This Brachycephalic Health Edition of Today’s Veterinary Practice highlights the continued popularity of the French bulldog in the United States, which has remained the top breed for 4 years straight. This ongoing demand for brachycephalic breeds creates a paradox for our profession: We are both the clinicians managing their common health issues and the advocates who could prevent them.
The articles included provide a thorough overview of our current stance. Dr. Plummer’s in-depth discussion of brachycephalic ocular syndrome emphasizes that the charming, flattened faces of these dogs lead to various eye problems that threaten their vision. Drs. Schlicksup and Phillips summarize brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, explaining how stenotic nares, abnormal turbinates, and elongated soft palates together cause life-threatening airway blockages.
Possibly the most challenging insight comes from Dr. Packer, who urges us to reflect on why we remain reactive rather than proactive. Her critique of current practice as “firefighting the consequences of breeding decisions” should prompt reflection. This ethical challenge demands our attention. We cannot keep profiting from treating predictable conditions without addressing the breeding practices behind them.
The good news is that solutions exist. Approaches such as functional grading schemes, outcrossing programs with promising results in Nordic countries, and evidence that the public is beginning to prefer less extreme conformations all offer hope. However, adopting these solutions requires us to go beyond clinical settings and engage in discussions with breeders, prospective owners, and kennel clubs. This edition serves both as a clinical update and a call to action. We already have the knowledge to make better decisions for brachycephalic dogs; the question is whether we have the collective will to implement it.