Todayโs path rounds are on ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ก๐ฒ๐๐๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
๐๐ซ๐๐๐ก๐ฒ๐๐๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ง๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ๐ is a group of issues that are very common in ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ก๐ฒ๐๐๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ (short-nosed) breeds of dogs and cats. These issues affect the animalโs ability to breathe.
๐๐ก๐จ ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
We see this condition in short-nosed dogs and cats, like Pugs, Boxers, Persian cats, etc. However, we most commonly see it in dogs.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ?
These lesions are thought to have arisen as breeders selected animals with shorter and shorter noses, to develop the desired breed characteristics. The characteristic lesions of BAS are ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ (thin, floppy airway), ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ญ ๐ฉ๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐ (long floppy soft palate that blocks airflow) and ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ข๐ ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฌ (tiny nostrils).
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ?
All of these lesions produce physical blockages to airflow, and often gives these animals a ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ฌ respiratory noise (snoring). Obviously this can be a pretty big problem! These animals are prone to ๐๐ฑ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐, ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ง๐๐ (difficulty breathing) and may require supplemental oxygen when stressed.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ข๐๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฌ๐๐?
Stenotic nares are pretty easy to diagnose, since they are on the outside of the dog! For tracheal hypoplasia and elongated soft palate, more invasive procedures are needed. An elongated soft palate can be diagnosed by ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง under anesthesia, while diagnosing tracheal hypoplasia may require X-rays or ultrasound.
๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ข๐ญ ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐๐?
Most of the treatment for BAS involves surgical procedures. For example, stenotic nares are treated by removing some of the extra tissue blocking the nostril. Similarly, elongated soft palate can be treated by removing a portion of the soft palate. These procedures are often combined with weight loss, to help reduce fatty tissue around the airways. In very severe cases, these animals may require a permanent ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐๐ก๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ๐จ๐ฆ๐ฒ, which is a hole in the trachea that allows the animal to breathe by bypassing the entire upper respiratory system.
๐๐ก๐จ๐ญ๐จ๐ฌ
1) A brachycephalic dog skull next to a ๐ฆ๐๐ฌ๐จ๐๐๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ (middle-lengthed nose) and a ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ข๐จ๐๐ก๐จ๐๐๐ฉ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ (long-nosed) skull.
2) A very skinny, floppy hypoplastic trachea.
3) A very long soft palate blocking the airway.
4-5) Stenotic nares before and after surgery!
๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ
Maxie, G. Jubb, Kennedy and Palmerโs Pathology of Domestic Animals, Volume 2. Sixth Edition.
Monnet E. Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome. World Small Animal Veterinary Association World Congress Proceedings, 2004.
Photo 1 ยฉ Wikimedia Commons contributor Dmccabe licensed under CC 4.0 International, edited to show only 3 skulls.
Photos 2-3 ยฉ Noahโs Arkive contributors King, Ward, Acland licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photos 4-5 ยฉ Wikimedia Commons contributor Gatorvet01 licensed under CC 3.0 Share-Alike.
