There is a soundtrack to every lazy stroll with your furry best friend.
Now, heavy snorting, whistles, and snores might be cute and silly, but they reflect the harsh reality of anatomy for your pet.
About 90% of dogs with a shortFACE and a compressed SKULL are affected with Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome.
Over the years of breeding, dog breeds evolved and compacted their breathing apparatus within an enclosed space.
Comfort and breathing safety are the main concerns when you understand this condition.
The Anatomy of a Shortened Skull
To know why your dog has difficulty moving air, we need to know what is beneath the skin.
How do we fit a functioning adult respiratory system in a children-sized skull?
The volume of the nasal passages, windpipe, and the soft tissues remain the same, but the volume of bone around it shrinks.
The tissues end up in a much smaller space, and soft tissues that ought to belong in a larger space end up blocking airway passages.
This leads to turbulence of the air passing through your dog’s airways, and results in the classic noisy air intake.
The Four Most Common Anatomical Malformations
Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome is a conglomeration of multiple structures that, together, block or limit the flow of air:
Stenotic Nares: The nostrils are pinched and collapse onto themselves when inhaling, and block the dog from properly sucking in air.
Elongated Soft Palate: The soft palate extends too far and drops down to obstruct the opening of the windpipe.
Everted Laryngeal Saclets: Forceful breathing chronically sucks the laryngeal saclets out, and blocks the windpipe.
Hypoplastic Trachea: The windpipe is underdeveloped, and does not build enough rings to allow adequate air flow.
Understanding the various nuances of each of these structures will help give you perspective as to why a lot of activities that seemingly should not tire out your dog, like running around or playing fetch, do so quite quickly.
Recognizing the Early Warning Signs
Many owners believe flat-faced breeds exhibit snoring or snorting that is just part of their personality.
While flat-faced breeds create snoring sounds, flat-faced dogs often exhibit severe breathing obstructions that warrant immediate concern.
Concern your dog is exhibiting distress beyond the normal limits and call your veterinarian:-
Excessive gagging or hacking, especially after eating or drinking, or after your dog has become excited.
Getting winded and having to stop after walking just a short distance.
Appearance of bluish discoloration on the gums or tongue while your dog is active.
Breathing sounds that make you wake your dog during the night, snoring sounds that make you worry and breathing sounds that worsen in hot weather.
The above signs are severe and should never be ignored and require veterinary attention.
Daily Management and Lifestyle Adjustments
Living with an airway condition means changing how you handle daily routines to reduce physical stress on your dog's respiratory system.
Ditch the traditional neck collar immediately.
Pulling on a standard collar places direct pressure on a fragile windpipe, cutting off what little air your dog manages to draw.
Switch exclusively to a well-fitted, Y-shaped chest harness for all walks.
Keep your home cool and well-ventilated. High indoor temperatures and heavy humidity cause airways to swell, turning a minor restriction into a full-scale breathing block.
Manage your dog's body weight strictly. Extra pounds put massive pressure on the chest cavity, forcing the respiratory muscles to work twice as hard with every single breath.
For more advice on managing daily routines, check our guide on French Bulldog Heat Stroke: Signs, Prevention & Emergency Care.
Surgical Interventions and Medical Options
Decreases in quality of life for dogs who are unable to benefit from lifestyle changes can often be reversed with surgery.
Procedures like widening stenotic nares and surgically shortening a long palate can provide substantial relief from airway obstructions.
Most veterinary surgeons recommend these procedures be performed before a year of age.
This allows for the greatest amount of recovery from any surgery and prevents progressive damage that can lead to scarring of the larynx.
Look to your regular veterinarian for recommendations if you have a dog with breathing difficulty, even at rest.
Having a plan in place to manage these constraints early will allow your pet to live a healthy, active and pain free lifestyle.
The obstruction of Brachycephalic airways requires lifelong management.
Watch the local weather reports to decide if conditions warrant the use of a harness, adjusting your dog’s collar to a harness is safer for dogs with less restricted airways.
Crating your dog to help them loose weight decreases breathing difficulty.
Taking practical steps to manage airways every day will help keep your dog healthy.