VN October 2021

Vetnuus | Oktober 2021 10 important to remember that the diseased state is usually chronic and present from birth 2 . The misconfiguration of respiratory soft tissue structures impedes airflow, majorly impacting respiratory function and ultimately leading to permanent secondary changes3, making early diagnosis and corrective intervention paramount in these individuals. However, the paradox comes into play when owners are deeply concerned about their pets and obsess over the smallest problem, yet consciously select a breed predisposed to substantial disease burdens, frequently resulting in a shortened lifespan. The continued appeal of owning brachycephalic pets despite well-known chronic health disorders suggests the presence of strong external influences and an element of cognitive dissonance on the part of the owners 1 . Despite high levels of acknowledged disease, owners perceive their pets to be in the “best health possible”, especially when compared to the rest of their breed. The lack of recognition of clinical signs as indicative of disease, i.e., that these signs are actually a problem and are negatively impacting the animal’s quality of life and welfare, is a major constraint to improving the welfare of clinically affected animals 4 . WHAT VETS CAN DO: • Put up educational posters and/or pamphlets in your practice and utilise your practice website/blog/social media platforms to increase client awareness about problems associated with brachycephalic breeds. • Actively discuss health andwelfare issues facedby brachycephalic animals with clients and prepare them for what to expect if they do get a brachycephalic pet. Vets need to remember that clients have limited medical knowledge and they are strong social influences surrounding the popularity of brachycephalic breeds. Some clients may be amenable to veterinary suggestions not to buy a brachycephalic breed (or any animal with extreme conformation) 5 . • Vets should positively engage with clients to safeguard the individual pet’s welfare and also lay solid foundations for a long- term relationship with their practice for the duration of the pet’s life. • Educate clients about how to recognise problems and when to act (especially when clients consider these problems to be ‘normal’ for the breed). • Assessing every animal with brachycephalic conformation for welfare-related challenges should become routine in veterinary exams. Where necessary, vets must advocate for appropriate therapeutic interventions. Veterinary decision-making needs to prioritise and maximise overall animal welfare throughout the pet’s lifetime. • Strongly advise against breeding with animals that have been medically or surgically treated for BOAS, have had conformation- altering surgery, or have a history of C-sections and/or dystocia. Advise sterilisation at the same time as other surgeries, if allowed by good practice 5 . WHAT THE SAVC AND SAVA CAN DO 5 : • Implement communication campaigns to proactively raise awareness among the public in general and to advise them about health and welfare issues in dogs with extreme conformations. • Raise awareness amongst breeders, breed clubs and show judges and advise them as to health and welfare issues in dogs with extreme conformations 5. • Work together with stakeholders (e.g. KUSA) to set up registers of confirmation-altering surgeries and C-sections as well as relevant screening programmes (i.e., pre-breeding examinations). • Call for the revision of breed standards to help prevent BOAS and other brachycephalic-related disorders. Breed standards should include evidence-based limits on physical features (e.g. muzzle length, number of skin folds) and approaches to lessen inbreeding and increase genetic diversity should be considered. • Distribute veterinary health certificates for puppies and/or checklists for prospective buyers in support of responsible, healthy breeding. Prospective owners should be discouraged at all costs from buying from“puppy mills”. • Develop protocols based on international standards for the examination of breeding animals regarding respiratory function and thermoregulation. • Set up CPD events to encourage and equip vets to take a more active role in providing breeding advice to breeders, breeder organisations and judges concerning extreme conformation and screening procedures. The veterinary profession needs to understand that while abnormalities may be extraordinarily common within brachycephalic breeds, they are neither normal nor desirable 2 . Vets have an ethical obligation to promote animal welfare. One of the simplest ways for us to do this is through the prevention of pain, disease and discomfort. In the case of brachycephalic animals, client education to prevent disease progression and reduce morbidity is the best way to safeguard animal welfare. REFERENCES 1. Packer RMA, O’Neill DG, Fletcher F, Farnworth MJ. Great expectations, inconvenient truths, and the paradoxes of the dog-owner relationship for owners of brachycephalic dogs. PLoS One. 2019;14(7):1–23. 2. McLeod KC. The Unique Welfare Challenges of Brachycephalism. In: Breed Predispositions to Dental and Oral Disease in Dogs [Internet]. Wiley; 2021. p. 95–100. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9781119552031.ch6 3. Ekenstedt KJ, Crosse KR, Risselada M. Canine Brachycephaly: Anatomy, Pathology, Genetics and Welfare. J Comp Pathol [Internet]. 2020;176:109–15. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpa.2020.02.008 4. Packer RMA, Hendricks A, Burn CC. Do dog owners perceive the clinical signs related to conformational inherited disorders as “normal” for the breed? A potential constraint to improving canine welfare. AnimWelf. 2012;21(SUPPL. 1):81–93. 5. Vice S. Vets must “dare to speak out” Urgent action on brachycephalic dogs called for during panel discussion at FECAVA/WSAVA/DSAVA Congress in Copenhagen. Copenhagen; 2017. v Article Brachycephalic Breeds and Associated Animal Welfare Concerns <<< 7