Brachycephalic Dogs: 8 Serious Health Concerns (Vet Answer)
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As a veterinarian, I have often joked with new bulldog puppy owners to, “make sure you take out a $10,000 loan!” While that is part dramatization and part joke, the truth is, that these (and other brachycephalic dog breeds) have a host of potential medical problems that are due in large part to their genetics coupled with their anatomy.
What exactly is a brachycephalic dog? And how does that affect what medical problems they may be predisposed to and have to deal with? In this article, we’ll discuss those very things.
What Does Brachycephalic Mean?
There are three different dog skull shapes: brachycephalic, dolichocephalic, and mesocephalic. A dolichocephalic skull is long and narrow in shape (for example Collies) while mesocephalic skulls are in between brachycephalic and dolichocephalic (for example Labrador Retrievers).
The word “brachycephalic” can be broken down into its roots: “brachy” meaning “short” and “cephalic” meaning “head.” These dogs with a “shorter head” often appear to have squashed or flat faces with short or wide skulls. In addition, they can have even more anatomical distinctions from other dogs, which can lead to other health issues, as we’ll discuss.
The 8 Health Concerns with Brachycephalic Dog Breeds
1. Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS)
Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (also referred to as BOAS) consists of difficulty breathing due to an upper airway obstruction in brachycephalic breeds that stems from abnormal anatomical components. These anatomical features can vary in severity and be one or many.
- Stenotic nares: Narrow nostrils which results in less air being inhaled.
- Elongated and thicker soft palate: Tissue that separates mouth and nasal cavities; if too long, can be a flap that hinders or blocks the opening into the windpipe.
- Everted laryngeal saccules: Small sacs in the larynx (forms passage to lungs and contain the vocal cords) that can turn inside out with difficulty breathing as a result.
- Hypoplastic trachea: A windpipe that is more narrow than normal and results in a harder time breathing.
Brachycephalic dogs can show signs such as noisiness from the nose or upper airway when breathing, snoring, trouble breathing or eating, regurgitating or vomiting, exercise intolerance, blue/pale gums, fainting/collapsing, or even death. Additional factors such as being overweight, stress or excitement, exercise, restraint, and high temperature (either in the environment or due to a fever) can exacerbate these signs. There can be a considerable risk with these dogs both in their day-to-day life or with certain drugs and anesthesia.
Because of this, a conversation with your veterinarian can provide you with helpful information in addition to seeing if your dog is a candidate for corrective surgery to try to help resolve some of these anatomical differences.
2. Dental Disease
Because these dogs have shorter and wider heads, this ultimately affects the anatomy of their mouth. They effectively are trying to fit the same number of teeth in a smaller space than non-brachycephalic dogs! This means their teeth are more likely to be misaligned by being crammed together or turned sideways. These can result in these dogs having a harder time chewing their food, or the presence of extra ridges and pockets where food, plaque, and hair may collect which then can be a nidus for infection. In addition, these dogs may have early loss of teeth, be more apt to have oral cysts, or have an incorrectly aligned bite with their jaw.
3. Ocular Abnormalities
Due to their unique facial anatomy, there are some changes in and around the eye that lend themselves to brachycephalic dogs having a greater likelihood of eye abnormalities. Eyelid and eyelash abnormalities, being unable to close the eyelid fully (called lagophthalmos), decreased corneal sensitivity, as well as tear defects can all play a role in potential eye problems. It has also been found that brachycephalic dogs can be more than 11 times more likely to have corneal ulcers than their non-brachycephalic counterparts.1
In addition, due to their unique facial anatomy, brachycephalic dog’s eye sockets tend to typically have less bone around the eye which equates to less protection for the eyeball itself. In the case of trauma encountered from playing, being stressed, or accidentally being bumped in everyday life, these dogs’ eyeballs are more prone to coming out of the socket (called proptosis). This would be a medical emergency and the faster treatment is started, the better chance there is of potentially saving vision in the affected eye.
4. Gastrointestinal Disease (GI)
Brachycephalic dog owners may be more likely to see regurgitation, vomiting, and a more difficult or uncomfortable time swallowing food. These signs could be due in part to some of the GI diseases these dogs are at an increased risk for. Things such as a diaphragmatic hernia, GI reflux, inflammation in the esophagus, or esophageal motility disorders could be at play. Surgical repair of respiratory issues (see BOAS above) may also decrease GI signs in these dogs.
Owners of these dogs should be aware that there is an increased risk with the use of anesthesia in brachycephalic breeds such as aspiration pneumonia or inflammation of the esophagus (especially in those dogs that have reflux or regurgitation) being more likely than in non-brachycephalic dogs.
5. Dermatologic Conditions
There are several skin health issues that brachycephalic dogs can be prone to getting.
Because these dogs have “squished” faces and extra skin folds on their face as well as other parts of their body (under the neck, around the tail, etc.), these areas can be prime targets for skin-to-skin contact and trapped moisture. This is then a great environment for those areas to have inflammation or infections (bacterial or fungal). Ear infections, mast cell tumors, Demodex (a type of skin mite) infections, and allergic dermatitis (environmental allergies) can cause itching or irritation and are also common maladies with brachycephalic dogs.
6. Birthing Difficulties
If a dog breed has a wide and round head, you can imagine that giving birth to puppies of that same breed may prove to be difficult, given that those puppies need to fit and move through the birth canal to be born. In fact, it has been found that these dogs have a higher risk for dystocia (difficulty birthing) and even have a higher puppy mortality rate in the event of an emergency c-section as opposed to a c-section that is scheduled electively.2 The mainstay for many of the more severe brachycephalic breeds (such as English Bulldogs) is planned c-sections.
7. Vertebral Column Abnormalities
Some brachycephalic dog breeds may be more likely to be affected by various vertebral column problems. For example, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are more likely to have disease processes called chiari-like malformation (ultimately due to a large brain in too small of a skull that causes an obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid) and can result in syringomyelia (fluid pockets develop in the spinal cord).
In addition, the “screw-tail” brachycephalic dog breeds (English and French Bulldogs, Pugs) are more likely to have abnormalities of their bones in the spine such as bone spurs, vertebrae that are deformed, or an abnormal shape or curve to the spine. These things can also put them more at risk for intervertebral disc disease (discs between vertebrae herniated or damaged leading to pain and trouble walking) than they already are.
8. Lifestyle Differences
These dogs are exceptionally prone to heat stroke as well as having difficulties with strenuous or increased exercise. Extreme stress or excitement, restraint, or being worked up could be a major problem for these dogs depending on the severity of their brachycephalic anatomy. Managing expectations for them (and you) is helpful as they won’t be able to be outside as much during warmer months or be your marathon running buddy. Tips such as using a light harness instead of a collar around their neck and ensuring a proper weight for your dog can be helpful in preventing further problems. Furthermore, knowing if and when your dog is in respiratory distress and needs emergency care could be the difference between their life and death.
Conclusion
While brachycephalic dogs can be awfully cute, they, unfortunately, present with a list of potential unique medical health concerns. Being aware of what to expect and knowing the risks that are associated with these breeds is important for any potential or current owner.
Information can be powerful and if you are noticing some of the medical conditions discussed, or if you have concerns with your brachycephalic dog breed, a visit to your dog’s vet is the next step!
Featured Image Credit to: Sbolotova, Shutterstock
