In dogs and cats, being brachycephalic means that the skull and in particular the face and nose are shortened. Brachy means shortened and cephalic means head. People may describe it as the face appearing pushed in..rachycephalic syndrome, also known as brachycephalic respiratory syndrome or congenital obstructive upper-airway disease, is a collection of physical abnormalities that are common in the breeds mentioned above. One or more of these abnormalities may be present in an individual animal, and include.