BOAS Surgery Birmingham
BOAS Surgery at Rock House Vets Birmingham
For owners looking for BOAS surgery in Birmingham, Rock House Vets offers experienced brachycephalic care from our independent veterinary practice in nearby Wolverhampton. We regularly welcome Bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Pugs and other flat-faced breeds from Birmingham and across the West Midlands, with owners choosing to travel to us for our practical experience of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS). We aim to keep BOAS surgery fairly and realistically priced while maintaining careful surgical planning, monitoring and dedicated aftercare.
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome
Dogs travel to Rock House Vets from across Birmingham, including areas such as Harborne, Edgbaston, Sutton Coldfield and the wider city, when breathing problems begin to affect exercise, sleep, eating or everyday comfort. Our team has extensive hands-on experience with brachycephalic breeds and understands that BOAS can present differently from one dog to another. Choosing a vet familiar with these breeds means your dog’s airway, symptoms, and individual needs can be properly considered before deciding whether BOAS surgery is the right next step.
What our BOAS surgery involves
Every BOAS surgery patient is offered an X-ray as part of their pre-operative assessment. This gives us a clearer picture of your dog’s overall condition and helps us identify related concerns such as aspiration pneumonia or a hiatal hernia before surgery is planned. For owners travelling from Birmingham, this thorough approach means important checks can be completed as part of a carefully considered treatment pathway. Your dog’s procedure is carried out by a veterinary surgeon with strong experience in BOAS surgery and brachycephalic airway care.
Recovery is treated with the same level of attention. After surgery, each BOAS patient is closely supported by our head nurse, with careful monitoring as they wake and settle following their procedure. We also offer BOAS patients an overnight stay, giving dogs from Birmingham and the wider West Midlands additional observation before they return home and providing owners with greater reassurance during those important first hours of recovery.
Looking for experienced BOAS care near Birmingham?
Contact Rock House Vets to discuss your dog’s breathing symptoms and BOAS treatment options.
About the RFG assessor scheme
Heather, our Clinical Director, is also an RFG Assessor, allowing Rock House Vets to provide Respiratory Function Grading as part of the Kennel Club scheme for French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs and Pugs. The assessment helps establish whether a dog is showing signs of BOAS, how severely their breathing may be affected and whether further investigation or BOAS surgery could be appropriate.
For owners travelling from Birmingham, RFG grading can provide useful, structured information before making decisions about treatment or future breeding. We strongly recommend grading before breeding from these brachycephalic breeds, as identifying affected dogs can help inform more responsible breeding choices and contribute to reducing the prevalence and severity of BOAS in future generations.
Why are only certain breeds affected by BOAS?
Dogs with shorter, flatter faces are more likely to develop BOAS because the bones of the skull are compressed into a smaller space. This can affect the nasal passages and upper airway, while some brachycephalic breeds may also experience other conformational problems involving the spine or tail. In practical terms, there can be more soft tissue than the shortened skull and airway can comfortably accommodate.
This is one reason brachycephalic dogs often have noticeable folds around the face and body, but similar crowding can occur internally too. Excess tissue around the airway can restrict airflow and contribute to noisy or difficult breathing, particularly during exercise, warm weather or periods of excitement. Skin folds can also trap moisture and irritation, meaning some dogs may need ongoing dermatological care alongside management of their respiratory health.
Is your dog struggling with noisy breathing or restless sleep?
Ask Rock House Vets about BOAS assessment and surgery near Birmingham.
BOAS FAQs
What is BOAS in dogs, and when is BOAS surgery needed?
BOAS stands for Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome and affects flat-faced dogs whose shortened airways can make normal breathing more difficult. BOAS surgery may be recommended when symptoms such as noisy breathing, reduced exercise tolerance, restless sleep, overheating or gagging begin to interfere with everyday comfort. At Rock House Vets, we assess dogs travelling from Birmingham and the wider West Midlands to determine how severely the airway is affected and whether surgery could help improve airflow and breathing.
Contact us for BOAS Surgery at our Veterinary Clinic near Birmingham
What symptoms can suggest my dog may need BOAS surgery?
