Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Breathing problems in 90 brachycephalic dogs from 1991-2008
By Fasanella, Frank J et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2010·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome in dogs: 90 cases (1991-2008).
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 90 brachycephalic dogs, including English Bulldogs, Pugs, and Boston Terriers, were found to have breathing problems due to a condition called brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome (BAOS). Common symptoms included noisy breathing and difficulty breathing, often caused by issues like elongated soft palates and narrow nostrils. Many of these dogs had multiple issues at once, with the most frequent combination being narrow nostrils, elongated soft palates, and everted laryngeal saccules. After surgery to correct these problems, about 12% of the dogs experienced complications, but overall, many dogs showed improvement in their breathing after treatment.
People also search for: dog breathing problems · English Bulldog airway issues · Pug surgery for breathing · Boston Terrier breathing difficulties · brachycephalic dog treatment
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of individual anatomic components of brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome (BAOS), including everted tonsils, and analyze the frequency with which each component occurs with 1 or more other components of BAOS in brachycephalic dogs. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 90 dogs with BAOS. PROCEDURES: Medical records were reviewed for signalment, clinical signs at time of admission, historical and physical examination findings, BAOS components found on laryngoscopic examination of the pharynx and larynx, surgical procedures performed, and perioperative complications. RESULTS: English Bulldogs (55/90 [61%]), Pugs (19/90 [21%]), and Boston Terriers (8/90 [9%]) were the most common breeds with BAOS. The most common components of BAOS were elongated soft palate (85/90 [94%]), stenotic nares (69/90 [77%]), everted laryngeal saccules (59/90 [66%]), and everted tonsils (50/90 [56%]). Dogs most commonly had 3 or 4 components of BAOS, with the most common combination being stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, everted laryngeal saccules, and everted tonsils. Dogs with stenotic nares were significantly more likely to have everted laryngeal saccules (50/69 [72%]), and dogs with everted laryngeal saccules were significantly more likely to have everted tonsils (39/59 [66%]). Postoperative surgical complications occurred in 12% (10/83) of dogs that received corrective surgery. No specific BAOS component made dogs more likely to have complications. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The prevalence of components of BAOS in brachycephalic dogs of this study differed from that reported previously, especially for everted tonsils. Thorough examination of the pharynx and larynx is necessary for detection of BAOS components.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21034343/