdomen. Today's Bull Terriers are prone to a long list of disorders, including extra teeth and compulsive tail-chasing.

Look at how low to the ground today's Basset Hound is. His shorter stature is the result of changes to the rear leg structure. He also has surplus skin, and needlessly long ears. Today's Basset Hound's droopy eyes are prone to eyelid abnormalities, and he also often suffers from problems related to his vertebra.

See how much shorter the Boxer's face on the right is? Boxers are brachycephalic dogs, meaning they have pushed-in faces. Like many brachy breeds, the Boxer's already short muzzle has been bred even shorter over the years, and slightly upturned as well. Brachys have difficulty breathing and controlling their body temperature, which often places extreme limitations on their physical abilities.

This unfortunate animal is the poster dog for all that is wrong with exaggerated breeding for looks. English Bulldogs suffer from an endless list of diseases, and according to one survey, their median age of death is 6.25 years. The massive size of today's English Bulldog makes normal mating and birthing out of the question. They can't reproduce without medical intervention.

Dachshunds a century ago had short but functional legs and necks in proportion to their overall size. Since then, they have been bred for longer backs and necks, jutting chests, and legs so short their bellies barely clear the floor. Doxies have the highest risk of any breed for intervertebral disc disease, which can cause paralysis. They are also prone to dwarfism-related disorders, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), and leg problems.

The German Shepherd Dog is another animal that has been ruined by unscrupulous breeding practices. In 1915, the GSD was a medium-sized dog averaging 55 pounds. Today's GSD is a complete distortion of the original. He's a good 30 pounds heavier, with a barrel chest, sloping back, and often a "drunken" gait. These dogs used to be magnificent athletic specimens, but no more.

The Pug is another brachycephalic dog that has been bred to exaggerate the trait. The result? High blood pressure, heart problems, low blood oxygen levels, breathing problems, a tendency to overheat/develop heatstroke, dental issues, and skin fold dermatitis. At the other end of this poor dog is a "highly desirable" double-curl tail, which is actually a genetic defect that can result in paralysis.

Today's version of this once-highly skilled working dog is supersized, with a pushed-in face and excess skin. The Saint Bernard doesn't do much work these days, because he quickly overheats. Some of the diseases he's prone to include eye and eyelid abnormalities, Stockard's paralysis (a spinal cord disorder), and bleeding disorders.

I agree with the Science and Dogs blogger who concludes:

"No dog breed has ever been improved by the capricious and arbitrary decision that a shorter or longer or flatter or bigger or smaller or curlier 'whatever' is better. Condemning a dog to a lifetime of suffering for the sake of looks is not an improvement; it is torture."

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Comparing the Looks of Dog Breeds in 1915 and 2015

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Not long ago I ran across an article in a U.K. publication titled " How a Century of Breeding 'Improvement' Has Turned Once-Healthy Dogs into Deformed Animals." It featured some rather stunning pictures of certain dog breeds as they looked 100 years ago, compared to how they look today.

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This is a post that is close to my heart. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make with Bart and then my mother and I had to make it again with my her French Bulldog Boog. For Bart I was nervous from the second I made the decision to the second we were told he was ok after the operation.

We made the decision to go ahead with the procedure and I do not regret it and I wanted this post to give those of you deciding on whether or not to go ahead an insight into what it was like for us, and what to expect if you do decide to have it done. My aim for is to let you know exactly what happened throughout the procedure, side effects that we had with our boys after the op (there are some), complications that can occur so you are prepared (which again we had) and overall why it is the best decision we made to enhance the lives of our baby Brachy boys.

Whether or not to pursue the soft palate surgery and canine rhinoplasty could be a consideration you are having right now. The operation is referred to as a canine rhinoplasty is essentially a dog "nose job" and is particularly common and necessary in brachycephalic breeds. The rhinoplasty works in two ways, it opens the nose from the front nostrils and then frequently the procedure also opens the trachea (the throat) by removing the soft palate. If you put your tongue to the roof of your mouth right now, and then push it right to the back of the roof of your mouth, you should feel a "squishy bit" - this is the soft palate. I have put a diagram to the right to show this a little clearer in a Brachy breed. The top image shows an elongated palate partially covering the trachea and the bottom show the soft palate removed with a clear trachea. I must admit that diagram looks like something from a horror film but it is quite an effective one for showing the soft palate so I do apologise!

