#hallstein

when bee does *that thing* at the very end of the movie, it really soured the ending for me because it felt like that validated it as a prequel

Bostons are not as common here as French Bulldogs are becoming, but I still see a few. Small, brachycephalic breeds are steadily growing in popularity

Please note the disclaimer.These posts are about the breed from a veterinary viewpointas seen in clinical practice, i.e. the problems we are faced with.It’s not the be-all and end-all of the breed and is not to make ajudgement about whether the breed is right for you. If you are askingfor an opinion about these animals in a veterinary setting, that iswhat you will get. It’s not going to be all sunshine and cupcakes,and is not intended as a personal insult against your favorite breed.This is general advice for what is common, often with a scientificconsensus but sometimes based on personal experiences, and is not aguarantee of what your animal is going to encounter in their life. 

Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome (BAS) is a major ethical and welfare issue for this breed, as it is for many extremely brachycephalic dogs. While individuals may vary in terms of how extreme their anatomy is, the general public wants dogs with flat faces. This often results in dogs with stenotic nares (pinched nostrils), elongated soft palates, hypoplastic tracheas (a wind pipe that is too small). Secondary changes may include everted laryngeal saccules and they are prone to regurgitation.

Affected dogs will often struggle in hot weather and with increased exercise, and it's not uncommon to see them affected by heat stroke. While surgery can be performed to reduce some features of this condition, it can't improve all of them, and there is an increasing push from veterinary and welfare groups to breed these dogs with longer noses and better airways.

Boston Terriers commonly present to the vet clinic with atopy or allergies. For most of them this is a seasonal allergy to grass, pollen, or other substances they are coming into contact with. Relatively few by comparison have a dietary allergy.

Skin fold pyoderma is also very common where excessive skin folds of the face trap moisture and become infected. Cleaning these skin folds helps, but require ongoing maintenance.

Deafness is reported to be more common in the breed, though I've not encountered it yet.

Demodex mange is also reported to be in the breed, but again I haven't encountered it yet. This may be because more over-the-counter flea products coincidentally treat demodex, so some dogs are probably being accidentally treated before they become clinical.

From a skeletal point of view, medial patella luxation is the most common issue. This condition involved the kneecap being out of its usual position. Some dogs with mild cases are not majorly affected, but others require surgery.

Intervertebral disc disease (and prolapse) is less common, but common enough for this breed to regularly present to specialists for spinal surgery. In some cases this is related to congenital deformities like hemi-vertebrae, which may be related to the short tails, but in some cases it is not. Miniature breeds in general seem predisposed to IVDD.

On the inside they are somewhat prone to mitral valve disease, a cardiac condition that develops with old age.