What defines a brachycephalic breed?
Brachycephalic (flat-faced) breeds, such as Pugs, Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs, have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, many owners aren’t aware that the ‘cute’ way they look can cause serious and often life-limiting health problems and compromise their welfare. The potentially appealing appearance of the flat-faced breeds may be due to the “baby schema effect” (Lorenz, 1943). The shortening of the head creates a resemblance to baby faces, as brachycephalic dogs have large foreheads and big eyes (Paul et al.Generally, most dogs with a short, scrunched nose or flat face are brachycephalic—you can probably already picture multiple breeds. Some of the most common include: English, French, and American Bulldogs.Shih Tzu are a flat-faced breed, also known as a brachycephalic breed, with this extreme body shape linked to number of serious eye and breathing health issues because the short muzzle causes excessive facial skin folds and shallow eye sockets.brachycephalic breeds are the shorter nosed, flat faced breeds whose skulls are broad. Examples of brachycephalic breeds include pugs, boston terriers, boxers, bulldogs, and pekingese. Dolichocephalic breeds are those with extremely long skulls. Their noses are long and slender.
Why is it called brachycephalic?
What does brachycephalic mean? Brachy means shortened and cephalic means head. Therefore, brachycephalic dogs have skull bones that are shortened in length, giving the face and nose a pushed-in appearance. Brachycephalic dogs have shorter heads and flatter faces, such as the pug, bulldog, and some pit bulls, where the width of the skull is greater than the length. Mesocephalic dogs have heads that are more balanced since the measurement of skull width and length is relatively equal.The skull of brachycephalic dogs can grow to be very long and narrow. The muzzle is also smaller than in non-brachycephalic breeds. The short muzzles and narrowed nostrils lead to breathing difficulties. The soft palate can also be affected by the deformity of the skull.Brachycephalic means shortened head. There are lots of pets selected for this appearance and have short snouts and flat faces. Flat-faced animals include: Pugs.Dolichocephalic have extremely long skulls with long and slender noses. Examples include Greyhounds, Dachshunds, Great Danes, etc. Brachycephalic are short nosed, flat faced breeds whose skulls are broad. Examples include Pugs, Boxers, Bulldogs, etc.
Why do brachycephalic dogs have breathing problems?
It’s when dogs have flat faced like bulldogs, pugs, and Frenchies. It’s caused by the snout being too short to effectively bring in enough oxygen and then having excessive nasal and oropharyngeal tissues like the soft palate being elongated causing it to partically obstruct the airway. While these facial features make pugs adorable and distinctive, they also pose challenges to their breathing efficiency. Their compressed noses and sinuses result in smaller nostrils and a narrowed windpipe, making it harder for them to breathe and regulate temperature.
What is the life expectancy of a brachycephalic dog?
After French bulldogs, three other brachy breeds had the lowest life expectancy – English bulldogs at 7. American bulldogs at 7. But at the other end of the scale, after Jack Russell terriers, border collies would be expected to make 12. In a study, researchers found brachycephalic dogs, like popular French Bulldogs (9. Results showed medium-sized brachycephalic dogs had the lowest average life expectancies – 9.
Why is brachycephalic bad?
Brachycephalic (flat-faced) animals face a much greater risk of developing serious and painful health problems compared to other animals. Some of these need lifelong medical attention and care which can be deeply distressing and expensive, with significant vet bills and great emotional costs for both owners and pets. Interestingly, the AVMA’s Animal Welfare Committee had recommended that companion animals with inherited features that adversely affect their welfare and health should not be bred and had included brachycephalic syndrome among a number of inherited conditions in this category.Excessive skin folds in some brachycephalic breeds resulted in increased rates of skin disease. Other conditions that were found at higher frequency include heat intolerance, digestive disorders, urinary tract infection, dental disease, pneumonia, and intervertebral disk disease (3).Brachycephalic dogs can suffer from a range of health and welfare issues including breathing problems, digestive issues, eye diseases, difficulty giving birth, spinal malformations, exercise and heat intolerance, sleeping difficulties, skin and ear diseases, as well as dental disease [1].Brachycephalic dogs can suffer from a range of health and welfare issues including breathing problems, digestive issues, eye diseases, difficulty giving birth, spinal malformations, exercise and heat intolerance, sleeping difficulties, skin and ear diseases, as well as dental disease [1].