Squashed face breeds such as French Bulldogs and Pugs have become some of the most popular dogs around in recent years, but if you're considering buying one, you may want to think very carefully before taking the plunge.
The British Veterinary Association is urging dog-lovers to think twice before buying such breeds due to the vast array of unpleasant health problems they're prone to.
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The trend for dogs with very specific facial features has seen breeders increasingly focussed on appearance over health, leaving the dogs prone to skin disorders, eye ulcers and breathing difficulties, among other problems.
Data from the Kennel Club shows that registrations of squashed-faced, or brachycephalic, breeds have soared in the past ten years and experts are concerned about the consequences.
For example, while just 692 French bulldogs were registered in 2007, registrations reached 21,470 in 2016.
The continued surge in popularity of squashed face breeds has prompted the British Veterinary Association to launch its #breedtobreathe campaign, which aims to draw attention to the health issues created by selective breeding.
Research commissioned by the association found that 75% of owners were unaware of the health problems of brachycephalic breeds before they chose their squashed-faced dog.
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In addition, only 10% of owners could actually spot health problems related to such breeds, with many thinking that problems including loud breathing and snorting were 'normal'.
Vets believe the reason for brachycephalic breeds' surge in popularity is born from a combination of social media influence, advertising and celebrity culture.
"We find that our veterinary surgeons are finding increasing numbers of flat-faced dogs are coming into their practices with problems which are related to the way these animals are made," John Fishwick, president of the BVA, told the Guardian.
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"One of the things that is causing this increase that we have seen over the last few years appears to be celebrity endorsements and their use in advertising."
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One such star criticised by the BVA is pop star Lady GaGa, who is often photographed posing with her French Bulldogs.
Criticism has also been levelled at many big brands, but the organisation revealed that Heinz, Costa and Halifax have all agreed to avoid using squashed-faced dogs in any future advertisements.
"They are lovely breeds of dog, they are very friendly and they make good pets," said Fishwick.
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"The problem is a lot of them are really struggling, and we really want to make sure people understand this and encourage them to think about either going for another breed or a healthier version of these breeds - ones which have been bred to have a longer snout ... or possibly even cross breeds."
Meanwhile, Dr Crina Dragu, a London-based veterinary surgeon, noted that not all squashed-faced dogs have problems.
Dr Dragu told the paper: "You see the ones that have happy lives, normal lives, and you see the ones that the minute they are born they spend their entire lives as though [they are being smothered] with a pillow all day, every day."
Dr Rowena Packer of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) added that potential owners should make themselves aware of the potential risks before they choose a pet.
"I think they need to be aware of both the emotional and financial hardship that they could be putting themselves and their dogs through for potentially five to 10 years."
Source: The Guardian
Topics: uk news