This operation may not be suitable for all Brachy breeds and so I am by no means saying that every one should have this operation if you own Brachy breed. There are varying levels of whats called stenotic nares (close nostrils) in brachy breeds and enlarged soft palates (the squishy bit at the top of the mouth that can block the airways). If you do own a Brachy baby with rather small nostrils or one that seems to struggle to breathe then this is an operation you should consider. If you are already considering this then there are some important points I am keen to highlight to help you with this decision and prepare you for what may come.

Firstly where - where you get the operation done is vitally important. We are often led to believe that all vets are the same, the all go through the same training at uni, they all have to do the same placements, they should all have the same amount of information on most operations right? WRONG. A lot of my friends are veterinarians and I have the greatest respect for them, but they will all agree that they are not experts in everything, I mean how can they be? There are vets which specialise in soft tissue procedures and when it comes to our Brachy babies there is no question about it, I want THE BEST and I want the best for your Brachy babies too. I know that insurance can be an issue when getting this procedure done, but the do do it. It is worth digging around, and working hard to make sure you get the procedure done where you want too.

Here are some places I can wholeheartedly recommend:

70 Priestley Road
Guildford
Surrey
GU2 7AJ

This is where we had Bart and Boogs operations done. If you are wondering if this is the place where "Supervet with Noel Fitzpatrick" is filmed, yes it is one of the locations. Opened in 2015 this is the newest addition to Noels surgeries and it is wonderful. It is state of the art and has some of the best veterinary surgeons IN THE WORLD. Most importantly it is the most caring, relaxing environment I have taken Bart and Boog too. The reception staff are so lovely, and build a relationship with you. We met two vets Professor Nick Bacon (who did the operation) and Dr Laurent Findji (who helped). In absolute honesty I have tended to find that sometimes vets can be a little......patronising (not all but some) or don't give you all the information in case they may scare you, but both Laurent and Nick were not like this at all. They were brilliant, and I cannot recommend them any more - most importantly they really, genuinely care and you can tell they do. Additionally, not only just Nick and Laurent are soft tissue and Rhinoplasty experts, their entire team are. If there is one thing I learnt from working in Veterinary Surgeries (I was going to become a vet and so did a lot of the work experience hours required) is how important the skills of the veterinary nurses and anaesthesiologists are for the after care of your pet. You may have a wonderful vet but if the care staff are not also the same standard then your pet is at just as much risk.

London Road,
Binfield,
Bracknell,
Berkshire,
RG42 4AA

This vet was used by a friend who had the rhinoplasty operation on her English Bulldog Bernie. She spoke very highly of this surgery and also organised the operation there via insurance and so I know that this surgery definitely does that if your insurance provider will work with them :). Whilst I have not experienced this veterinary surgery myself Bernie's operation went very well and she is delighted with the results.

Whilst I did not get Bart or Boog's rhinoplasty done at this surgery I would recommend them. I worked at the Newbury branch of Donnington Grove vets when carrying out my Veterinary work experience and so I have seen the "behind the scenes". Due to this experience this is now both Boog and Barts regular vets and we live an hour away from them!!! We travel an hour just to go and see Peter because well....he is great! The best thing about Peter in particular is that he believes that the owner is the most important person in knowing whether something is not right with your dog, he allows you to trust your instincts and listens and takes into account your own opinions. You work together to figure out what is wrong with your pet and how to treat it. Now Peter is not a soft tissue specialist, he is an internal specialist BUT they do carry out the rhinoplasty operation. The way the team work together behind the scenes as well gives me confidence they would do a good job on this procedure. They have excellent aftercare, and they have an incredibly interactive environment. They all discuss cases over lunch and breaks and learn from each other to come to the best course of treatments etc, utilising the experience of all the vets together. Now im not saying other surgeries don't do this but some I worked at (I worked at five different ones!) did not have this collaborative effort so it was lovely to see.

