Fragile health, early death… The dog life of English bulldogs – Liberation

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–British veterinarians warn of the poor health of these flat-nosed mastiffs so popular across the Channel. The researchers call for an immediate relaxation of the criteria for the breed so as not to see its breeding banned as in the Netherlands and Norway.–

To respect the standards of its breed, the English bulldog must have the face “relatively short, the muzzle broad, truncated and inclined slightly upwards without exaggeration”. The shape of the neck is important: it must have “some loose, thick, wrinkled skin in the throat area forming a slight dewlap on either side.” And we will measure “the distance from the internal commissure of the eye to the end of the nose”, who “must not be less than the distance from the tip of the nose to the edge of the lower lip”. Ah yes, it is very precise, a bulldog. These stocky dogs have been bred for almost two centuries, originally used in bullfighting (hence their English name bulldog) and which have become emblematic of the United Kingdom. But if their breeding is the delight of dog lovers, the health and life expectancy of bulldogs are today so poor that veterinarians are sounding the alarm.

“An immediate redefinition of the breed towards more moderate criteria is strongly advised”warn six researchers from the Royal Veterinary College, the London veterinary school, in conclusion to a study published this Wednesday in the scientific journal Canine Medicine and Genetics. These veterinarians combed the consultation reports of thousands of English bulldogs to compare their health to that of dogs of other breeds. Turns out they stack at a level…

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