Are you thinking of bringing a new puppy home? Before making this decision, know that there are some dog breeds that veterinarians do not recommend because of the associated health problems.
Ben, a vet from the United Kingdom, went viral after sharing a video on TikTok revealing the five dog breeds that he would “never own” based on his experience in treating them. Check out below:
1 – Chow Chow
These fluffy giants were at the top of Ben’s list. “I’m sure there are some good ones, but I think they generally don’t have a very good temperament,” he explained.
“They can be very distant, often are very aggressive with vets. They very commonly suffer from a ton of eye problems, and their purple tongues are a bit unnerving,” he added.
2 – Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The vet had much praise for these popular dogs but added that, although they are the most adorable dogs, he would never have one as a pet due to their health problems.
“They have many problems. Practically all of them have the same kind of heart disease, called mitral valve disease, which means they spend their last days struggling to breathe and ultimately dying of heart failure,” he told.
“Ok, they have to die of something. But, in my opinion, breeding a dog with such a high likelihood of disease isn’t fair.”
3 – Dachshund
Ben included these much-loved dogs on his list due to a common health issue. “They are really lovely dogs, some of my favorite patients are sausage dogs, but one in four of them develops back problems during their life,” he explained.
“This can range from just pain to complete paralysis. This usually means they need to have spine surgery, which obviously is a huge undertaking that has a very long recovery period,” he added.
4 – Shar Pei
Shar Peis ranked fourth on Ben’s list due to their characteristic wrinkled appearance that can quickly rack up vet bills. “Most Shar Peis I see have many health problems,” he said.
“There are people breeding less exaggerated Shar Peis, but most of them are very wrinkled. They are so wrinkled that they need to have their eyelids put in place, they are always having skin problems, and they have tiny, narrow ear canals.”
5 – Flat-faced breeds
Lastly, Ben named flat-faced breeds, including French bulldogs, English bulldogs, and pugs, as another type of dog that he would never own as a pet.
The health problems that these dogs experience have been widely reported in recent years. They ranked at the bottom of the lifespan expectancy list in a study earlier this year, and some have called to ban these breeds as part of a crackdown on dangerous “overbreeding”.
@ben.the.vet 5 dog breeds I would/could never own as a veterinary surgeon #dogsoftiktok #learnontiktok #veterinary #benthevet ♬ Waiting For Heartache – BLVKSHP
