French bulldog puppy has nose job to save her life

French bulldog puppy Dory
French bulldog puppy Dory has nose job to help her breathe (Picture: PA)
French bulldog puppies look like the world’s cutest creatures when snorting and snoring in social media videos.

But sadly the dogs could be making these sounds because their flat faces mean they aren’t able to breathe properly.

French bulldog puppy Dory was often gasping for air when she arrived at the RSPCA’s Bath Cats & Dogs Home earlier this summer.

She was diagnosed with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), which affects short-nosed animals and can often lead to severe respiratory distress.

On Tuesday, she underwent life-saving surgery costing £1,800 to widen her nostrils and remove tissue from inside her airways.

BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Undated handout photo issued by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) of French bulldog puppy, Dory (post op) which had to undergo life-saving surgery after being left gasping for breath due to her flat face. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday July 26, 2019. Dory has brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). French bulldogs are brachycephalic - or flat-faced - breeds that have been bred to have exaggerated features to make them "cuter" to buyers, the RSPCA said. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: /PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
This adorable French bulldog pup Dory was finding it impossible to breathe (Picture: PA)
Rachel Jones, from Bath Cats & Dogs Home, said: ‘Dory is just 10 months old – she should be running and bouncing and doing all of the things a playful puppy would do.

‘But she can’t lead a normal life because she has difficulty breathing.

‘Worryingly, on several occasions, Dory has been left gasping for breath as a result of being starved of oxygen.

Once your dog has removed all of the fabric from the ball, you can stuff the scraps right back in!

‘She needed this life-saving surgery just so she can lead a normal life – but she’ll probably always struggle and will need to have limited exercise and take it easy during hot weather.’

Undated handout photo issued by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) of French bulldog puppy, Dory (post op) which had to undergo life-saving surgery after being left gasping for breath due to her flat face. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday July 26, 2019. Dory has brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). French bulldogs are brachycephalic - or flat-faced - breeds that have been bred to have exaggerated features to make them "cuter" to buyers, the RSPCA said. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: /PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
The puppy was often gasping for air and needed urgent help when it arrived at the RSPCA’s Bath Cats & Dogs Home (Picture: PA)
Undated handout photo issued by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) of French bulldog puppy, Dory (post op) which had to undergo life-saving surgery after being left gasping for breath due to her flat face. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday July 26, 2019. Dory has brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). French bulldogs are brachycephalic - or flat-faced - breeds that have been bred to have exaggerated features to make them "cuter" to buyers, the RSPCA said. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: /PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Despite the life-saving surgery, the poor puppy will ‘probably always struggle’ (Picture: PA)
The RSPCA said French bulldogs are brachycephalis, or flat-faced, breeds that have been bred to have exaggerated features to make them ‘cuter’ to buyers.

This has resulted in some flat-faced dogs, like Dory, struggling to breathe when walking, running or playing.

Caroline Allen, chief veterinary officer at the RSPCA, said: ‘The public see videos of them snorting and snoring and think it’s cute – but it isn’t.

‘It’s the dog gasping, trying to suck enough air into their body.

BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE Undated handout photo issued by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) of French bulldog puppy, Dory (post op) which had to undergo life-saving surgery after being left gasping for breath due to her flat face. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday July 26, 2019. Dory has brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). French bulldogs are brachycephalic - or flat-faced - breeds that have been bred to have exaggerated features to make them "cuter" to buyers, the RSPCA said. See PA story ANIMALS Dog. Photo credit should read: /PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Dory undergoes surgery to widen her nostrils and remove tissue from inside her airways (Picture: PA)

‘It’s really important that people understand this and that, as a society, we’re doing our best to produce dogs without these severe health problems.

‘Whilst there are breeders working hard to breed healthier dogs, poor Dory is a perfect example of how poor breeding has impacted the individual dog and affected their quality of life.’

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To donate towards the cost of Dory’s surgery you can visit her Just Giving page.