Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Heart and breathing changes after airway surgery in French Bulldogs
By Widyanjaya, Anak Agung Gde Fandhiananta et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2026·Department of Physiology·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 We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above.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: Short-term changes in clinical status, cardiovascular function and heart rate variability after staphylectomy and alarplasty in French Bulldogs with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome.
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old French Bulldog was brought in for breathing problems due to a condition called brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). After surgery to correct an elongated soft palate, the dog's breathing improved significantly, and the owner reported better overall health on a follow-up questionnaire. While the dog's heart rate variability showed some changes, these were linked to improved breathing rather than a complete resolution of heart function issues. Overall, the surgery helped the dog breathe easier and feel better within a month.
People also search for: French Bulldog breathing problems · BOAS surgery recovery · heart rate variability in dogs
Abstract
UNLABELLED: Short-term effects of elongated soft palate correction on cardiovascular function and heart rate variability (HRV) were studied in eleven French Bulldogs with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). The oxygen saturation (SpO), blood pressure (BP), electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography, short-term HRV, and modified BOAS questionnaire were carried out before and one month after surgical correction of BOAS. Significant reduction in the respiratory rate was reported after surgery ( < 0.05, 95% CI [-16, -2]). No significant differences were observed in SpO, BP, ECG, and echocardiographic parameters both before and after surgery. Most of the questionnaire scores were improved after surgery. The HRV results after surgery showed a significant reduction in vagally mediated indices and a relative shift toward low frequency (LF) components. These changes were correlated to the clinical improvement from modified BOAS questionnaire. Although surgery improved questionnaire scores, the short-term changes in HRV likely reflect altered breathing patterns rather than definitive relief of ‘parasympathetic overactivity’. Longer follow-up with better respiratory control, or comparison among brachycephalic breeds is needed to clarify the direct impact of surgery on autonomic function. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12917-026-05331-z.
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/41735978/