To Breathe or Not To Breathe…
Times are changing in the canine world. In the past ten years there has been a dramatic increase in the popularity of Brachycephalic or ‘squa
shed face’ breeds of dog such as bulldogs and pugs. The American Kennel Club’s most recent study is a testament to this fact, with 8 Brachycephalic breeds now in their list of the 30 most popular dog breeds!
These dogs, though cute, can be predisposed to a number of unusual medical issues often only seen in the ‘squashed face’ breeds of dog.
Mosman Veterinary Hospital’s newest veterinarian Dr Abbie Tipler understands these conditions only too well. As a membership qualified surgeon she has international experience in both diagnosing and treating ‘squashed face’ dogs for Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome, and believes it is an area which is all too often overlooked in general practice.
She explains “Many brachycephalic dogs have excessive amounts of airway soft tissue. This extra tissue takes up space, and means that these dogs tend to be sucking air in through a smaller space. Try partially closing your own nostrils then breathing inwards against the pressure. This demonstrates the increased respiratory effort required with every breath for these dogs”.
Owners of affected dogs often notice::
· Snoring
· Increased respiratory effort
· Loud breathing
· Coughing or choking episodes
· Vomiting
· Struggling with exercise
For affected dogs, each breath creates a 'sucking inwards' within the airway. Over time this pressure can lead to airway collapse.
With recent advances in our understanding of these breeds, specialist surgeons now recommend that brachycephalic breeds should have their airways examined at the time of de-sexing. If their airways are found to be compromised a small surgery can be performed to trim this tissue and open up the airways to help the dog breathe more comfortably in future.
Commonly affected breeds include;
· Pugs
· Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
· Boston Terriers
· Bulldogs
· Boston Terriers
· Lhasa Apsos
· Pekinese
· French Bulldogs
For the month of October, Mosman Veterinary Hospital is hosting a Brachycephalic Breed Awareness month. Dr Tipler is offering FREE consultations for owners of affected breeds to assess their conformation and discuss if they may be a candidate for corrective surgery.
To book, contact Mosman Veterinary Hospital on 02 99602856 or book online at www.mosmanvet.com.au.