Jane Ladlow is a specialized veterinarian, and as a scientist affiliated with the University of Cambridge. She has been researching BOAS for 20 years and gives lectures around the world about her findings.
Her research group has developed a specialized test, the Cambridge BOAS test, which can detect the presence or absence of BOAS. According to Jane Ladlow, the length of the nose alone is not an indicator of BOAS. The Cambridge BOAS test is a much more comprehensive test that examines, among other things, the size of the nostrils, the circumference of the neck, and body condition, including obesity. For example, Jane sees a greater correlation between breathing and obesity than between breathing and nose length.
Below is a piece from the FCI-FCM conference, where Jane Ladlow explains the BOAS test.
And below, she explains why it is not possible to determine whether a dog has breathing difficulties based solely on its appearance.
Jane Ladlow says: "..Panting is fine, panting is allowed, okay, every dog pants.." The act of panting itself does not indicate whether a dog has serious breathing problems.
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