During your initial consultation with your vets they will analyse your Brachy and see whether or not they recommend having the surgery. Often they are not able to see exactly what is going on in the nasal region further inside cranial cavity until they begin the procedure and have a further investigation, but if your dog is having struggles breathing it is likely the surgery will be recommended.
Complications that can occur
With Boog we did not have any complications, and so his procedure

was relatively straight forward however, with Bart it was more severe then we or the vets had first thought. Therefore, his story is ideal for recommending to many Brachy owners to have this surgery if your dogs breathing is bad as it could actually be worse then you think. Bart basically had a partially collapsed trachea. This meant that the strain his breathing was putting his trachea under had caused it to collapse partially. If this had collapsed completely then he would have been unable to breathe at all. In the diagram to the left you can see what the trachea looks like and a collapsed one.

During the surgery we also found out that he had quite a long soft palate which took longer to remove. The actual nasal hole opening are often not the hardest part of the surgery, it is what they find on the inside. Therefore, for Bart this surgery may well have saved his life. His trachea has not caused us any issues since having the operation and he sleeps silently now (I mean there is the occasional snore but I am one of the strange owners who finds it quite soothing :p and I know he isn't struggling). With the elongated soft palate the surgery took a little longer for Bart than expected, and when we got a call to explain this I nearly had a heart attack with fear for my boy. However, he was ok and he pulled though well just like his half brother from another mother Boog. It is just important to prepare yourself that these things can happen.
Side Effects we encountered
Whilst both dogs had to be watched for a while after the operations, due to the slightly more advanced work done on Bart it did mean we had to keep an extra close eye on him. After the operation it is vitally important that you stay with your dog and watch them. Having an operation on an area of your dog that is so vitally important for getting oxygen means that any swelling or reactions in this area are very serious. You are recommended to keep your dog cool and calm and just watch them. With Bart we did encounter one side effect. He kept vomiting bile, continuously. It was awful to have to watch him suffer like this after putting him through the surgery but thankfully he did recover fine. The sickness went on for around 2 days after surgery and what stopped it was not what I would have initially have thought. At the time Bart was on raw food and whilst to this day I do not know why....but the only thing that seemed to stop him vomiting was switching him to canned/sachet wet food? I have asked our vets about this and why this may have stopped the vomiting and the general consensus seemed to be that based on the increased levels of bacteria in raw food it could have been affecting Bart's already sensitive stomach after the surgery due to antibiotics and other medications that they are on. This does not mean to say that if your dog vomits he has to go off his raw food but it may be worth a thought?

One thing that our vet mentioned when we had the procedure done was that it is best to have it done early in the dogs life if possible. This is because if your dog is prone to issues such as collapsing trachea there will be less risk of this happening the early the surgery is done. Then additionally, of course the younger the dog is often the stronger they are at dealing with surgery. Then finally the longer they can enjoy the joy of breathing so clearly! We had the surgery done when Boog and Bart were 2, our friend Bernie the Bulldog had it aged 1.
Will my Brachy baby look different?
When I was considering the operation this really worried me. I was so worried Bart would not look like "the dog I knew" anymore and he would turn into some kind of Frankenweenie! I can honestly say that I didnt even notice at all and neither did my mum with her Frenchie. You are honestly so happy just to have them back in your arms that you couldn't care less about the stitches in the nose and most of the time they are SO discrete, they are dissolvable and so go away quickly and they are black so they just blend in! I can promiseyou they will still look just like your little Brachy baby they were when they go in when they come out.

Overall the lives of both Bart and Boog changed dramatically after the operation. Bart used to do a lot of backward sneezing and always sleep on his chest not his side to get more air in which stopped after the surgery, Boog used to snore like a freight train which again stopped, and Bart and Boog can now sleep absolutely soundly (as can be seen to the left), sometimes so silently I poke them just to make sure they are still there! So for us we would recommend it.

