Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Nose tissue contact points common in pugs and French bulldogs
By Schuenemann, Riccarda & Oechtering, Gerhard U·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2014·Clinical Department of Small Animals, Germany·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Inside the brachycephalic nose: intranasal mucosal contact points.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at breathing problems in brachycephalic dogs, specifically pugs and French bulldogs, by examining their noses. Out of 82 dogs, 87% had contact points in their nasal passages that could lead to breathing difficulties. French bulldogs had more of these contact points compared to pugs, and many dogs also had septal deviations, which can further block airflow. The researchers suggest that surgery to remove the obstructing tissue could help improve breathing in these dogs.
People also search for: French bulldog breathing problems · pug nasal surgery · brachycephalic airway obstruction treatment
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of intranasal mucosal contact points in brachycephalic and normocephalic dogs. In total, 82 brachycephalic dogs (42 pugs and 40 French bulldogs) were evaluated by rhinoscopy for their intranasal mucosal contact and 25 normocephalic dogs were evaluated as a control group. Of those, 162 brachycephalic nasal cavities were evaluable and 140 had contact between intranasal structures (87%). Intraconchal and septoconchal mucosal contact points were the most commonly detected sites of contact. French bulldogs had a significantly higher prevalence of mucosal contact and had 3 mean contact points compared with 1.7 mean contact points per nasal cavity in pugs. Septal deviations were present in 62% of brachycephalic dogs. In the control group, mucosal contact points were present in only 7 of 50 nasal cavities (14%), and septal deviations occurred in 16% of those cases. Contact point average was 0.1 in large and 0.3 in small normocephalic dogs. Intranasal mucosal contact was identified as a common and previously unreported problem in brachycephalic dogs. Numerous contact points reduce the lumen of the intranasal passageways and indicate potential intranasal obstruction. Affected dogs might benefit from removal of obstructing conchae, potentially using laser-assisted turbinectomy.
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/24659729/