As we all know, Frenchies, Pugs, Boston Terriers are some of the most sort after dog breeds of the 21st century, with growing popularity. We seem to go Insta-gaga over any dog with a squishy face!
As adorable as these dog breeds might be, it’s important to understand that there are some abnormalities common to short-faced breeds. There are also ways that we, as dog owners, can help improve the quality of life of short-faced breeds if they are prone to these abnormalities.
Brachycephaly or Brachycephalic (“Brackee-cefalic”) syndrome describes a list of abnormalities that contribute towards respiratory issues. These respiratory issues can present as snorting, snoring, constant panting and difficulty breathing. These abnormalities include:
- An elongated soft palate – the soft part of the roof of the mouth is too long and partially blocks the trachea (windpipe) at the back of the throat
- Stenotic nares – narrowing of the nostrils
- Everted Laryngeal Saccules – sacs that sit behind the larynx (voicebox) turn inside out and obstruct the trachea
- A narrow trachea – narrowing of the windpipe
If left for too long, Brachycephaly can lead to weakening of the cartilage in the larynx and eventually laryngeal collapse!
The best way to determine whether your dog has Brachycephaly is to have your pet assessed by your veterinarian. Depending on the severity of the case, various interventions can be adopted to help significantly improve your pet’s comfort and quality of life. In some cases, the best and most permanent treatment is surgical intervention.
The team at nOah is excited to offer these services to our furry friends that may need help to get that extra breath of fresh air!
nOah has recently introduced three new procedures that can significantly increase the quality of your dog’s breathing-, including:
- Alaplasty – a wedge is removed from the nostrils to open up the entrance to the nose
- Staphylectomy – the soft palate is surgically shortened
- Laryngeal saccule excision – removal of the everted sacs obstructing the airways
As seen below, in the photos below, the gorgeous Posie had almost slits for nostrils, which is like holding your nose partially closed whilst still trying to breath! Abbi had an alaplasty performed to open up her nostrils. She also had a staphylectomy as her soft palate was also too long and partially obstructing the back of her throat.
If you have a brachycephalic dog breed and want some more information, please contact the friendly team at nOah!
