It’s time to crank the air-conditioning for certain breeds such as the Pug, French Bulldog, British bull dogs and many other breeds with flat faces. These dogs (known as Brachycephalic breeds) are not very well designed for our hot summer months and are very susceptible to heat stress.
Dogs rely heavily on panting to regulate their body temperature. Unfortunatey due to their unique designs, Brachycephalic dogs have shorter muzzles and less room at the back of their throats, making effective airflow much harder. They can therefore overheat a lot easier than other breeds.
Brachycephalic dogs can be quite variable in terms of the degree of shortness of their muzzles and this means that some brachycephalic dogs will cope relatively well in the heat but others may find even a slight increase in temperature or a very humid day can be a challenge.
How to keep these dogs safe
– Know the signs of heat stress (check out THIS blog post for more info)
– Provide a cool environment for these dogs at all times and never leave them outside in the heat
– Keep airflow up with fans and preferably keep them in air conditioning
– Never exercise them in the middle of the day and skip exercise all together on extremely hot or humid days
– Avoid trips in the car unless absolutely necessary and never leave your dog unattended in a car even on a mild day
– Provide a shallow wading pool and frozen treat ice blocks to help keep them cool
– Keep your dog’s weight under control as obesity can increase the risk of overheating
B.O.S or Brachycephalic Obstructive Syndrome is the term used to describe the problem these breeds have. It is a combination of design flaws which can benefit from corrective surgery to improve airflow through the back of the mouth and nostrils. The earlier this surgery is performed on these dogs the better.
