Flat faced or brachycephalic dog breeds are one of the prominent breeds known among the dog lovers. As per the survey conducted by Kennel Clubs, these dog breeds are becoming increasing popular.
It is mandatory that pet lovers should consider buying a brachycephalic dog in a different light when compared to buying any other dog breed. We have had several cases where the owners of the flat faced dog were not aware of the fact that their pooch was having difficulty in breathing.
This post is tailored to give you an insight on some signs that your short nosed dog is feeling sick.
Breathing issues:
Breathing issues with short nosed dogs are common. It is common to such an extent that these dogs find it difficult to sleep and engage in extreme physical activities like running. Most of the brachycephalic dogs snore due to the breathing issues and surprisingly owners are unaware of this fact.
The smashed in structure of the skull of short nosed dogs provides it with minimal space to accommodate all the facial features like nose, eyes and mouth. This, together with an elongate soft palate makes contributes to the breathing difficulties in such dogs.
So if you find your brachy to be snoring intensively, he might be having some breathing issues.
Heart problems
Brachycephalic dog breeds are vulnerable to secondary heart problems. The fact that these dogs have trouble taking in oxygen for respiration leads to an insufficient oxygen supply. Therefore, the blood of this breed does not carry oxygen in the right proportion to regulate other activities in a normal manner.
Therefore, if you engage your flat faced dog in extreme physical activities and he seems to be dizzy and struggling to respire, he can be diagnosed with a heart condition.
Eye issues
The abnormal shape of the skull provides brachycephalic dogs with a small socket to accommodate their eyes. This gives them the bulge eyed look, which is also perceived as a cut thing. However, the irony is that, such an eye structure can lead to the scenarios where the eye pops out of their socket. This is one of the other risks with brachycephalic dogs you have to keep in mind, especially when you wish to engage him in extreme physical activities.
Eyes can also pop up due to any accidents or head trauma. Another issue is that the protruding eyes prevent the eyelids from closing completely and this can lead to dry and irritated eyes.
Skin infections
Another thing to watch out for when you are concerned about your brachy is his skin. Brachycephalic dogs have facial skin which forms wrinkles. It is mandatory that you clean the space between those skin folds as they can promote bacterial and yeast growth. Make it a point to clean the wrinkle folds at least once a week to prevent infection.
Dental issues
Brachycephalic dog breeds are no strangers to dental issues. The misshapen skull gives them less space to accommodate the teeth and as a result they can even pile up one above the other. This leads to the accumulation of tartar and plague which can give rise to serious dental issues with unbearable pain. Conditions like this if left untreated for long, would definitely require few rounds of antibiotics.
Taking care of your brachy can be an easy task if you know what to look for. Ensure that you make a checklist of health concerns that your short nosed pooch can be or is vulnerable to and perform routine checkups.