Canine Brachycephalic Syndrome

Syndrome has one or more of the following of these congential components

Elongated soft palate, stenotic nares, hypoplastic trachea

Cat breeds susceptible to brachycephalic syndrome and components

Elongated soft palates, stenotic nares

-Himalayans, Persians

Acquired component that results from increased airway resistance

Everted laryngeal saccules

-mucosal lining of the laryngeal ventricles → evert into lumen of the larynx

-laryngeal edema

-laryngeal collapse

-redundant pharyngeal folds

Breed predispositions

Small breeds

-bulldog, boston terrier, pug, pekingese, boxer, shar-pei, lhaso apso

Brachycephalic syndrome clinical signs

-exercise intolerance

-respiratory distress

-gagging and dysphagia

-open mouth and loud, stertorous breathing

-collapse/cyanosis

-aspiration pneumonia

Diagnosis

-PE

-thoracic radiographs: hypoplastic trachea

-oral exam under anesthesia

Treatments

-elongated soft palate: resect to normal size (over resection causes aspiration pneumonia)

-stenotic nares: wedge resection of nasal folds

-hypoplastic trachea: no effective treatment, focus on the other issues, heart problems can exacerbate trachea

laryngeal collapse: differentiate b/w paralysis s

-occurs with very advanced brachycephalic syndrome

-permanent tracheostomy

-everted laryngeal saccules: grab saccule at base with long pair of hemostats or allis tissue forceps and remove with traction