Brachy – what? Is Auntie Awesome posting about dinosaurs now? If you have never heard this term and are just making a wild guess at its meaning, then you probably don’t own one of the most popular breeds of purebred cats.
Three of the top four cat breeds – Persian, Exotic and British Shorthair (pictured below) – fall into this category.
‘Brachies’ are well represented on the lists of the most popular dog breeds too. In its 2017 rankings, the American Kennel Club showed three brachycephalic breeds in the top ten spots: Bulldogs, Boxers and French Bulldogs.
Three more are found in the top 21: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Shih Tzu and Boston Terrier.
In addition to the trendy pups and kitties who make the top ten or twenty lists, such breeds as the Pug, Bull Mastiff and Pekingese are also ‘brachies’.
The Canine Genetics and Epidemiology Journal published a study in 2016 which showed that over the last several decades:
“…breeds with a larger cephalic index have steadily become more popular, which indicates that Australians have gradually favoured dogs with shorter and wider heads (brachycephalic) more than those with longer and thinner heads (dolichocephalic). The brachycephaly boom seems to be worldwide. In agreement with our results, brachycephalic breeds such as English Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Boxers and Pugs, have been becoming increasingly popular in the United Kingdom (UK) over recent years, and the numbers of Bulldogs and French bulldogs registered with the American Kennel Club have increased by 69% and 476%, respectively, in the past decade.”
So what makes a dog or cat brachycephalic? Why are theses breeds so popular?
The first question is easily answered.
The second question is one for the ages, along with do cats fart, why won’t shoelaces stayed tied and do penguins have knees.
Simply put, brachycephalic dogs and cats have short skulls. The condition produces flat faces, pop eyes and pushed in noses. This baby faced look is thought by many to be irresistibly adorable, and the reason most often cited for the increasing popularity of these breeds.
The look is extreme and it has elicited extreme reactions.
For every Pug fancier who dresses their baby in funny outfits to enhance their infantile cuteness, there are a corresponding number of activists grabbing pitchforks and torches, ready to rally the villagers to storm the castles of the Dr. Frankensteins producing these ‘freakish mutations’ for the sole purpose of profit.
A clarification here, before owners of these breeds start pointing their own crowd of pitchfork wielding villagers my way. Photo – Shutterstock? Of course, that crowd would probably also be bringing along their Bulldogs and French Bulldogs and Boxers, because dogs enjoy a walk too, so on second thought, by all means, bring it.
Especially if this guy is part of the mob.
I know lots of people who own these breeds of cats and dogs. All of them are seriously responsible owners who chose these breeds, knowing their potential problems. They are prepared to monitor their pets for signs of trouble and then act accordingly. So let’s be clear. It is possible for a dog or cat to have a short muzzle, a pushed in face and pop eyes, and be healthy.
The bottom line for me is, these dogs and cats fall into the category of those that should only be owned by people who know what they are doing and are prepared to spend the time and money to seek veterinary or other assistance if it becomes necessary. This is no different, in my opinion, from people acquiring any type of dog or cat with special needs. Which, let’s face it, is a lot of purebred dogs, or even rescue dogs with health problems. Don’t get a Border Collie if you’re not prepared to do the work to keep her entertained and challenged.
And don’t get a Pug if you live in tropical heat with no air conditioning.
Having said that though, there can surely be little argument that there are limits to how far this look should be pushed by breeders. The physics of shorter and shorter skulls can only mean more and more severe problems for dogs and cats who are the products of an extreme breeding agenda.
Those short skulls are not natural. The babyish look has been achieved, in effect, by breeding for a mutation. A dog is born with an abnormally short skull. A breeder thinks that the way that dog or cat looks is kind of cute. That dog is bred to another with the same condition. Over a surprisingly short number of breeding generations, the skulls become markedly smaller.
Here are photos of skulls from a museum in Bern, Switzerland, showing the development of the Bulldog over just fifty years:
Here are photos of an old fashioned English Bulldog alongside the modern version of the breed. You can see how that change in the skull structure is tracked by the change in the outward appearance.
(Thanks to Caen Elegans for this photo.)
So the skull is smaller. So what?
The problem is that cool accessories like teeth, a tongue, a soft palette, a larynx, nose cartilage – even the brain – have not gotten correspondingly smaller. They all still have to fit in that new itty bitty skull.
Brachycephalicism comes with a whole range of side effects, ranging from mild to severe. The more extreme the brachycephaly, the more extreme the problems.
Here are some of the negative conditions resulting from a lack of real estate in the head.
1. Breathing problems: These can range from mild snorts to having an airway that is partially blocked by the flapping soft palate, overlarge tongue and abnormally small windpipe. The larynx has been known to actually collapse in extreme cases. This leads to those signature snorts and gurgles. Owners may not even realize that some adorable behaviours displayed by their brachie dog, may actually be the result of them trying to find a way to breathe more easily, such as the Bulldog that sleeps sitting up, or with a toy between his teeth to help keep his mouth open.
The condition worsens with age.
If you own one of these dogs or cats, listen to them. Understand what their normal breathing sounds like. If they start to snort or struggle more than usual for air, don’t just assume it’s normal. If your dog or cat is not sounding like they normally do, seek veterinary help.
