New Delhi, Feb. 18 -- He snores because he's a pug. She's always itchy; it's normal for Labradors. He struggles on walks; he's just old. These sentences are meant to reassure but they often do the opposite of what we intend. When something is labelled normal, it stops being questioned. And when it stops being questioned, it stops being helped.

Some breeds do have predictable problems. Flat-faced dogs are more likely to struggle with breathing. Larger dogs are more prone to joint disease. Dogs with floppy ears get more ear infections. None of this is news. But what often gets missed is that common does not mean untreatable.

Take breathing in flat-faced dogs. Loud snoring, snorting, gagging or poor exercise tolerance are signs of restrict...