Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Anatomy differences in neck esophagus of flat-faced dogs
By Santos, T I et al.·Published in Morphologie : bulletin de l'Association des anatomistes·2025·o Paulo State University "Jú, Brazil·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Anatomical differences of the cervical esophagus in brachycephalic dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 16 brachycephalic dogs, including Shih Tzus and French Bulldogs, were found to have unusual anatomical features in their esophagus that could lead to swallowing problems and other issues. Most of these dogs showed a condition where the esophagus was abnormally shaped and positioned, which can cause complications like reflux and aspiration. The study suggests that these anatomical differences are linked to the unique facial structure of brachycephalic breeds. Understanding these variations is important for veterinarians when treating or performing surgery on these dogs.
People also search for: brachycephalic dog swallowing problems · Shih Tzu esophagus issues · French Bulldog reflux treatment
Abstract
This study investigated anatomical variations of the cervical esophagus in brachycephalic dogs (n=16 Shih Tzus/French Bulldogs) compared to mesocephalic controls (n=16 mixed-breed) through cadaveric dissection. Results revealed that 93.75% of brachycephalic dogs exhibited ventral esophageal sacculation, with 100% prevalence in French Bulldogs versus 92.3% in Shih Tzus. The esophagus showed abnormal ventral/lateral positioning at the thoracic inlet, overlapping the trachea (93.75% of cases) and obscuring its left lateral view, contrasting with mesocephalic anatomy. These alterations correlate with literature reports of esophageal dysfunction in brachycephalic breeds, including reflux (67.39% prevalence in CT studies) and hiatal herniation. The findings suggest that extreme craniofacial conformation exacerbates anatomical deviations, potentially contributing to clinical complications like dysphagia and aspiration. Surgical implications include modified approaches for airway procedures due to altered vascular relationships (left common carotid artery proximity) and esophageal fragility. Limitations include sample bias toward Shih Tzus (81.25%). This study highlights the need for breed-specific anatomical assessments in clinical/surgical management of brachycephalic dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40315622/