Dogs should look like dogs

How many of you have colleagues – vets or nurses – who own or even breed brachycephalic dogs? This was a question asked by Brenda Bonnett, CEO of International Partnership for Dogs, to an audience at the joint World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) and the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations (FECAVA) congress last week. She was speaking in a panel discussion on the vet’s role in tackling the problem of brachycephalic dogs. I was surprised – the raised hands indicated almost everyone in the room. Some might defend their position if the dog in question was from a rescue centre but, as Bonnett said, vets and veterinary nurses shouldn’t be breeding these animals. The veterinary community has to get its own house in order before it can hope to influence others. There is no doubt that brachycephaly is a condition that causes many health problems. For...
Source: Veterinary Record - Category: Veterinary Research Authors: Tags: Comment Source Type: research