Brachycephalic & What it Means for Your Pug

October 2, 2015|Kristy Beck|

The Oxford Dictionary definition of Brachycephalic is “having a relatively broad, short skull (typically with the breadth at least 80 per cent of the length).” So in other words, a squished face. But it means a lot more than just a squished face.

Brachycephalic syndrome is something to take seriously. In dogs with short noses, like pugs, it can mean some very serious breathing issues. But what causes brachycephalic syndrome? There are 4 underlying causes of the problem. In simple terms, they are narrowed nostrils, elgongated soft palate, reduced trachea size and short/irregular nasal turbinate.

The most common problem with pugs is the elongated soft palate which results in heavy, short breaths. This is more prominent during exercise, stress and heat. And because of the elongated soft palate, as well as the other problems, pugs find it difficult to take deep or fast breaths to blow out carbon dioxide, like most dogs normally do. And because of this, they get distressed which makes the breathing difficulties even more worse and can actually be life threatening.

What are the signs of brachycephalic syndrome? There are many signs and symptoms of the syndrome that you should look out for. Here are some of the signs:

Noisy or laboured breathing
High pitched wheezing
Continually having their mouth opened
Keeping their head up and neck stretched to help keep their airways opened
Sleeping sitting up or keeping their chin up to help keep airways open
Snoring, gagging, choking & vomiting
Collapsing

So what can you do to help your pug avoid these situations?

Maintain ideal body weight
Prevent stress
Reduce exercise particularly in warmer weather
Keep them cool (check out 7 Products to Keep Your Pug Cool this Summer)
Avoid using collars for walking so not to put pressure on their airways. Use a harness for walking instead
Seek veterinary advice for severe cases as surgery may be the best option to give your pug the best quality of life possible

All pugs suffer from Brachycephalic syndrome, it’s just a matter of how severe. Any sign of distress, as with any medical issues, always seek advice from your local veterinarian.

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Kristy Beck

Owner & Content Producer at The Pug Diary

Kristy is the founder and editor of The Pug Diary, a photographer and pug mum extraordinaire to Ref + Serina. Kristy has combined her passion for photography with the love of pugs to bring you all of her knowledge of pugs and more to you through The Pug Diary.