People can be really self-absorbed, it’s a characteristic that our pets don’t have.
There has been recent news about the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) seeing a concerning trends in dogs linked to the rise in ownership of brachycephalic breeds (which Pugs are). Pugs are being bred to have extremely snub noses which makes it very hard for them to breathe properly.
The Pug in the photo below may look “cute”, but when you look closely, you’ll see that there’s a dark circle in the centre of his throat. This is a permanent tracheostomy which had to be surgically created because the unfortunate animal was unable to breathe properly through his nose and mouth. He had started to collapse, suffocating, when he went about his normal daily activities. The tracheostomy was needed to stop him from dying a frightening, choking death.
Following recent calls urging veterinary surgeons and their professional associations to take action to address the health problems experienced by brachycephalic dog and cat breeds, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) have issued the following statement: Urgent call by vet profession to relieve suffering of brachycephalic dogs and cats | Vet Help Direct Blog
This problem is actually man-made, as more and more pugs are being bred to have a short snub nose. This deprives them from being able to breath freely.
This was not some random illness: this is a man-made problem. Somebody chose to breed him to have a “cute” snub nose and wrinkly face, callously disregarding the fact that this would mean that he would be deprived of normal, wide-open, free-flowing breathing airways. If somebody inflicted the type of suffering that this dog has endured on a healthy adult animal, they would be prosecuted for cruelty. Somehow, because he was born with these problems, the fact that humans chose to create him like this is conveniently forgotten. Nobody has ever been prosecuted for the cruelty to animals caused by breeding creatures who are born to suffer. Urgent call by vet profession to relieve suffering of brachycephalic dogs and cats | Vet Help Direct Blog
So what is being done about this problem?
Veterinarians and pro animal groups alike are taking action.
The Dog Breeding Reform Group (DBRG) has welcomed moves by the veterinary community calling for action to tackle the serious health issues facing brachycephalic breeds. An online petition launched on Monday has already attracted hundreds of signatures.
The petition’s launch comes days after long-time canine health campaigner Jemima Harrison wrote an open letter to UK vets urging them to put their heads “above the parapet” and make a stand, describing brachycephalic health issues as an “epidemic”. Urgent call by vet profession to relieve suffering of brachycephalic dogs and cats | Vet Help Direct Blog
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