International experts warn noisy breathing could signal suffering in popular flat-faced dogs

I was at a hound show today, it wasn’t that hot (about 20). There were two English bulldogs standing by the ring, different owners. I do find it hard to tell if they were overweight as they seem naturally cuboid but my impression was yes, one worse than the other.
Both were just gasping for breath, if they were horses you’d have said they were heaving. That was just standing still. How their owners could not think their very existence was cruelty I have no idea.
 
I remember getting the train and sitting opposite a french bull dog and thinking that's exactly the noise people make when you'd start to consider airway adjuncts. It's the sound of an obstructed airway, you could record it and use it for life support training.
 
The words 'No sh*t, Sherlock' formed in my brain.

Locally, Frenchies seem to be a bit less popular lately, and not before time. At my vet's clinic a few months back, though, there was a somewhat shell-shocked looking couple with a puppy whose face was so flat it had literally crumpled inwards. Features hardly visible at all. So, so sad.
 
There's a vet on Instagram who has done a few videos comparing images of dog breed from a 1915 book to the KC image standards of those breeds today, and it's amazing how many breeds have trended towards shorter muzzles, not even just the classic bracy breeds
 
I’m actually genuinely surprised those %s aren’t even higher (really surprised the EBD one is only 40% as I’d have said 70-80% of the ones I’ve met have some signs of BOAS, including dogs who’ve previously had surgery as often it improves things but doesn’t “cure” the problem as the dog still has the skull shape it has)
 
"The RVC’s VetCompass data estimates that there are
503,798 French Bulldogs,
186,725 Pugs and
32,024 Bulldogs currently in the UK"


That's a lot of people who thought buying a deformed dog was a good idea.
 
 
druid said:
Flat faced breeds appear more human/child like to the human brain apparently and that's why people are drawn to them. I'm certified to do BOAS grading, I hate it but it's a step in the right direction
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And if you breed them to look less ‘human’ they wouldn’t be so popular because they’d just look like dogs. 😬
 
Gloi said:
How can they think they aren't suffering. Anyone who has had any condition where they can't breathe normally knows how unpleasant it is.
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My mum has severe copd and her whole body, when it gets worse, gets adrenalised with panic. 😢
 
skinnydipper said:
"The RVC’s VetCompass data estimates that there are
503,798 French Bulldogs,
186,725 Pugs and
32,024 Bulldogs currently in the UK"


That's a lot of people who thought buying a deformed dog was a good idea.
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Tbf to Frenchie owners, there is quite a bit of variety in the length of their snouts/head conformation. It's what makes the breeding of the very flat faced ones even more reprehensible in my eyes, because there really is no need.
 
DabDab said:
Tbf to Frenchie owners, there is quite a bit of variety in the length of their snouts/head conformation. It's what makes the breeding of the very flat faced ones even more reprehensible in my eyes, because there really is no need.
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Don't they also have a genetic predisposition to IVDD?
 
There was a trend in my circle to have Frenchies as lapdogs. Lots needed nasal or spinal surgery. One person couldn't afford a Frenchie so got a cheap pug. Needed nasal and eye surgery so not that cheap in the end. Same people spend a lot of money on health testing their sports dogs for breeding and competition, because it's not optional. You can't play, without it.
 
skinnydipper said:
Don't they also have a genetic predisposition to IVDD?
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They have a double whammy chance of spinal issues, CDDY and DVL2 mutations. I can’t find it right now but there was a study on French bulldogs in Finland (where I believe x-raying of breeding dogs is now mandatory for registration?) which didn’t find a single clear (unaffected) dog.
 
skinnydipper said:
Don't they also have a genetic predisposition to IVDD?
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Don't know, I know very little about the breed because it is not a type of dog that interests me. But if you are talking about other inherited medical conditions then there are a lot more breeds for your list than those three.
 
DabDab said:
But if you are talking about other inherited medical conditions then there are a lot more breeds for your list than those three.
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Sure there are but those 3 breeds are the ones in the article in the first post and the quote giving the numbers was copied from there.
 
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skinnydipper said:
I think some people must need it pointing out that their dog's laboured breathing is not normal.
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Indeed. We had a pug in the cafe a couple of weeks ago obviously in distress after a walk. 'Oh he'll be fine in a minute, he's always like this' was the reply after I asked if I could help.

I did congratulate them on not killing (it was) their daughters dog when they left 😳
 
blackcob said:
They have a double whammy chance of spinal issues, CDDY and DVL2 mutations. I can’t find it right now but there was a study on French bulldogs in Finland (where I believe x-raying of breeding dogs is now mandatory for registration?) which didn’t find a single clear (unaffected) dog.
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CDDY is one I have issues with as there is lots of carrier/affected dogs in breeds with little to no evidence of spinal problems
 
I just dont get it.

Losing a dog hurts like hell. It's the absolute worst.

I infact just had a little cry about my late whippet who was PTS over three years ago. She was only 8, so it really hurts and still occasionally hits me all over again. I still have her rainbow bridge condolences card that the vets gave me. It's still on my dresser and I cannot take it down.

Why on earth would anyone want to buy a breed that they know has a much higher risk of suffering, dying young, being so unfit for function that you cannot allow them to really be a dog?

I just will never understand how people will willingly sign themselves up to watch something they care about suffer. The heartbreak. The stress and worry.
 
Last year, during quite a hot morning, I was walking back from a ramble with my dog when I met a girl with I think 2 pugs ((I can't remember now), but one had collapsed on the pavement. I offered her water, she didn't have any, and as she was just down the road from the vets and my house, I said I would go home, get my car and take her and dog to vets.

Probably sensibly, she declined and opted to carry the dog the 500 yards or so to the vet. I often wonder what happened 😐

A few years ago my friends and I were outside a pub. It was boiling. I had my dog, who was under the table with water, but there was a flat faced dog, struggling to breathe and panting with non. Its owners were enjoying a meal.

Even our non doggy friend commented on the lack of water and the poor dog 😐
 
Rode past a guy in the park today with two pugs, on lead, very polite. But one was making such loud noisy, wheezy breathing sounds that my horse did a double take, WTF-is-that-noise minor spook.

Poor bloody dog.
 
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