With brachycephalic breeds continuing to rise in popularity in the UK, it is rare for a day to go by without seeing these snub-nosed dogs on the streets and in veterinary practices across the country, as the beloved pets of many thousands of homes.
These dogs also have a significant media presence, used in advertising campaigns promoting goods from food to fashion. Indeed, with the recent Diamond Jubilee, our ‘National breed’ the English Bulldog has been emblazoned across merchandise alongside the Union Jack. However, the focus of media attention surrounding such breeds in recent years has primarily been on the health problems associated with their skull morphology, which can lead to significant welfare issues.
Brachycephalic dogs are at high-risk of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). Clinical signs include noisy and laboured breathing, breathing difficulties even on short walks and easily overheating. These difficulties can prevent dogs from being able to enjoy simple pleasures such as exercise, play, food and sleep. In severe cases dogs can experience almost continuous breathing difficulties and collapse due to lack of oxygen.
Lack of recognition of the clinical signs of disease by owners, or recognition but a subsequent lack of perception that these signs indicate a ‘problem’ that requires veterinary attention, are potential constraints to improving the welfare of clinically affected animals. It has been noted that the owners of brachycephalic dogs may be more tolerant of the clinical signs of airway obstruction than non-brachycephalic dog owners, so are prepared to tolerate a greater degree of respiratory compromise in their pets before seeking help.
Due to the chronic and prevalent nature of clinical signs, they may be ‘accepted’ by owners and not perceived as abnormal, with only particularly acute or severe attacks alerting owners to present their dog to their veterinary practice. This is of additional concern as clinical signs often get worse over time if they are left untreated, and prognosis is improved with early intervention.
New research at the Royal Veterinary College revealed the extent of the culture of ‘normal for the breed’ in the brachycephalic dog-owning population. A questionnaire-based study was carried out on the owners of dogs referred to the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, with owners reporting the frequency of respiratory difficulty and characteristics of respiratory noise in their dogs in four scenarios, summarized as an ‘owner-reported breathing’ (ORB) score. Owners then reported whether their dog currently has, or has a history of, ‘breathing problems’.
Affected dogs included Pugs, Bulldogs, Pekingese, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers and short-nosed crossbreeds. Despite high ORB scores reported, indicating frequent, severe clinical signs, over half (58%) of owners of affected dogs reported that their dog did not have a breathing problem. Spontaneous comments from several owners confirmed the perception of breed normality, including ‘No to breathing problem — other than being a Bulldog’ and ‘(No,) but he is a Pug!’.
The marked disparity between owners’ reports and their perceived lack of a ‘breathing problem’ is of concern. Without appreciation of the welfare implications of BOAS, affected but undiagnosed dogs may be negatively affected indefinitely through lack of treatment. As such, this is an area that the veterinary profession should aim to tackle by raising awareness through client education. For example, we urge the veterinary team to make clients aware of what clinical signs such as snoring, snorting and difficulty exercising may indicate in these breeds, even if their dogs are not presented for these signs but are suspected to have BOAS.
Highlighting to owners that they should not dismiss abnormal breathing sounds and difficulties as ‘normal’ is encouraged; instead providing information that lifestyle changes such as weight reduction in milder cases, and surgery in more severe cases could provide a better a quality of life for their dogs. The profession owes it to these dogs to be the compass of what is normal and abnormal; to guide owners to treat their dogs in line with good animal welfare.