LAUSR

FOR too long our nation has been blind to the real impact of extreme dog breeding. That is perfectly illustrated by Albert – the French bulldog used in an advertising campaign to promote this week's Red Nose Day. As a lay person, it's easy to see why the campaign team for Comic Relief chose Albert. He's cute and looks as though he's enjoying himself. He's also bang on trend. Flat-faced or brachycephalic breeds have seen an exponential rise in their popularity (see graph on p 289) particularly bulldogs, French bulldogs and pugs. The Kennel Club recently reported that French bulldogs are set to overtake the Labrador retriever as the UK's most popular breed by next year. Vets in small animal practices across the country know the reality of these breeds only too well. Many are plagued by health problems and are regular visitors to their surgeries. As brachycephaly expert Rowena Packer says, not only are these dogs highly predisposed to breathing problems, flat-faced breeds have become associated with a suite of eye problems, skin diseases, a screw-shaped tail that is linked to painful spine abnormalities, neurological problems and an inability to give birth without surgical intervention. As the popularity of the …