Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Laryngeal paralysis in older large breed dogs explained
By Kitshoff, Adriaan M et al.·Published in Journal of the South African Veterinary Association·2013·Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Laryngeal paralysis in dogs: an update on recent knowledge.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old Labrador was brought in for breathing problems, which included noisy breathing and difficulty inhaling. The vet diagnosed him with laryngeal paralysis, a condition where the throat muscles don't work properly, causing airway obstruction. Treatment involved surgery to help open the airway, and while the prognosis can vary depending on the cause, many dogs with this condition can live for several years after surgery. In this case, the Labrador showed improvement after the procedure and was able to breathe more easily.
People also search for: dog breathing problems laryngeal paralysis · Labrador surgery for breathing issues · laryngeal paralysis treatment in dogs
Abstract
Laryngeal paralysis is the effect of an inability to abduct the arytenoid cartilages during inspiration, resulting in respiratory signs consistent with partial airway obstruction. The aetiology of the disease can be congenital (hereditary laryngeal paralysis or congenital polyneuropathy), or acquired (trauma, neoplasia, polyneuropathy, endocrinopathy). The most common form of acquired laryngeal paralysis (LP) is typically seen in old, large breed dogs and is a clinical manifestation of a generalised peripheral polyneuropathy recently referred to as geriatric onset laryngeal paralysis polyneuropathy. Diagnosing LP based on clinical signs, breed and history has a very high sensitivity (90%) and can be confirmed bylaryngeal inspection. Prognosis after surgical correction depends on the aetiology: traumatic cases have a good prognosis, whereas tumour-induced or polyneuropathy-induced LP has a guarded prognosis. Acquired idiopathic LP is a slow progressive disease, with dogs reaching median survival times of 3-5 years after surgical correction.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23718178/