Some dog breeds carry a higher risk of breathing problems

Many people find their flattened faces cute, but among dogs bred with a squished visage, 11 percent or less of some breeds can breathe easily.

The findings, published February 18 in PLOS One, evaluate a major health cost of breeding dogs with shortened “brachycephalic” skulls: chronically obstructed airways. 

In the United Kingdom, some brachycephalic breeds “have become incredibly popular in recent years, particularly the French bulldog,” says Francesca Tomlinson, a veterinarian and researcher at the University of Cambridge.

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