Credit: ENIKÅ KUBINYI
FLAT-FACED DOG BREEDS ARE POPULAR ALL OVER THE WORLD. IN THE USA AND IN HUNGARY, THE FRENCH BULLDOG IS CURRENTLY THE MOST COMMON BREED. HOWEVER, THEIR POPULARITY COMES AT A HIGH COST IN TERMS OF HEALTH: SHORTENED SKULLS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH DETERIORATIVE BRAIN MORPHOLOGY CHANGES, BREATHING DIFFICULTIES AND SLEEP PROBLEMS. ACCORDING TO RECENT findings BY HUNGARIAN RESEARCHERS, FLAT-FACED DOGS SLEEP MORE BECAUSE THEIR BREED-SPECIFIC SLEEP APNEA INCREASES DAYTIME SLEEPINESS, THEIR REM SLEEP PHASE IS LONGER THAN NON-REM SLEEP, AND THEIR SLEEP EEG PATTERNS SHOW SIGNS OF WHITE MATTER LOSS.