Breathing problems ‘considered normal’ by owners of short-nosed dogs

MANY owners of short-nosed dogs consider breathing problems to be normal for the breed, according to a study carried out by the Royal Veterinary College.

Writing in the journal Animal Welfare, which is published by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), researchers from the RVC describe how they surveyed the owners of 285 dogs referred to the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals over a five-month period. The animals were referred for all types of clinical services. A total of 31 dogs were identified as being affected by brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). All affected dogs were reported by their owners to ‘snore’, some of them while awake. This compared with less than 2 per cent of unaffected dogs. Over two-thirds of the affected dogs …