ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the main dermatological diseases related to brachycephaly in dogs and additionally highlights where these vary between common brachycephalic dog breeds. Recent advances have identified some genetic mutations implicated in some rare hereditary skin diseases in brachycephalic dogs. Other dermatoses, such as atopic dermatitis, are more common in general across dogs, but the extreme conformations typical of brachycephalic breeds are associated with increased frequency and severity of cutaneous complications such as exacerbation of intertriginous dermatitis and the development of interdigital draining tracts. Primary secretory otitis media is a more recently recognised problem seen almost exclusively in brachycephalic dog breeds and is a differential for otitis externa and syringomyelia. There is much less evidence on skin problems related to brachycephaly in cats and rabbits, but these are addressed in this chapter where relevant.
