We all want the best for our dogs and we do everything we can to help them. However, there are breeds that for genetic reasons constitute a specific risk population for certain types of diseases. This is the case of snub-nosed dogs, although do not despair, if your dog is one of these, we will see that there are ways to alleviate their sorrows and make them have a life as happy as possible, just like other dogs.
The problem of brachycephalic dogs
But to even try to help him, we must first know what happens to him. Although their gasps can be a nice gesture and cause tenderness, we must understand that they are suffering and that they require the intervention of a professional. According to a recent study that took place in the United Kingdom, owners of dogs of these types of breeds (let's call them, for now, “snub noses”) often do not identify their pet's respiratory problems.
How far would you go to prevent your beloved pet from suffering? They give us love and deserve the same in return. Paying attention to everything that can make her feel bad is part of your responsibility as an owner and the commitment that each person assumes by adopting a four-legged member that will be fully integrated into the family, like one more child.
What is brachycephaly?
Brachycephaly is a physical condition that makes it difficult or partially impossible to breathe properly. This disease affects dogs that have a flattened head and a long, soft palate.. Another anatomical condition that they must cover to build themselves into a risk population for brachycephaly is, in addition to the characteristics mentioned above, having short nasal bones (that is, much shorter compared to other breeds of dogs), for example Bulldogs, Carlino, Boxer, Shar pei or Shih Tzu.
These are precisely one of the most popular breeds among lovers of four legs, so reading this article is extremely useful since you can soon have one at home. However, a dog can be brachycephalic without having the syndrome, because thanks to the predisposition and / or proper care, he has not developed the disease. In other words, the problem is latent but it is not a proper condition because it has no symptoms.
You have to take care of snub-nosed dogs from heat stroke. Although this type of protection should be provided to all dogs of any breed, brachycephalics are more likely to suffer them (and in some cases lethal) as they cannot regulate body temperature through breathing.
Due to the aforementioned health problems - respiratory difficulties and, in addition, a propensity to suffer from heat stroke - this breed has a shorter life expectancy than others of the same size.
What should I observe in my pet to know if he has developed brachycephalic syndrome?
To be able to answer this question, you must answer yourself other questions about your dog, such as:
- Is your breathing strong and noisy?
- Are your snoring and wheezing excessive, even while sleeping?
- Do you have blue gums?
- Do you hawk from phlegm?
- Do you have difficulty walking?
- Can't stand even a few minutes of physical exercise?
- When you eat Do you have reflux?
- Do you cough or sneeze?
- Do you have trouble swallowing?
- Does your mouth leak white slime?
- Are you often fatigued?
- Are you restless when you sleep?
- Is it more agitated when it is very hot or there is a high level of humidity in the environment?
If you answered yes to one or more questions, start watching your pet more closely Or even better, take her to the vet immediately so that he can observe her and can determine if she has developed the syndrome or is close to doing so. This professional will be the one who will assess the severity of the condition and will establish the corresponding treatment, according to their judgment and expertise.
"Home remedies
Pampers are important, but they are not enough. Animals need us to care and care at the same time And it is that occupying ourselves means taking action once we saw what we were concerned about. In this sense, we must take care of our brachycephalic pets all year round but we need to do it with even more attention in the summer.
Reserve the moments of play and exercise for the hours when the sun is less strong and, therefore, it is less hot. Avoid being locked up in poorly ventilated places (for example, inside a car). Make him eat a balanced dietKeeping you at a healthy weight will help you a lot, because moving overweight is more difficult and causes more fatigue and breathing problems.
It keeps its nostrils clean as well as its eyes, the creases of the snout, the nose and the mucus. Use artificial tears and do not put any type of collar, since with it you could cause pressure in the windpipe which would obstruct its breathing, so instead of a collar wear a harness.
Companion diseases
It is normal for the brachycephalic syndrome is accompanied by other respiratory abnormalities, including inflammation of the larynx (also known as laryngitis) and pharynx (pharyngitis), eversion of the tonsils (a condition in which they protrude from the throat), worse ventilation through the fossae nasal passages, throat obstruction, and constant tearing and conjunctivitis.
They can also present gastrointestinal disturbances such as excessive secretion of saliva, regurgitation and / or vomiting. The severity of these pathologies varies according to the dog and its situation and they can be given alone or in combination. Brachycephaly is considered by some to be the most peculiar and beautiful of these breeds.
However, and beyond what some owners think that it is a quality of their pets, the long snout is actually a dangerous malformation, which indicates the quality of life of the breeds that own it. We must be aware that, as much as beauty matters to us and that her gestures make us laugh (for example, your snoring), if we do not act immediately (taking her to the vet), we are putting our pet in danger and making her suffer.
The quality of life of our pets depends on us. In the case of brachycephalics, we must be doubly responsible. In addition to assuming the commitment that every owner has to assume with their pet, here the responsibility is double, as any dog and part of the family and as a breed with a malformation that undoubtedly places it in a situation of imminent risk.