Vets' warning before buying English bulldogs and other flat-faced breeds

Vets have issued a warning to people who are considering buying an English bulldog and other flat-faced breeds.

Research from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has revealed that the particular breed of dogs suffers from poorer health compared to other breeds due to their unique body shape, including a shortened muzzle, folded asking, and a squat body. These "debilitating health conditions" can include increased risk of breathing, eye, and skin conditions.

Because of these health conditions, the breed has a short lifespan of around eight years, despite the fact they are growing in popularity. The healthy study recommends potential buyers of the breed to "stop and think".

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The study found that such breeds were more than 38 times more likely than other dogs to get dermatitis in skin folds, nearly 27 times more likely to get an eye condition known as cherry eye, and over 24 times more likely to have a jutting lower jaw while also being nearly 20 times at risk of obstructive airways, resulting in breathing problems.

Furthermore, they are 13 times more likely to have a cyst between the toes, more than 12 times to suffer from dry eyes, 11.5 times more likely to have rolled inward eyelids, eight times the chance of mange, five times the rate of foot infections, and over three times to have a skin infection, wet dermatitis and regular dermatitis.

The study, published in the journal Canine Medicine and Genetics, recommends that English bulldogs should be bred to have more moderate physical features both for their health and to prevent their breeding getting banned. Initially, they were bred to develop muscles,