Correlation between the intestinal microbiome and the prevalence of gastrointestinal signs in french bulldogs and pugs affected by Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS)

• Grant number: 25/12176-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Paola Castro Moraes
• Grantee: Bárbara Torró
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The growing popularity of brachycephalic dog breeds, such as the French Bulldog, Pug, and English Bulldog, is linked to morphological traits that elicit emotional responses in humans. However, these features are directly associated with Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS), a condition that severely compromises respiratory function and may trigger gastrointestinal and other systemic clinical signs. In humans, studies on obstructive sleep apnea-a condition analogous to BOAS-suggest a correlation between respiratory dysfunction and gastrointestinal disorders influenced by intestinal dysbiosis.Given the importance of the microbiome for both intestinal and systemic health, this project aims to establish the composition of the intestinal microbiota in brachycephalic dogs and correlate it with the different intestinal clinical signs these animals may present. To achieve this, the microbiota of dogs affected by BOAS will be analyzed, and clinical data will be collected through questionnaires completed by their owners. These data will later be associated with the prevalence of specific bacterial populations.The analysis of bacterial composition will enable a better understanding of the interaction between respiratory function, the digestive system, and the microbiota, potentially contributing to more accurate diagnoses and more effective management strategies for brachycephalic dogs. This undergraduate research project is part of an ongoing study aimed at mapping the entire intestinal microbiota of these patients, conducted under a BEPE scholarship (2025/01610-4) at the University of Copenhagen and a doctoral project (2023/18175-3). (AU)