Content
- Brachycephalic dogs: what causes this characteristic?
- Brachycephalic dog syndrome
- 1. English bulldog
- 2. boston terrier
- 3. French Bulldog
- 4. Pekingese
- 5. Pug
- 6. Lhasa apso
- 7. Shar pei
- 8. Shih tzu
- 9. Cavalier King Charles spaniel
- 10. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- 11. Boxer
- Brachycephalic dogs: care
Have you ever heard of brachycephalic races? or from brachycephalic dog syndrome? Currently, many dogs suffer from various health problems precisely because of this condition, which also generates certain consequences in their daily lives, such as not being able to fly on planes due to the high risk that this entails. Do you want to know what are the brachycephalic races?
In this PeritoAnimal article you will learn more about brachycephalic dogs: breeds, characteristics and care, we will present you a complete list with the 11 breeds of dog and we'll explain too the care they require. Take notes and find out in this article if your dog is also on the list of brachycephalic dogs and what you should consider in everyday life.
Brachycephalic dogs: what causes this characteristic?
THE word brachycephalic comes from the Greek and is divided into two terms: "brachy" (brakhys) which means "short" and "cephalous" (kephalos) which means "head". According to the RAE [1](Real Academia Española), this adjective refers to people who have a almost round skull, the same characteristic that is used to define certain dog breeds.
These dogs, due to their anatomy, are susceptible to suffering from the brachycephalic dog syndrome, which leads to respiratory problems and even obstructions in the airways, causing noisy breathing and even causing a collapse. Other characteristics of the brachycephalic dog breeds are the elongated soft and fleshy palate, as well as narrower nasal cavities, laryngeal alterations and a small trachea
Brachycephalic dog syndrome
Currently, we can find more than 300 breeds of dogs around the world, most of them complying with a strict morphological standard that indicates how the anatomy should be. The origin of all this is the eugenics, the study and application of biological laws for mating in order to create "perfect" or standardized breeds. This caused an increasing exaggeration of the attributes of some races, which ended up causing health problems very serious.
Below, we'll show you a list of brachycephalic dogs with 11 most popular breeds and we'll end up offering you a little guide so you can know the necessary care.
1. English bulldog
2. boston terrier
3. French Bulldog
4. Pekingese
5. Pug
6. Lhasa apso
7. Shar pei
8. Shih tzu
9. Cavalier King Charles spaniel
10. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
11. Boxer
Brachycephalic dogs: care
Dogs suffering from this syndrome may suffer from very diverse health problems. While some will only have difficulty breathing, others will easily experience noisy breathing, nausea, coughing, fainting and even episodes of collapse. Generally, all have poor exercise tolerance and, in the long run, they usually try heart problems.
Below, we'll show you some details you should consider if you have a brachycephalic dog:
- Heat: the increase in temperature is very dangerous for these breeds, as it increases the panting (system to maintain the temperature) and, as a consequence, generates a greater narrowing and swelling of the airways, causing, above all, anxiety and stress. It can also cause a heat stroke.
- Exercise: Exercising these puppies can be especially dangerous, especially when the combined exercise is done in very hot environments.
- food: most breeds that suffer from brachycephalic dog syndrome have problems coordinating swallowing during feeding, as they have some breathing difficulties. This causes air ingestion or aspiration pneumonia, also causing vomiting and retching.
- overweight: being overweight undoubtedly increases the dog's body temperature, as well as increasing the difficulty in moving and exercising, thus worsening the symptoms already mentioned.
Finally, it is important to point out that these dogs, due to the flattened snout and the health problems they face, run a greater risk when traveling by air, as well as when sedated with the use of anesthesia. It's also not easy to find muzzles that fit your anatomy well.
In any case, if you suspect that your dog is suffering from brachycephalic dog syndrome, or that he has any of the symptoms mentioned in this article, we recommend that you visit a trusted veterinarian to evaluate the possible treatments to be used or the specific cares according to the characteristics of the pet.
