WoofStock, on the bank of the Susquehanna River, provided a plethora of activities for dogs and people: all-day pet blessings, adoptable dogs running amuck, authors signing books, pet treats galore and pet safety tips with Harrison Forbes.
Observations from WoofStock:
- I saw a greater number of Great Danes than would be expected.
- I saw many small dogs in strollers (as would be expected).
- I saw a number of dogs with physical characteristics not particularly in their best interests, either from human assistance (fat dogs) or genetic "assistance" (Pugs whose tongues don’t quite fit in their mouths).
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Yes, that is his tongue. |
I pushed through a crowd of people oohing over this “sooo cute” Pug and his enormous tongue. Researchers have actually been looking at this tongue for quite some time.
In 1963, Dr. M.W. Fox, a prominent animal behavior scientist and veterinarian, published Developmental Abnormalities of the Canine Skull.* That's right. Over 40 years ago, he investigated the canine skull of brachycephalic dogs, such as the Pug.
(Fun definition time: Brachycephalic ("brackee-seff-alik") dogs have broad and short heads."Brachy" means "short" and "cephalic" means "relating to the head”. Some examples are Boxers, Bulldogs, Bullmastifs, Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Chow-chows, French bulldogs, Newfoundlands, Pugs, Rottweillers and Shar peis).
Dr. Fox reported: “Due to the extreme reduction of the maxilary region, abnormal development of the nasal alae and turbinate bones may occur with subsequent respiratory dyspnoea. Secondary laryngeal collapse has been reported in relation to these conditions. Oversize of the tongue may occur, although the tongue would fit a skull of normal maxillary proportion".
In English, what is Dr. Fox saying about brachycephalic dogs? They have:
Abnormal development: Does not develop normally!
Respiratory dyspnoea: Shortness of breath!
Laryngeal collapse: Collapse of the voice box!
Oversize of the tongue: “Tongue-doesn’t-fit-in-mouth” syndrome! (my term)
Through decades of breeding, we created a dog who can have difficulty breathing and whose tongue doesn’t fit in his mouth. It's interesting that we do that because, for example, we don't breed humans to look like Massive Head-wound Harry. For a moment, let's consider the two parties involved in this story.
The dog's perspective: What would a Pug do in the heat if he experienced shortness of breath and a human weren't around to pick him up and carry him home? Would a Pug even exist in the world of dogs if humans were not there selecting for his particular appearance?
The human's perspective: You bring a Pug into your life and you might have to address medical conditions (like your dog having trouble breathing). You might even have to shell out big bucks for some sort of surgery to correct your dog’s inherited brachycephalic airways syndrome.
When picturing surgery, our minds tend to mull over things like, "How much will it cost?" and "What will the recovery look like?" We don't tend to conceptualize what is actually happening.
With the help of research from veterinary journals, I can show you what Canine Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome: Surgical Management*** looks like! Remember that the purpose of this procedure is simple: to help a dog breathe.
The human's perspective: You bring a Pug into your life and you might have to address medical conditions (like your dog having trouble breathing). You might even have to shell out big bucks for some sort of surgery to correct your dog’s inherited brachycephalic airways syndrome.
When picturing surgery, our minds tend to mull over things like, "How much will it cost?" and "What will the recovery look like?" We don't tend to conceptualize what is actually happening.
With the help of research from veterinary journals, I can show you what Canine Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome: Surgical Management*** looks like! Remember that the purpose of this procedure is simple: to help a dog breathe.
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| Prep for surgery https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.prod.vetlearn.com/59/5cda70a41911e087120050568d3693/file/PV0511_Trappler2_CE.pdf |
Above: Surgery makes the nostrils on the right (closed) become the ones on the left (open).
If I were a dog, I'd want to be born with the sniffer on the left! Come on in, air!
Above: Stenotic nares, before surgery (left) and after (right).
Voila! I give you breathing.
As we move into the 21st century, do breed standards continue to promote potential health problems for dogs? Are dogs breathing yet?
In 2009, we find the paper, Inherited Defects in Pedigree Dogs. Part 1: Disorders Related to Breed Standards. Breathing difficulty isn't the only inherited health concern.
"Breeds with screw-tails or curly tails [like the Pug] are predisposed to spina bifida and hemivertebrae, but the breed standard for Pugs specifies that the tail should be ‘curled as tightly as possible over hip, double curl highly desirable’ (Kennel Club, 2008)".
What might the breeding community do with that knowledge?
What might the breeding community do with that knowledge?
"The Pug breed club in the UK is aware of the high incidence of hemivertebrae in Pugs and has recommended that all dogs should be X-rayed before breeding. This move is laudable but will not eliminate the disorder if the breed standard is not altered.”
The AKC Pug Breed Standard, procured from the Internet on 8.22.11, maintains similar standards: “The tail is curled as tightly as possible over the hip. The double curl is perfection.” The AKC Pug picture reifies this standard.
certainly constitutes a "health issue" and Kandu, of course that's his name, receives substantial care and attention.
Today is not “Pick on Pugs” day. I am well aware that dogs, irrespective of breed standards, can have health issues.
For example, I recently received a heart-warming story about a dog born without his two front legs. Lacking front legs certainly constitutes a "health issue" and Kandu, of course that's his name, receives substantial care and attention.
But Kandu, the two-legged dog, is an anomaly. Kandu is not a breed standard. Brachycephalic dogs differ because they might require surgery to reverse a physical trait that is dictated by their breeding.
Now for the good news! Pugs don’t have to continue to look the way they do!
- A) The brachycephalic form does not serve a particular function. Pugs are not herding, sporting or working dogs. Their sole function is that of companionship (AKC). If we alter the breed standard so that Pugs do not require surgery, where they could breathe from the get-go, Pugs could still serve their function . . . of companionship!
- B) Today’s Pug does not have to look like tomorrow’s Pug! Tomorrow’s Pug could even be featured in a paper titled, No Developmental Skull Abnormalities. This Dog Can Breathe!
Shouldn't that be a reasonable goal for our companion dogs?
References
* Fox (1963). Developmental Abnormalities of the Canine Skull. Canadian Journal of Comparative Medicine and Veterinary Science. 219-222.
**Asher et al. (2009). Inherited defects in pedigree dogs. Part 1: Disorders related to breed standards.The Veterinary Journal. 402–411.
*** Trappler and Moore. (2011) Canine Brachycephalic Syndrome: Surgical Management. VetLearn. https://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.prod.vetlearn.com/59/5cda70a41911e087120050568d3693/file/PV0511_Trappler2_CE.pdf
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