The term “Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome” (BOAS) refers to a group of conditions which is seen in dogs with short noses (brachycephalic breeds) such as the English and French Bulldog, Pug, Shih Tzu and Pekingese.
A recent newspaper article Cornwalllive came to my attention, about a dog that very sadly died as a result of this condition. This has become a topical debate in recent years with the rise in ownership and a trend of some leading brands increasingly using dog breeds that are susceptible to BOAS in their advertisements. The British Veterinary Association and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association published a statement in May 2016 BVA/BSAVA Statement which rightly suggest that breeders, vets and dog owners need to be aware of the issues and encourage the responsible selection of dogs for breeding purposes to improve the quality of life of these dogs.
