Short-Nose Dogs And Breathing Problems | Dogalize
Short-nose dogs are among the most popular breeds and there’s no doubt their faces are really cute. But did you know they often suffer of breathing problems? This is, in fact, the reason why they often snore while sleeping.
Short-nose dogs such as Pugs, French and English Bulldogs and Boston Terriers, are the product of overbreeding, an excessive selection made to obtain certain characteristics.
For years, short-nose dogs have been believed to be cuter than pets with natural longer noses. This is why the demand for dogs with “smashed-in” noses has skyrocketed. The result of this selective breeding was a shorter airway which led to congenital breathing problems. Therefore, what may seem cute and funny to you (the short nose and their typical snoring), is actually a suffering for them.
This does not mean, however, that all of them are unhealty but are the most likely to develop breathing problems. So, if you’re thinking about taking a short-nose dog, we recommend you:
– To ask your veterinarian for advice before the purchase.
– To make sure too meet the puppy’s adult close relatives; parents and if possible siblings.
– To listen to the breathing. Dogs should breathe silently.
– To look at the nostrils. If they look like thin lines the puppy will most likely suffer from breathing problems.
Anyway, if all pet owners made the choice to rescue shelter animals instead of buying from pet stores and breeders, the health issues derived from extreme breeding and puppy mills would not exists.
Federica Lauda
Source: lifewithdogs
Photo: seattlefrenchbulldogs
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