Walk these dogs on a harness, not a collar. Pressure on the throat and larynx can cause respiratory distress.
The breathing difficulties have other consequences.
(a) Low tolerance of heat. Dogs have no sweat glands (except a few on their feet), and are therefore not that efficient at cooling themselves down when it is hot. Panting is pretty much all they’ve got.
The brachie breeds can’t pant efficiently and may have trouble drawing in enough air to cool their bodies. They are therefore at higher risk than other breeds for heat stroke.
(b) These breeds are more likely to die during travel. Some airlines refuse to fly them. In addition to the problems they have with heat, stress and anxiety may augment their breathing difficulties.
(c) Swimming may prove difficult for these dogs. They will tire easily – if they can even stay afloat. A wading pool may be their limit. (Shutter stock has better photo)
Is this true for cats you ask? How exactly would we know? When was the last time you saw your cat voluntarily take a swim?
(d) If surgery is required for any reason, these breeds may be at higher risk. During surgery, the anesthetic has to be carefully monitored. The breathing tube will not be taken out until the animal is conscious, because of the risk of a collapse of the airway. On the plus side, there is some evidence that they are actually are less stressed by breathing tubes, because they find the forced opening of their airway to be helpful and makes them more comfortable.
2. Skin problems: As with the furniture in the mouth, the skin on such dogs and cats does not shrink with the size of the skull. The increased ratio of skin to skull results in deep creases and folds, especially around the eyes and muzzle. These can be a perfect breeding ground for yeast and bacterial infections. Those folds have to be kept clean and dry.
3. Eyes: The skull is not only smaller, it is flatter in front. This results in the popped out, large appearance of the eyes. This more pronounced in some brachie breeds than other. Think Pekingese, for example, as opposed to Boxer.
A blow to the back of the head can actually pop the eye right out. We knew a lady who had this happen, quite by accident, to her Pekingese. The owner still has recurring nightmares.
Because the eyes are not fully set back into the skull, the cornea is more exposed. The eyes can dry out and pick up foreign matter. Constant vigilance is needed to keep those eyes hydrated and clean, reducing the risk of infection and injury.
In extreme cases, the dog or cat may not be able to close their eyelids completely. They can also be subject to a condition where the eyelid turns in, not out. Understandably, this causes tremendous irritation as the eyelashes rub against the eye, like constantly having an eyelash in your eye. The dog or cat might need surgery to correct the condition, and as stated above, surgery can be problematic.
4. Teeth: Again, brachie breeds have the same 42 teeth as their rounder- and longer-headed cousins. But in the case of brachies, all those 42 chompers have to find room in the shortened muzzle. This results in dental crowding which put them at higher risk for dental misalignment and for gum and tooth disease.
And because they are also high risks for anaesthesia (see above) dental surgery may not be a viable option. Owners need to be fanatical about keeping their pets’ teeth brushed.
5. Birth: Because of their big heads, brachie puppies present present extraordinary dangers to their mothers when they are born. Very often, they will need to be delivered via C-sections. No amateur enthusiast breeders should ever contemplate breeding these animals and expecting them to go through delivery naturally, at home.
6. Brain: Brachie breeds have a high incidence of brain tumours and water on the brain.
7. Pet Insurance: Because of all of the above, you may find it prohibitively expensive to get health insurance for your brachie dog or cat.
A pretty formidable list. Explains the position of the pitchfork carrying crowd who would like to see an end to the breeding of brachycephalic traits into dogs and cats.
Some veterinarians have publicly asked people not to buy these breeds.
But dammit – they’re so cute and you’ve always wanted a goofy Bulldog or a gorgeous Persian cat. Can you ethically adopt one? I say yes. But, and I cannot stress enough, know what you are getting into, and do it the right way.
Buy from an ethical breeder. Make it clear that you know about the potential problems. Ask about the health issues his or her dogs or cats have experienced, and listen carefully to the answers. A reputable breeder should be asking you as many questions as you ask them. They should be determined not to sell their puppies to anyone who is ignorant about the responsibilities that comes with these breeds.
Pick a breeder who does not promote extreme brachycephalicism. If the nostrils in the puppies or kittens you’re being offered are reduced to mere slits, keep searching. The Lord Voldemort look is not what you’re after.
Look into adopting a rescue animal, but be aware the dog or cat may have been given up to the rescue precisely because they exhibit the problems these breeds are subject to. There is a U.S. brachie rescue as well as a Canadian one.
There are purebred cat rescue organizations in the U.S. and at least one in Canada .
Visit your local shelter. It’s amazing how many purebred dogs and cats of all types and descriptions show up in shelters.
Once you have your puppy or kitten (or your rescue dog or cat), do whatever you must to keep him or her as comfortable and healthy as possible. Keep their weight down. Keep them cool. Keep their teeth clean. Be vigilant in keeping their eyes and skin clean. Take them to the vet if their breathing becomes more laboured or difficult.
We should all be lobbying Kennel Clubs and Breed Clubs to modify their breed standards to ensure extreme brachycephalism is not encouraged or even tolerated.
Why can’t we have purebred dogs and cats who are both beautiful and healthy?
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