When “Cute” Hurts: Rethinking Innate Health

This week on Vet Voices On Air, Robyn talks with Professor Dan O’Neill (Royal Veterinary College, VetCompass) about a powerful new way of thinking: innate health.Rather than asking “Does my dog have a disease?”, innate health asks:👉 “Can my dog actually live the full life a dog should — breathe easily, run, blink, sleep, wag, communicate and enjoy life without pain or struggle?”Dan explains how extreme conformations — like very flat faces, bulging eyes, deep skin folds, twisted legs or missing tails — can limit those basic abilities, even before disease appears.He also shares data from VetCompass, showing how some breeds with extreme features have shorter average lifespans. And together, we explore why public education alone hasn’t shifted buying habits, how “cute” can cloud our judgement, and how we can move toward healthier, more functional dogs without losing breed identity.What we discuss:✅What “innate health” means and why it changes the conversation✅Evidence on lifespan and welfare from thousands of dogs✅The difference between healthy variety and harmful extremes✅How owners, vets and breeders can all play a role in change✅Why compassion and reflection work better than blameOur goal? To make “healthy the new cute.”