A new research paper from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences explored the awareness and experiences of health issues related to the physical appearance of brachycephalic breeds and compared perceptions and opinions on how to counteract these issues among various stakeholders.

The research is based on an online survey which was distributed to a random sample of owners and breeders of brachycephalic as well as non-brachycephalic dogs, show judges, and veterinarians. Altogether, 1602 owners, 1551 breeders, 118 show judges, and 557 veterinarians participated.

According to the results, awareness and experiences of health issues related to brachycephaly were common—but varied depending on personal experiences—in all stakeholder groups.

Most participants agreed fully or partly that health issues related to physical appearance threaten the health of brachycephalic breeds, that the measures taken so far are positive, and that guidelines on the appearance of a dog should be based on knowledge of health issues related to physical appearance.

A disagreement was noted on further measures to be taken and the importance of adhering to a breed standard.

Researchers hope that these findings are used to understand and bridge the gap in opinions between stakeholders and to refine methods to influence the health in dogs with exaggerated brachycephalic features.

Read more in the original paper:

Åsbjer, E., Hedhammar, Å. & Engdahl, K. Awareness, experiences, and opinions by owners, breeders, show judges, and veterinarians on canine Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS). Canine Med Genet 11, 3 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40575-024-00137-4