HOWEVER, I would never ever want to pressurize anyone into having this surgery. This article is only to provide those considering it with our experiences and the positive effects it can have. There is always an innate risk in putting your dog under for surgery. Always make sure your vets do an initial check before your dog has its first ever surgery (if that is the case) to make sure they will cope with anaesthetics. I do think that it can enhance the lives of Brachy breeds but not all Brachy breeds need this surgery. If you have a brachy with a longer nose such as a Cavalier, Chihuahua or Dogue de Bordeaux then of course this may not be necessary. Consider the life of your dog currently and whether you think it can be enhanced with this procedure.

It should be noted that this surgery will not affect your dogs ability to cope with the heat. This operation only opens that airways so that they are able to breathe more comfortably. It is due to their small nasal cavity's that they are unable to cool themselves adequately as other breeds with longer noses and of course this cannot be changed.

If you have any questions or comments at all about what we went through having the operation on our dogs then please do not hesitate to get in touch or comment below. This was the most difficult decision so we know what your going through! We are open to any comments, recommendations or questions.

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Soft Palate Surgery - to op or not? - Welcome to the Brachy Blog

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ShareTweetSharePinThis is a post that is close to my heart. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make with Bart and then my mother and I had to make it again with my her French Bulldog Boog. For Bart I was nervous from the second I made the decision to the second ...

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Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome - defects of the upper airway causing breathing difficulties often associated with overheating, sleep apnoea and regurgitation.

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You tube videos

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http://pedigreedogsexposed.blogspot.com

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Pedigree Dogs Exposed was broadcast on BBC1 in the UK 10 years ago tonight. It laid bare dog-breeding practices that had caused a great deal of harm to dogs - harm that had been overseen by a Kennel Club that should have known better.
Indeed it did know better. Even its own genetics advisor, Jeff Sampson, had written in 2004 in an article for a symposium that: "Unfortunately, the restrictive breeding patterns that have developed as part and parcel of the purebred dog scene have not been without collateral damage to all breeds."
Like many before him (and since) the answer for Sampson (who was clearly not stupid but had been subsumed into the KC culture) was to advocate gently from within in the hope that something might change. He and the Kennel Club could fairly point to money put into research to developing DNA tests for the ever-spiralling number of genetic diseases. I t's just that nothing was being done to tackle the root problem.
When I first walked through the steel and glass doors of the Kennel Club's Clarges St headquarters in London's Mayfair in early 2008 - past oak-panelled rooms, fine art and chefs in starched whites pandering to the Members, I smelled complacency.
Despite the KC's literature claiming that the primary objective of the Kennel Club was 'to promote in every way, the general improvement of dogs', it had actually overseen a criminal genetic neglect of man's best friend.
It was the Kennel Club that had endorsed the breed standards, that sanctioned the dog shows, approved the judges, green-lighted inbreeding, refused to mandate health checks and had continued to register puppy farm dogs.

It had done next to nothing because the problem was - and remains - that the people who run the Kennel Club are part of the whole self-serving system. Group-think had persuaded them that it was OK... convinced them that a show-ring rosette was prima facie evidence that they were doing something good for dogs.
For those that don't know, Pedigree Dogs Exposed was prompted by the death of my Flatcoated Retriever, Fred. That's us at the top.

Fred was born in 1987 and I lost him in 2003, aged 15. I had thought he was going to live forever and my heart broke into a thousand shards when he died. Truly, I had never felt grief like it - and I write as someone who had already lost their mother and father before their time, my mum when she was just 46 to a brain tumour.
It was after Fred died that I discovered that Flatcoats, typically, die of cancer around the age of 8/9 and I was horrified. I felt cheated enough that I had lost Fred at 14. And I asked: w hy do so many flatcoats die of cancer so young?
It opened Pandora's Box.
It wasn't just Flatcoats.

