Brachycephalic dog breeds are up to seven times more likely than dogs with normal skull length to suffer the painful condition known as cherry eye. Named after the pink mass that appears from the inner corner of the dog’s eye, ‘cherry eye’ is a condition clinically known as a prolapsed nictitating membrane gland.

According to a report in the Vet Times, the world’s largest study into cherry eye in dogs has identified 17 breeds at increased risk of developing the condition, including the Neapolitan mastiff, English bulldog, Lhasa apso and great Dane, among others.

“Given that humans designed dog breeds in the first place, we all carry a heavy responsibility to constantly improve our designs to breed away from poor health for these dogs. The hugely increased risk of cherry eye in popular flat-faced breeds, such as English bulldogs, suggests we have some way to go before we can consider many flat-faced breeds as designed for optimal health,” said the paper’s lead author Dan O’Neill, Associate Professor in Companion Animal Epidemiology at the Royal Veterinary College in the United Kingdom.

“The findings from this study will hopefully help prospective owners make better-informed choices when purchasing a dog.” Full story: VetTimes