INTRODUCTION

Brachycephalic breeds are among the most popular breeds in the world and their physical characteristics, although some have become more pronounced in the last 100 years, have remained unchanged in others such as the Pekingese over the centuries, with the major physical change focusing on the abundance and length of the coat. 

Many people believe that this type of dog is limited to hypertypical breeds such as the Pug, English Bulldog or Boxer, but there are many breeds with brachycephalic qualities that fall into this category due to the characteristics and size of their heads; they are also labelled as "unhealthy breeds" for this very reason when any type of well bred, well selected breed whose parents undergo the appropriate health tests are completely healthy dogs. What test is this? The BOAS, and we will look at it next.

WHAT IS A BRACHYCEPHALIC DOG?

Contrary to what many people believe or think, the term "brachycephalic" does not refer to the length of the muzzle but to the morphology of the skull in general and means "short skull". Any type of dog can be brachycephalic, including mongrels.

In dogs we differentiate between three types of skulls:

-DOLIOCEPHALIC ("Skull longer than wide", e.g. the Spanish Greyhound).

-MESOCEPHALIC ("Skull equal in width to length", e.g. the Beaglo)

-Brachycephalic ("Skull shorter than broad", e.g. Boxer).

Whether a dog is brachycephalic or not can be found out by a simple mathematical formula, which will calculate the cephalic index:

MAXIMUM WIDTH OF SKULL X 100 ÷ TOTAL LENGTH OF SKULL.

If the result is 60 or more, the dog is brachycephalic. 

BRACHYCEPHALIC DOG BREEDS

The following is a list of dog breeds considered "brachycephalic" according to the formula we have seen above, some of them might surprise you:

• Rottweiler
• Newfoundland
• Chihuahua
• Staffordshire Bull Terrier
• Pomeranian
• American Cocker Spaniel
• Boxer
• Pekingese
• English Bulldog
• French Bulldog
• Maltese Bichon
• Pug
• Boston Terrier
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
• King Charles Spaniel
• Chow Chow
• Bull Mastiff
• Cane Corso
• Lhasa Apso
• Shih Tzu
• Affenpinscher
• Griffon Bruxellois
• Dogue de Bordeaux
• Japanese Chin
• Shar Pei
• Tibetan Spaniel
• Neapolitan Mastiff
• Yorkshire Terrier

CAN BRACHYCEPHALIC DOGS BE HEALTHY DOGS?

Yes, brachycephalic dogs can be healthy animals if they have been raised respectfully and the breeder has carried out the appropriate health tests, the owner gives them a good diet, they are kept at a weight in accordance with their size and physical corpulence and, most importantly, they have regular BOAS tests. 

The "Breathing Function Classification Test" evaluates brachycephalic breeds for a respiratory problem known as BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome).

The result of this test informs owners if their dog is affected by BOAS and provides guidance to breeders on how to minimise the risk of breeding BOAS-affected puppies, which greatly improves their health, the quality of life of that dog and says a lot about how committed (or not) that breeder is to their animals and the breed they have on their hands. In the UK, a selection of regionally approved assessors (specially trained BOAS vets) have been appointed by the British Kennel Club to carry out the classification of respiratory function in dogs of these breeds based on the individual results of these tests.

But what is Canine Brachycephalic Syndrome?

The soft tissue in the nose and throat of some brachycephalic dogs can be excessively long for the airway, resulting in partial obstruction of the airway and making normal breathing difficult (causing heavy panting or noisy breathing - snoring).

This condition is known as "Canine Brachycephalic Syndrome" or BOAS and is a progressive disorder that can affect a dog's ability to live a normal life, exercise, play, eat or sleep.

What happens during the BOAS test evaluation?

Each dog is assessed by a specially trained BOAS vet who will initially use a stethoscope to listen to your dog's breathing while he is calm and relaxed in a room at a very controlled temperature (to avoid hot flushes) and without any exercise prior to the BOAS test.

Your dog will then be asked to move around an exercise area at a fast pace for 3 minutes, either by the vet or the owner, usually back and forth for a stretch of about 50 metres on a lead, this is not excessive exercise and would fall within the minimum that any dog should do, then the vet will listen to your dog's breathing again and use a list of criteria to give a more specific grade, with three possible grades:

Grade 1

A Grade 1 dog is clinically unaffected but has mild respiratory signs linked to BOAS. These signs do not affect exercise performance.

If the dog is less than two years old, it is important to repeat the test the following year.

The dog is fully fit for breeding.

Grade 2

Grade 2 dogs are clinically affected and have moderate respiratory signs of BOAS which should be monitored and may require veterinary treatment. It is suitable for breeding but should only be kept with Grade 1 dogs.

Grade 3

Finally, a Grade 3 dog is clinically affected and has severe respiratory signs of BOAS and should be seen by its own veterinarian for a full veterinary examination with treatment. Such a dog should not be bred.

How often do I need to have my dog tested for BOAS?

As "Canine Brachycephalic Syndrome" is a complex syndrome, the ways in which it can affect a dog can change throughout an individual's life.

Therefore, it is recommended that dogs are assessed from 12 months of age and that this is repeated every two years throughout their lives, or until they are no longer used for breeding. It is recommended that "pet" dogs (whether neutered or not) also routinely have this test as a health check or follow-up, which also helps the health records of these breeds or types of dog (in the case of mongrels).

BOAS cannot guarantee (as it is a complex syndrome) that two free parents (Grade 1) will have only syndrome-free offspring, so testing is important. It is the same case as with hip or elbow dysplasia, as these are complex and multifactorial issues.

THE WITCH-HUNT FOR BRACHYCEPHALIC DOGS

For some years now, radicalist groups at European level have been proclaiming themselves "defenders of animals" and, ignoring absolutely all the reports provided by the European canine breed associations and more than one veterinary college, have proposed to wipe out (exterminate) these breeds mentioned above, regardless of the health tests and the fact that more than 90% of the dogs tested in the breed clubs are healthy animals (Grade 1). The majority of BOAS affected dogs were dogs of dubious provenance (private breeding without pedigree or dogs from puppy mills), dogs whose pedigree is not cared for and whose health testing is not recorded. 

Nowadays, breed clubs and kennels not only in Europe but worldwide are fighting for the absolution of these breeds which, thanks to the political influence of these groups and the money they bring to various political campaigns, may end up disappearing, thus ending hundreds or thousands of years (in some cases) of history and legacy of dog breeding. 

Some countries have even banned the breeding of some of these breeds (influenced by these radical groups), pushing more than one ethical breeder of these dogs to move to a neighbouring country in some cases in order to be able to continue their hobby.

CONCLUSION

Brachycephalic breeds and dogs are very varied and are not only limited to flat-nosed dogs such as the Pug or the English Bulldog, dogs whose health can be excellent and live up to 15 years (in the case of the Pug) or 18 years (in the case of the Yorkshire Terrier and the Maltese Bichon) provided the breeder has done a good job of selection and the owner listens to the breeder's recommendations. The BOAS is a great advance for the veterinary world and the respectful selection of dog breeds, helping responsible breeders to do a better job and greater guarantees for their clients, this test is essential nowadays and is one of the many health tests available that anyone linked to the law, the "animal welfare" or the defence of these should know, understand and value, because the solution to a breed in decline due to fashions or hypertypical characteristics does not lie in making that breed disappear, but in supporting and promoting these health tests and publishing the annual results of all the tests carried out (indicating whether they are dogs registered in stud books (dogs with pedigree), not registered but their characteristics make them possible to be included in a breed (dogs without pedigree) or mongrels) so that everyone can see the need and effectiveness of selective and respectful breeding.