Shane Morrison, lead orthopaedic veterinary surgeon at Christchurch Vets, discusses breathing problems in flat-faced breeds.

Question: My three-year-old French bulldog, Max, seems to be finding his walks increasingly difficult. He has always had raspy breathing, in fact I noticed this when he was only six months old. However, his breathing efforts seem progressively more strained when he goes on his walks.

After he has rested, he seems happier and his breathing, while not perfect, is more relaxed. My vet has mentioned surgery, but I am very worried about this. What should I do?

Shane Morrison, lead orthopaedic veterinary surgeon at Christchurch VetsShane Morrison, lead orthopaedic veterinary surgeon at Christchurch Vets (Image: Simply C Photography) Answer: I am sorry to hear that Max is having problems with his breathing. Sadly, this is a common problem in so-called ‘flat faced’ dog breeds.

It is a condition that we call brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome or BOAS for short. The condition itself tends to be slowly progressive, so that the older a dog gets, the worse the condition becomes, much as you have seen with Max.

BOAS is due to the compromise of several aspects of the respiratory system, resulting from a squashing of the airway anatomy into a small area. While the condition can be ameliorated with lifestyle changes including shorter lead walks in the cooler parts of the day, along with weight loss and anti-inflammatory drugs, it progresses in some dogs to the point that surgery should be considered.

Although surgery is unable to treat every individual aspect of BOAS, it can have a significant effect on the main causes. These are narrow nostrils and an over-long soft palate. The latter is the main cause of respiratory distress associated with BOAS and surgical shortening of the palate can have a profoundly beneficial effect in many dogs.

As Max is only three, I am inclined to agree with your vet. Surgery is likely to be the best option for Max moving forward. A number of referral centres throughout the UK undertake this surgery with very high standards of both anaesthesia and surgical expertise, such as our referral practice in Ipswich. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance.