Flat-faced dog breeds including pugs, French bulldogs and English bulldogs suffer chronic health problems caused by selective breeding for exaggerated facial features.
Dogs with BOAS live with chronic oxygen restriction, disturbed sleep and exercise intolerance. Many cannot play normally or run without breathing distress. Heat tolerance is severely reduced, making UK summers dangerous. The chronic nature of their condition means affected dogs suffer daily throughout their lives, often without owners recognising abnormal breathing as a welfare problem.