Paul McGreevy, PhD, and Anne Fawcett issue a challenge to the veterinary community’s role in reducing or preventing any negative health impacts of disorders in animals. They utilize brachycephalic or short-skulled dogs as their examples which include French bulldogs, pugs, British bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Cavalier King Charles spaniels.
. . . given what we know, we’re morally obliged to discourage breeding of dogs with extreme brachycephaly so that we can turn off the tap on this suffering.
Source: BARK, February 2019. Link. Despite accumulating evidence about the health and welfare impacts of brachycephaly, affected breeds are becoming more popular.
INSIGHTS: The authors acknowledge the professional challenges while urging the veterinary community to reverse the trends in short-skulled progeny.