'I'm a vet - here are 4 dog and cat breeds you should avoid getting for health reasons'
A vet has shared four dog and cat breeds he thinks people should avoid getting because of various health issues they could end up suffering from, which could lead to expensive vet bills.
Ben is a veterinarian based in the UK, who goes by Ben The Vet on social media. He is experienced with small animals in particular and uses his platforms online to share information about pet health.
He recently uploaded a video on TikTok explaining which dog and cat breeds he thinks are best for people not to own. However, he acknowledged that this is a topic that "might make people upset," and it's important to remember that this is just his opinion. Before adopting or buying a pet it's important to do your own research.
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1. Shar Pei dogs
Ben recalled that when he first saw a Shar Pei puppy as a newly graduated vet he “assumed it had been stung on the face by a bee” but he realised that it hadn’t and “that is just what Shar Pei puppies look like. Ben explained: “The issue is that pretty much all of the hallmarks that make a Shar Pei a Shar Pei confer a disease risk for the dog.
“All of this excess thickened skin is due to a genetic mutation which doesn’t just affect their appearance, it puts them at risk of an inflammatory disorder called Shar Pei Fever and over time, of kidney failure.” The vet added that these dogs tend to have very narrow ear canals, putting them at high risk of chronic painful ear infections and “a lot of them have entropion caused by the excessive skin where their eyelids roll inwards and hairs from outside of the eyelid scratch the surface of the eye.”
Vet charity PDSA says Shar Peis fall under a group of breeds classed as ‘Category Three’ by The Kennel Club because of their excess skin folds which can cause skin problems and affect their sight. It has also listed infections and inflammation between the skin folds, entropion and ear infections as some of the conditions Shar Peis may develop, as well as atopy, itchy skin caused by sensitivity to things in the environment (such as pollen, grass and dust mites).
The charity highlighted Familiar Shar Pei Fever as a “disorder which causes a high temperature, painful swollen joints, swollen face and other symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhoea.” It advises seeking veterinary advice straight away if your Shar Pei shows any unusual symptoms.
2. Scottish Fold cats
Moving on, Ben said Scottish Fold cats are “another case where the blueprint of the breed’s appearance directly inflicts suffering on them.” He explained: “They have these cute, folded ears only because of a genetic mutation that also affects the cartilage in all of their joints and means that they develop painful arthritis at a young age but so many people have no awareness of this.”
Dr Primrose Moss, a UK-based small animal vet, told PetMD that Scottish Fold cats “require caregivers who can understand a cat’s body language and notice small signs of discomfort” as their folded ears “ also come with joint and cartilage problems.”
3. Dogs with cropped ears
Next, Ben stated that no dogs are born with the appearance of cropped ears and it is “created by cutting off part of the ear flap and then posting years with tape and bandaging for several weeks or a couple of months until they stand upright like this.” He continued: “Ear cropping is purely about looks. It serves no health benefits and although it might be written into breed standard for lots of different breeds by the American Kennel Club, it is a painful mutilation.
“It’s illegal in many parts of the world and to people that say it doesn’t hurt, really? If you cut off part of your ear then bandage your ear for weeks in this silly contraption, you don’t think that would be painful and irritating? Come on.”
The RSPCA has also agreed that “ear cropping (or docking) is an entirely unnecessary surgical procedure in which a dog's ears are removed or altered” and it has “no benefits for the dog and can cause permanent damage.”
4. Brachycephalic dogs
Lastly, Ben mentioned brachycephalic dogs which are flat faced breeds with short skulls, including pugs, French bulldogs and bulldogs. The vet expressed that he wished people knew how much “veterinary intervention these animals need” and “how much they suffer.”
He added: “And the breathing problems are a huge issue and they’re something that I think people are becoming more aware of but it is by no means just that, these dogs are so reliant on veterinary intervention to exist because the majority of them need a C-section, particularly in the case of bulldogs and Frenchies to give birth.
Ben went on to mention that brachycephalic dogs have “serious eye problems”, skin infections, ear infections and corkscrew tails that “need amputating because of horrible skin fold infections.”
He claimed: “It’s their inability to communicate like other dogs because they don’t have a normal tail and head anatomy. It’s all of the dental issues because they have the same number of teeth crammed into that tiny mouth.
“It’s the young French bulldogs that become paralysed because of disc herniations and I’ve seen too many of them to count.” Ben shared he believes that as a society, we have become “too accepting of their health problems and their welfare issues.” The Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association has said brachycephalic dogs’ “inability to breathe normally is considered the greatest impediment to their welfare.”
