Problematic Breathing Breeds

With summer approaching, the grooming shop I work at is increasing in temperature. This becomes a problem because we need to begin to be much more aware of the dogs that are in the back of the shop with us. The front of the store is where the professional groomers work, they have been through years of training much as any human hair dresser would go through. As for us, "bathers", well, we're stuck in the back of the shop where the tubs and dryers are. We have cubbies which line the wall where the dogs wait to be dried after their baths. It is always a priority to keep a dog back there for as little time as possible. However, while the temperatures rise outside, so does the temperature in our workspace. With this, we need to start to keep in mind that it is not unheard of for a dog to overheat in such extreme temperatures. Though the doors and windows are always open to keep the air circulating, sometimes this just does not do it.

During the summer we get the dogs in and out as quickly as possible, timing is always much more of a concern now than it is in the winter. Though all breeds are at risk in extreme temperatures, there are a few that need particular attention paid to them. The most important two that we get most often are pugs and bulldogs. It is crucial that they are in the back with us for as little time as possible. They do not sit under the dryers like most of the other dogs, and they certainly do not wait to be dried. When they get out of the tub, they get on the table and dried immediately with these "force dryers" we have.

These breeds are most important because they are very prone to develop breathing problems from birth. Some common struggles they might face are: elongated soft palates, hypoplastic trachea, pinched nares, and paroxysmal respiration.

Elongated Soft Palate: A soft palate is a flap of skin in the back of the dog's throat and if it is too long, it blocks the airway making it a struggle for the dog to breath.
Hypoplastic Trachea: This is simply when a dog's trachea is narrow causing shortness of breath.
Pinched Nares: Nostrils are the nares and often they are tight on these breeds making it difficult for air to pass through the nose.
Paroxysmal Respiration: This is also known as reverse sneezing and it literally looks like your dog is trying to inhale a sneeze. This happens when the trachea has narrowed.

Our New Friend

About a week ago we had a small Boston Terrier come into work for boarding in the kennel while his owners when on vacation. This was no ordinary dog though and he has lived no ordinary life. His owners had saved him from a shelter after he was abandoned. He is one of the sweetest dogs I have ever met and loves to do nothing more than cuddle with anyone and everyone around him and give kisses. His affection is overwhelming especially considering all of the issues he currently has. Though he has a good home now and owners to care for him, he has many physical problems that take their toll.


One of these problems is his skin and how sensitive it is. He has cuts all over his body because of it and his feet are completely covered with wounds due to him walking around outside. We have had to place tiny socks on him and have to carry him when we can see he is not feeling well enough to walk. When he lays down, he curls his feet up so that the bottoms are sticking up from the ground because it hurts him to lean on them too much. Though I am not sure what his specific skin condition is, I have discovered that skin conditions are the most common ailments in dogs which make sense because so many illnesses dogs suffer from have skin conditions as one of their symptoms.

This poor dog also has a sever dent in his head. It seems as though the skull is a bit deformed and it is almost painful to look at because it is almost like a hole in his head. I am not sure what caused this but just looking at this dog you feel the pain he has put up with over the course of his life. It is a great thing that he finally has owners who care for him.

However, though his owners do care for him a great deal and it certainly does take a certain kind of person to rescue such an unfortunate canine, they did not make the proper decision in boarding him. Bringing a dog in such a condition to be boarded for two weeks in a regular kennel is definitely not the right idea and it is most certainly not recommended in any case. The kennel employees have now decided to suggest to the owners that the next time they go away for such an extended period of time, they bring him to Angel Memorial where proper care can be administered to this poor dog.