Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Chihuahuas and Pomeranians have smaller upper airway CT measurements
By Wijsman, Saffiera et al.Ā·Published in Veterinary radiology & ultrasound : the official journal of the American College of Veterinary Radiology and the International Veterinary Radiology AssociationĀ·2023Ā·Imaging Department, NetherlandsĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Rostral nasopharyngeal CT measurements in Chihuahuas and Pomeranians are smaller than those measured in Dachshunds.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Chihuahuas and Pomeranians often have breathing problems due to narrow airways, especially in the front part of their throat called the nasopharynx. A study found that these breeds have smaller airway dimensions compared to Dachshunds, which are not brachycephalic (short-nosed) dogs. This means that Chihuahuas and Pomeranians may be more prone to upper respiratory issues. If your pet is showing signs of difficulty breathing, it's important to discuss these findings with your veterinarian, as they may need special care or treatment to help with their airway health.
People also search for: Chihuahua breathing problems Ā· Pomeranian airway issues Ā· dog upper respiratory disease treatment
Abstract
Chihuahuas and Pomeranians are often afflicted with obstructive upper respiratory tract disease. Previous computed tomographic (CT) studies have described the dimensions and abnormalities of different parts of the upper respiratory tract in brachycephalic dogs. However, Chihuahuas and Pomeranians were not included. The objective of this study was to determine the transverse-sectional (TSA) dimensions of the nasopharynx, cricoid, and trachea of Chihuahuas and Pomeranians, and investigate whether or not Chihuahuas and Pomeranians had smaller airway dimensions than another non-brachycephalic breed (Dachshund). A retrospective, descriptive, single-center cross-sectional cohort study was performed. CT studies of 88 dogs were included (42 Chihuahuas, 29 Dachshunds, and 17 Pomeranians). The TSA of the rostral, mid, and caudal aspect of the nasopharynx, the cricoid and trachea at the level of C4 were determined. For all these locations, TSA/weight, nasopharynx/cricoid, nasopharynx/trachea, and cricoid/trachea ratios were determined. The rostral nasopharynx was the smallest part of the upper airways in Chihuahuas and Pomeranians. Chihuahuas had significantly smaller rostral nasopharynx TSA/weight ratios compared to Dachshunds (P < 0.0001). The rostral nasopharynx TSA/cricoid ratio and the rostral nasoharynx/trachea ratio for Chihuahuas were significantly smaller than both that of Pomeranians (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.00027) and Dachshunds (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.00084). Pomeranians had significantly smaller cricoid TSA/weight ratios compared to Chihuahuas (P = 0.0014) and Dachshunds (P = 0.00028). This study demonstrated that the nasopharynx is narrow in Chihuahuas and Pomeranians, with the smallest dimensions located at the rostral part of the nasopharynx.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36285416/