Short-muzzled dog breeds including pugs, French and English bulldogs, pekingese, Boston terriers, boxers, shihtzus and cavalier King Charles spaniels are brachycephalic which means ‘short head’. These completely adorable dog breeds are becoming more popular since they are generally lower energy pets that don’t demand much exercise.
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Not all brachycephalic dogs will suffer health problems, but many of them do and unfortunately, as the mercury rises, more will require veterinary treatment.
Short-muzzled dogs are at risk of developing Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome where the windpipe is often deformed and narrowed and the tissue around the nose and throat is squashed into a smaller space, partially blocking the airway and making breathing more challenging.
It is important to recognise any signs of breathing difficulty in these breeds as early as possible because as the weather continues to heat up, these pets’ respiratory challenges increase. Signs include an increase in laboured and noisy breathing, gagging, drooling, and distress with exercise.
It is very important to seek frequent veterinary examinations to identify ways to help make your brachycephalic dog as comfortable as possible and create a plan should they become compromised in the hot weather. Keep them as cool as possible (ideally in the air conditioned indoors during the summer time), limit any exercise to cool parts of the day and calm and cool your dog with wet towels should they show signs of respiratory stress.
It’s critical to seek veterinary advice as early as possible should your brachycephalic dog develop any degree of respiratory distress.
