One of our latest residents is15-month-old Gizmo, a French Bulldog. Gizmo was handed to Derby RSPCA as his previous owner was no longer able to keep him.

It was evident that Gizmo was having difficulty catching his breath and was gasping with every intake of air. Our Animal Care team ensured he was seen by a veterinary surgeon due to the severity of his breathing difficulties, and the vets confirmed that his breathing difficulties are caused by a narrowed, constricted airway, pinched nostrils, and a shortened, squat neck, which is very common in brachycephalic dogs.

Gizmo's breathing problems are extremely concerning, not just for his day-to-day activities, but his breathing will only get worse as the hot summer months approach. Gizmo is unable to pant as a normal dog would to keep cool, which means in the hotter weather he will potentially be starved of vital oxygen. In order to keep him as comfortable as possible in the summer months, and even now, his walks and exercise times are short.

As well as breathing difficulties, the French Bulldog breed also usually have a fold of skin over their nose, as Gizmo does. This fold of skin needs to be cleaned once or twice a day to keep it free from infection. His bulging eyes also means he is 20 times more likely to be affected by painful eye ulcers than non-brachycephalic dogs.

It is evident through the use of brachycephalic dogs like Gizmo in advertisements and the media, that their popularity has grown considerably, but unfortunately dogs like Gizmo cannot enjoy the usual activities of other dogs due to his breathing problems. French Bulldogs squishy faces and big eyes may be considered 'cute' but, in reality, these features are the root cause of their on-going health problems.

The cost to rectify Gizmo's breathing problems will be in the region of £1,500 - this will include the antibiotics and pain relief he will require after surgery. The operation will require a veterinary surgeon to cut the soft pallet of his mouth, stretch it and then remove any excess tissues to allow more air to flow through his mouth; the surgeon may also widen his nostrils which would also allow him to breathe more easily.

We want to give Gizmo the quality of life he deserves so he can enjoy longer walks, and give him the ability to play basic games that dogs love such as running for a ball. But more than anything, we want to enable Gizmo to not feel like he is not gasping for every breath even when stood still.

Please help support Gizmo and the many animals like him that we take in by making a donation today. We don't have to tell you that every penny raised in this appeal will go directly to help Gizmo and other dogs just like him.

Gizmo will be available for adoption once he has recovered from his operation. Please keep an eye on our website and social media for more details on the type of home he will require.

Thank you.