Pug and French bullys back in fashion

Pug and Bully are affectionate, sensitive, gentle dogs with very good character, who expect a lot of tenderness from their owner. They are pleasant companions for working city dwellers, since they do not need too much exercise, almost never show behavioral problems and do not bite. Since the round, short-skulled head of these dogs corresponds exactly to the so-called Kindchen-Scheme, people who want to see a little bit of "children's set" in the dog are also happy to take a pug or a bully. However, those who choose one of these two breeds should also be aware that both types of breathing are very often respiratory problems that can lead to life-threatening conditions. The "my PET" editorial has been published by Univ. Prof. Dr. Gilles Dupré from the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, asked why mops and bully are so often affected by the serious health problem.

Question: Why is it that the majority of boobs and French bulldogs suffer from massive respiratory problems?

Prof. Dupré: The cause of the problem is the still very popular short-headedness of these races. For by breeding it came to a shortening of the cranial and facial bones, but not to a shortening of the associated soft parts, such as skin and mucous membrane. This means that these animals simply have too much skin and mucous membranes for their short bones, which wrinkles inside and out and obstructs the airways. In addition, there is a malformation of the turbinates, shortened nasal passages and a narrowing of the nostrils in these breeds. Despite animal welfare relevant objections, the breeding program of these breeds was not really changed. The more pugs and French bulldogs are bred, the more problems there are. Here at Small Animal Surgery, we did a study comparing the two breeds in relation to this problem. The study found that pugs have an even narrower nasopharynx than French bullys.

What disease symptoms do these dogs show?

Prof. Dupré: The animals produce snoring breathing sounds, tire quickly when they move, and keep heat and stress very poor. In extreme cases, it leads to fainting and suffocation. Computed tomography (CT) shows that almost no air can flow through the nasal passages. But also problems of the digestive tract, such as vomiting and reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus and thereby inflammation of the esophagus and stomach, are causally related to the problems of the respiratory tract. And that is why it comes to the vomiting and to the reflux of the food, because the animals can breathe only with great effort, so that a negative pressure in the airways and in the abdomen develops and the gastric juices are sucked thereby downright in the esophagus. But one has to say that boobs are less affected by the latter problems than bulldogs. Bullys also often suffer from slower gastric emptying - this is the reason why French bulldogs can either choke up or vomit undigested food three to five hours after feeding.

What is the procedure when such dogs are introduced to small animal surgery?

Prof. Dupré: Our research focuses on finding the narrowest part of the respiratory tract to know why the dog is getting so bad. Only then can we take the appropriate measures. Until ten years ago, it was still believed that an over-long soft palate, which narrows the larynx, was the cause of the breathing difficulties. But today we know that it is not about the narrowing of the larynx by a prolonged soft palate, but about the narrowing of the nasopharynx by the thickened soft palate and the thickened mucous membrane in this area. This leaves no room in the nasopharynx for the passage of air, so that the dogs, who naturally breathe through the nose, only the possibility of breathing with open mouth remains. Although I do not want to say that the extended soft palate was not a problem, the problem has shifted due to the fact that the heads are getting shorter and rounder. The main problem now is the too abundant mucous membrane and too abundant connective tissue. Just for comparison: In a German shepherd, the thickness of the soft palate is only half a centimeter, in pug and bully, however, up to two and a half inches! The soft palate is thus compressed between the tongue base and the skull and finds only space in the posterior nasopharynx, which leads to constriction of the same. The animals must breathe with such great effort that an overpressure arises and closes the larynx, so the soft palate and the voice pocket are pulled into the larynx and the laryngeal bone pressed against each other - this life-threatening condition is called laryngeal collapse. In the course of another study, we found that the narrowest part is at the upper edge of the soft palate - by the way, it is even closer to pugs than to bullies.

What treatments are there and what is the purpose of the treatment?

Prof. Dupré: If an animal with such problems is presented to us at the clinic, we first use computed tomography and endoscopy to evaluate where the upper airways are closest. The goal is then to free the nasal passages and the nasopharynx by surgically widening the nostrils and reducing the thickness of the soft palate to create more space in the nasopharynx. In ninety percent of cases, we achieve a significant improvement in the quality of life of the affected animal. In the pug and bully patients today, a shortening of the soft palate is often no longer sufficient, since the main problem is the thickening. The operation must be as early as possible - always before the onset of laryngeal collapse. Narrowed nostrils should be expanded from the age of six months. Also, the thickened soft palate should be operated on the first, at the latest in the second year of life. The newest method is the "soft palate flap flap", in which the tissue responsible for the thickening is excised and the mucous membrane is wrinkled during sewing. How long is the hospital stay?

Prof. Dupré: Computed tomography, endoscopy and surgery are performed on the same day so as not to have to anesthetize the animal several times. The operated dog has to stay at the clinic overnight, where it is continuously monitored and oxygenated. The next day, the patient can go home and after two weeks, again normally charged.

What Can Newly-Owned Pug Owners Do To Help Their Four-Legged Friends Avoid Serious Breathing Problems In Their Lives?

Prof. Dupré: Pugs and French bulldogs should be presented at the age of six months at the clinic so that it can be medically intervened in good time - even before the larynx collapse. And every dog ​​owner should know that snoring is never a breed trait. Unfortunately, studies show that just pug and bully owners do not want to acknowledge the suffering of their animals. Unfortunately, the shortening of the head and the thickening of the soft palate have rather increased and in pugs, the nasal passages have almost disappeared as a result of an upward rotation of the upper jaw caused by the breeding. In pug and bully breeding, measures should finally be taken with the goal that these races can breathe freely again with a "normal" head