Adorable, smooshed-faced dogs could cost you thousands more in the long run

Those squishy, wrinklyfaces may be irresistibly cute, but they could also cost you a few thousand dollars in extra bills, warns one vet.

The flat face common to Shih Tzus, pugs and bulldogs is more often than not a sign of respiratory issues to come, explained Aylin Atilla, who teachesveterinary medicine at the University of Calgary.

Besides having smaller nostrilsand tracheas compared to equivalent-sized dogs of a different breed, flat-faced dogsalso tend to have a longer soft palate, meaning they have extra tissue thatcan dangle over their airway.

Thisall contributes to difficulty breathing, and it can lead to heat intolerance, as well as noisy eating, breathing and sleeping.

"You may hear them snarfling or snuffling," Atillatold CBC's The Calgary Eyeopener."Some people can't sleep with them in the same room because they snore so much."

It's relatively simple to correct these issues through surgery, but potential owners should be prepared to pay roughly $2,000 to $3,000, said Atilla.

Take precautions

Even if these symptoms aren't obvious, Atilla recommends taking your boxer, Boston terrier, Pekinese, bulldog or other flat-faced dog to the vet for a breathing check up.

"If it looks like somebody punched it in the nose and it has no more nose, it should be evaluated," she said.

"I assume all smooshed-faced dogs have a long palate until proven otherwise."

If these breathing issues aren't addressed early on, Atilla said over time theycouldlead to the collapse of cartilage in the airway. Because these dogs are forced to work so hard to breathe, they're also at a higher risk of having their stomach herniate into their chest.

The British Veterinary Association has advocated against breeding flat-faced dogs for these reasons, but Atilla says she wouldn't go that far.

"The better approach is to be well-informed," said Atilla.

Potential owners should work with veterinarians to understand the risks associated with any particular breed, so that they can make sure they are financially prepared to deal with any complications.

"They can be very sweet dogs, they can be great family companions. I think you pick your poison and know what you're dealing with."

With files from CBC's The Calgary Eyeopener