It was breed after breed after breed, with some paying a horrendous price in terms of genetic disease, wounded immune systems and lifespans that, for some, average just six or seven years old. I don't think I'm exaggerating in saying that Pedigree Dogs was a "water cooler" moment. There had been many others before PDE - notably vets In 2012, I made a follow-up (you can view it
I started making Pedigree Dogs Exposed with an open mind but the more we researched, the more we learned and the more shocked we became. By the time the film aired, I felt completely justified in calling it one of the greatest welfare scandals of our time. What grated most was the pomposity; the arrogance with which crippled German Shepherds were being wobbled round the show-ring by breeders who to their core believed their dogs were superior to any randomly-bred mixed breed when the scientific evidence spoke so strongly to the contrary.
Inbreeding was seen as a good thing ("as long as you knew what you were doing" - which mostly they didn't).
The KC happily registered pups born of mother/son + full sibling matings.
Breeding from a top-winning dog as often as possible in order to pass on those champion genes to as many of the next generation was seen as a way of improving the breed.
The show-ring was busy selecting for ever-more extremes - gasping Pugs, bulbous Shar-peis, German Shepherds that were dragging their back ends, all on the watch of a Kennel Club that enjoyed Royal patronage and a respect in higher places that, frankly, it did not deserve.
As many will remember, I was the villain for highlighting that a top-winning Cavalier had been diagnosed with syringomyelia rather than the owner for continuing to show and breed a dog with such a hideous inherited condition.

The issue hit the headlines - and continued to dominate front pages in the UK for months to come, fuelled by the three high profile reports into dog-breeding that followed, the desertion of Cruft's main sponsor, Pedigree; the BBC dropping the broadcasting of Crufts after more than 40 years, and the setting up of the Dog Advisory Council as a canine watchdog (sadly now defunct).
For my part, having lit the blue touch-paper, I found I couldn't walk away. I wrote articles, did interviews, started this blog (almost 7 million page views to date) spoke at conferences and dinners, chivvied the great and the good behind the scenes and embraced social media to continue to spread the word.
driven by deep concern about the lack of reform for the extreme brachycephalics, I startedCRUFFA Simon Wolfensohn and Emma Milne, and writers/such as Pat Burns (Terrierman) and J Jeffrey Bragg, but it's hard to beat the power of 9pm prime time BBC and the international sales that followed (the film made a particularly big impact in Sweden and Australia). in an effort to tackle that particular issue from a different angle.
So, 10 years on, where are we now?

here) which highlighted the need for more to be done. Rather more recently,
* There is much greater awareness of the dangers of selecting for extremes - whether for very flat muzzles, or short legs, excessive skin or size. If you compare the dogs that won Crufts in 2008 with the dogs that won Best of Breed in 2018, there is a perceptible swing towards moderation in some of the worst breeds.

The good news

* There is widespread acknowledgment that inbreeding is a bad thing. Most breeders now know what a co-efficient of inbreeding (COI) is and that a high number is a bad number. Some are going beyond the COI worked out from paper pedigrees and using tools such as or MyDogDNA to check diversity and disease status at a DNA level. Some - heaven forfend - are even doing some thoughtful outcrossing.
* There is a wealth of new science on the issues. Make something a hot topic, as did the film, and the research interest and funding will follow.
* I had the devil of a time trying to persuade the veterinary profession to speak out when I made PDE. Today, they are among the strongest and most determined advocates for reform at both an individual and profession level. Thank you.
* The RSPCA was always on board, in no small part due to their then Chief Vet, Mark Evans who spoke out extremely strong in the film. Since then, all the main animal animal welfare organisations in the UK have played a part in maintaining the impetus for reform. A big thank you to them, too.
* Legislation: October 1st sees the introduction in the UK has of legislation that makes it a criminal offence to breed from a dog "if it can reasonably be expected, on the basis of its genotype, phenotype or state of health that breeding from it could have a detrimental effect on its health or welfare or the health or welfare of its offspring." The proof of this will be in the pudding but my hope is that a few high profile cases will act as warning shots over breeders' bows. There are similar laws now being enacted in Europe/Scandinavia, too.
* Social media: nothing to do with PDE, but Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others today act as an effective watchdog. Pictures of extreme show-dogs proliferate quickly and attract widespread censure. Brands that use exaggerated breeds to flog their stuff are now contacted - and very often respond quickly. This morning on Twitter I collared both Body Shop (Cruelty Free International) and supermarket Waitrose for using a Frenchie and a Bulldog respectively in their marketing. I am hopeful of a good response. Everyone can help here by doing the same - it really works. Brands in the main do not want to be associated with animal suffering.

