Figure 1. Photograph of myself and a fellow peer (Paige Babin) at the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Western Veterinary Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada (Figure 1). During the conference I attended several talks given by researchers and veterinary professionals. 

The lectures I participated in discussed cesarean sections in farm animals, fractures and lameness in ruminants, CBD use in zoo animals, euthanasia practices and how to provide a peaceful passing to patients, dermatology, brachycephalic breeds, canine problem behaviours, and veterinary medicine in Ukraine war zones. 

I found the lecture on brachycephalic breeds particularly interesting. Brachycephalic breeds are classified by a shortened skull and include dogs such as pugs, boston terriers, bulldogs, shih tzus, and boxers. In mesocephalic breeds (those with longer snouts such as labradors and golden retrievers), the trachea width is at least 25% of the tracheal inlet which provides a wide airway for efficient respiration. In brachycephalic breeds, however, the trachea is typically less than 18% of the tracheal inlet and can be as little as 3%. Reduction of tracheal width makes it especially difficult for these dogs to breathe properly. In addition to respiratory issues, brachycephalic breeds also suffer from dental issues (teeth crowd and misalign due to the shortened skull) and proptosis (protrusion of the eyeball).