How does severe brachycephaly affect dog's lives? Results of a structured preoperative owner questionnaire

Brachycephalic syndrome (BS) is a complex canine disease, which is characterized by diverse clinical signs primarily involving the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. Through a structured owner questionnaire, the present study investigated how owners perceived the frequency and severity of a broad spectrum of welfare-relevant impairments caused by this hereditary disease. One hundred owners of brachycephalic dogs (Pugs and French bulldogs) referred for surgical treatment of BS completed the questionnaire. As a basis for comparison, 20 owners of mesocephalic dogs also completed part of the questionnaire. Questionnaire responses revealed that in addition to the well-known respiratory signs, brachycephalic dogs experienced severe exercise intolerance and prolonged recovery time after physical exercise (88%), significant heat sensitivity (more severe signs at temperatures above 19°C; 50%) and a variety of sleep problems (56%). To our knowledge, this is the first study using a structured owner questionnaire specifically to investigate a broad range of problems caused by selective breeding for brachycephaly. In particular, decreased exercise tolerance, increased recovery time due to heat intolerance and the extent of sleep problems have either been underestimated in the past, or have severely worsened over recent generations of dogs. The extent and severity of clinical signs and their impact on quality of life greatly exceeded our expectations. This study emphasizes the major impact that selective breeding for extreme brachycephalic features has on animal welfare.