* The Kennel Club has come quite a long way since 2008. After initial denial, it quickly bowed to public opinion (the then Chairman of the KC, Ronnie Irving, described it at the time as "a tsunami of hate") and began making changes. These included the banning of first-degree-relative matings; better training for judges; a review of breed standards (and changes to more than 70); the introduction of Mate Select
; educational tools for breeders and the public; vet checks at major shows; the establishment of the Kennel Club Genetics Centre at the Animal Health Trust.; a limit on the allowed number of C-sections; increased funding for research and the news that it would consider well-thought-out outcrossing. The KC's Assured Breeder Scheme is now policed much more strictly. The KC supports a peer-reviewed journal which publishes useful research in the field. More recently the KC announced breed health and conservation plans which are intended to take a more holistic view of breed health - although the huge delay on these being publicly available suggests these may be proving contentious with breeders/breed clubs. Sounds a lot, doesn't it?

The bad news
* Exaggerations are always in danger of sneaking back in. This Peke has just won the Toy Group at the World Dog Show in Amsterdam.

Bottom line, if we'd seen true reform, the Pekes winning in the show-ring would look more like this little one from 100 years ago - a dog today that would be thought to be a Tibetan Spaniel.

And at Crufts this year, although there were some more moderate dogs - and better breathing than we saw 10 years ago - it was depressing that this young dog had qualified.

There has been zero progress in terms of moderating faces in the extreme brachycephalics. Deleterious underbites are the norm with jumbled mismatched teeth the inevitable consequence. There are still no restrictions on popular sires, either - and little impetus when this is where the serious money lies in dog-breeding. This year's top Bulldog, Ch Sealaville He's Tyler, has sired around 200 litters. At at least £500 a squirt, this is where breeders claw back the expense of raising top show dogs and it's an income stream few would willingly forego.

* Inbreeding is still rife. The KC may have banned actual mother/son, father/daughter and full-sib matings, but they still register puppies from matings that are far more inbred than this because of cumulative inbreeding. They also chose to not also forbid grandfather/grand-daughter matings - a pairing Sir Patrick Bateson, who chaired one of the reviews into dog-breeding, thought was particularly pernicious. Ten years is the blink of an eye and there
* We've seen outcrossed Dalmatians and outcrossed Irish Red + White Setters registered by the Kennel Club - but this has been entirely due to individual breeders fighting for it; not something initiated by the Kennel Club or the breed clubs, which in the main remain deeply conservative. As such, outcrosses are extremely rare and the norm is still to breed dogs in closed gene pools with the inevitable consequences.
* Breeders continue to convince themselves that they can health-test their way out of problems.
They can't.
* Progress has been made in raising awareness of the health deficits associated with particular breeds, but the popularity of some of our most deformed and disabled breeds - Bulldogs, Pugs, French Bulldogs - has soared. The Frenchie is now the UK's most popular KC-registered dog - knocking the far more sensible (and more sound) Labrador off the top-spot it has held for decades.
Now, we're seeing a surge in miniature smooth Dachshunds - seen as a cute "easy-keeper", at least until they bugger their backs. They have a muzzle, I guess. Just no legs.
* There remains disdain for crossbreeds, despite the science telling us that they tend to be healthier and live longer than their purebred cousins. The comparing of purebred dog breeding to eugenics in PDE was uncomfortable for many, but the parallels are obvious. And they remain. Everyone who still looks down their nose at a labrador x poodle and refers to them as a "labramongrel" needs to take a long hard look at what's driving how they feel.
How depressed am I by this? In truth, at times, very. But it is not as lonely a place as it was. There were times when I've felt like I was the only person shouting that things must change and now I am not. The conversation has started - and it continues.

But it isn't yet the root and branch reform in the way we breed dogs that's needed to protect our dogs and it could so very easily slip back. There is also much work to be done in helping puppy buyers to make better choices.
The dogs still deserve better. has been change. It is heartening to see the progress made by European and Scandinavian kennel clubs in particular.

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Pedigree Dogs Exposed was broadcast on BBC1 in the UK 10 years ago tonight. It laid bare dog-breeding practices that had caused a great deal of harm to dogs - harm that had been overseen by a Kennel Club that should have known better. Indeed it did know better.