Flat-Faced Dogs Could Suffer Heatstroke In The UK Heatwave

Owners of flat-faced dogs are being urged to take their pets to the vets for medical attention during the heatwave.

Anyone who owns pugs, boxers, French bulldogs and other flat-face dogs should keep their pooches cool according to Blue Cross pet charity, to reduce the risk of heatstroke.

The charity reports seeing a huge spike in the number of flat-faced dogs being seen since the mercury started to rise at the beginning of June.

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While nearly 700 brachycephalic dogs were seen by the charity in that time, several others have been admitted for emergency care for heatstroke or breathing.

Blue Cross Vet Surgeon, Georgie Hearne, said: "It is so sad to see the needless suffering of these pets because they were bred to have such exaggerated features.

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"These breeds almost always need surgery to help them to breathe more easily. However, most will continue to struggle to breathe for the rest of their lives - bad enough in cooler weather but this heat must be like hell for them.

"This summer, we have seen a number of French bulldogs with ear infections or problems with items like grass seeds getting into their ear canal. This often needs an anesthetic to remove which can be risky because of their difficulty to breathe."

Flat-faced dogs are more likely to struggle to breath than other dogs because of their short and narrow airways thanks to their exaggerated features.

These breeds also tend to have prominent eyes which can unfortunately lead to injuries and ulcers.