07/08/2024
Great info to know for owners and pet profesionals who work with brachycephalic breeds aka smushy face pups.
To reiterate the sentiment of the original post, it is not to shame anyone who enjoys these breeds, it is just education on how to minimize risks when owning a cute smushy face pup. Their needs are different and owners should understand that and opt to work with professionals who also understand their unique needs.
In this photo, it demonstrates the difference between a normal canine's anatomy vs a brachycephalic's anatomy.
When you hear brachycephalic, think of our squish faced pets, specifically French bulldogs, English bulldogs, pugs, even Boston terriers. The squished face and elongated soft pallet (darker pink portion on the roof of their mouth) is a recipe for disaster with this heat. Once these guys start to get stressed and pant, their soft pallet becomes inflamed and blocks their airway, allowing very little to no air exchange.
Panting is how dogs cool themselves down, and when this airway is blocked, it causes these guys to overheat and go into heat stroke. More times than not, we end up needing to put a breathing tube down their trachea just so they can breathe. Often, these dog's temperature on arrival can be anywhere from 104° F - too high to read (normal canine temperature is 99-102° F). A temperature of over 107°F, their insides begin to melt and it's harder to save them. We are seeing an increasing number of brachy's come in for specialty appointments but end up in our ER with a respiratory crisis instead.
This post is not to shame these dogs, or their owners. I am hoping to educate and spread awareness on the real dangers of this breed, especially with extreme temps we are experiencing. You'd be surprised to know that most owners of these dogs that end up in our ER, had no idea what brachycephalic even meant.
I want this post to shed light on how important it is to educate yourself with a breed before you purchase or adopt. I want to advocate proper breeding for these guys, their squished face is NOT normal. I am tired of watching owner's needing to make the decision to put their babies to sleep because there is nothing more that we can do. SHORT leash walks outside and then stay indoors with water & AC. Your dog will thank you.
