Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Why tracheostomy removal sometimes fails in brachycephalic dogs
By Minter, Lauren E et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary emergency and critical care (San Antonio, Tex. : 2001)·2025·Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, United States·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Factors That may be Associated With Tracheal Decannulation Failure in Dogs Requiring Temporary Tracheostomy After Upper Airway Surgery for Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 51 dogs, mostly brachycephalic breeds like Bulldogs and Pugs, needed a temporary tracheostomy after surgery for breathing problems. Some of these dogs had trouble successfully removing the tracheostomy tube, especially if they had laryngeal collapse or if their tubes were suctioned frequently before the first attempt to remove them. Overall, about 88% of the dogs were able to have their tubes removed successfully within two days after surgery, but only 45% managed to do so on the first try. This suggests that certain factors can make it harder for these dogs to recover from the procedure.
People also search for: dog tracheostomy recovery · brachycephalic airway surgery complications · laryngeal collapse in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the variables associated with unsuccessful tracheal decannulation in brachycephalic breeds after upper airway surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective study from 2010 to 2022. SETTING: University teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Fifty-one client-owned dogs requiring a temporary tracheostomy after upper airway surgery for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). PROCEDURES: Medical records of dogs receiving a temporary tracheostomy after upper airway surgery for BOAS were reviewed. Dogs that underwent a tracheostomy decannulation attempt were included. Data were extracted from the medical record, including signalment, patient size, type of airway surgery, presence of hypoplastic trachea, presence of laryngeal collapse, prophylactic versus emergency tracheostomy, frequency of cannula suctioning, and time from tracheostomy to decannulation attempt. The association of these factors with successful decannulation and the number of decannulation attempts were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 699 dogs with BOAS that had upper airway surgery, 54 (7.7%) had a temporary tracheostomy performed. Dogs with an increased frequency of tracheostomy tube suctioning in the 24-h period before the first decannulation attempt were less likely to have a successful decannulation (P = 0.03). Dogs with laryngeal collapse were less likely to have a successful decannulation at first attempt (P = 0.04). The overall probability of successful decannulation was 88.2% at a median of 50 postoperative hours. Forty-five percent of patients had a successful first decannulation. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that an increased frequency of tracheostomy tube suctioning or a diagnosis of laryngeal collapse was negatively associated with successful decannulation. The use of alternative methods to reduce respiratory secretions and the development of specific suctioning protocols may be warranted. Patients with laryngeal collapse requiring temporary tracheostomy may have a poorer prognosis. Multiple statistical comparisons were made without correction, so these data should be considered preliminary, and future studies are required to confirm these risk factors.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40127420/