Common signs include loud or constant snoring, noisy breathing when awake, heavy panting, tiring quickly on walks, struggling in warm weather, interrupted sleep, gagging, retching, or seeming distressed after excitement or exercise. Some dogs also show difficulty eating comfortably. If you are noticing these signs in a French Bulldog, English Bulldog, Pug or another flat-faced breed, it is sensible to arrange an assessment.
Which breeds are most affected by BOAS?
BOAS is most often associated with brachycephalic breeds such as French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs and Pugs, although other flat-faced dogs can also be affected. Their shortened skull shape naturally leaves less room within the upper airway, so even relatively small changes can have a noticeable effect on breathing. Maintaining a healthy weight is particularly important, as excess weight can increase respiratory effort and make BOAS symptoms more difficult for affected dogs to manage.
Can BOAS get worse over time?
Yes. BOAS can become more noticeable over time, particularly as a dog ages or gains excess weight. Early signs such as snoring or noisy breathing may progress to poorer exercise tolerance, greater difficulty coping with heat, disturbed sleep or slower recovery after activity. Arranging a BOAS assessment near Birmingham can help establish how advanced the condition is and whether treatment could improve breathing, comfort and day-to-day quality of life.
Are your vets experienced in BOAS assessment and treatment?
Rock House Vets has extensive experience in BOAS care, with a particular focus on brachycephalic breeds and the breathing problems they can develop. Heather, our Clinical Director, is also an RFG Assessor, giving owners access to structured respiratory assessment alongside practical veterinary guidance. For those seeking BOAS assessment near Birmingham, this means support from a team experienced in evaluating symptoms, discussing treatment options and deciding whether BOAS surgery is the most appropriate next step.
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What does BOAS surgery involve?
BOAS surgery is designed to improve airflow through the upper airway and reduce the effort needed to breathe. Depending on your dog’s anatomy, this may involve widening narrowed nostrils, shortening an elongated soft palate or, where appropriate, addressing everted laryngeal saccules or enlarged tonsils. At Rock House Vets, dogs travelling from Birmingham for BOAS treatment are also offered X-rays as part of their assessment, helping us check for related problems such as aspiration pneumonia or a hiatal hernia before surgery is planned.
How successful is BOAS surgery?
Many dogs experience a noticeable improvement following BOAS surgery, with owners often reporting easier breathing, better stamina on walks, quieter sleep and greater comfort when eating or resting. The degree of improvement varies between dogs and can depend on factors such as airway anatomy, body weight and how advanced the condition is before treatment. For dogs travelling from Birmingham to Rock House Vets, assessment helps us set realistic expectations and plan treatment around the individual dog.
What is recovery like after BOAS surgery?
Recovery after BOAS surgery is commonly around one to two weeks, although this can vary depending on your dog and the severity of their airway changes. Dogs are monitored closely after surgery, with overnight care available and dedicated nurse support during the early stages of recovery. Activity should remain calm at first, and we provide clear guidance on feeding, rest and home care while healing progresses. Owners travelling from Birmingham can also learn more about our wider surgical care at Rock House Vets in Wolverhampton.
Do you offer BOAS surgery near Birmingham for dogs from the wider West Midlands?
Yes. Rock House Vets is based in Wolverhampton, but we regularly welcome BOAS patients from Birmingham and across the wider West Midlands. Owners travel to us from areas including Harborne, Edgbaston, Selly Oak, Kings Heath, Moseley, Erdington, Sutton Coldfield, Great Barr and surrounding parts of the city for experienced assessment and BOAS surgery.
Our reputation for brachycephalic care also brings patients from Solihull, Dudley, Kingswinford, Stourbridge, Sandwell, Wednesbury, West Bromwich, Walsall and Willenhall, as well as across the wider West Midlands.
We also see dogs travelling from further afield, including Warwickshire, Lichfield, Stratford-upon-Avon, Worcestershire, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Bridgnorth, Cannock, Coventry, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Stafford and Telford.
If you are looking for BOAS surgery near Birmingham and want your dog assessed by a team with strong experience in brachycephalic airway care, contact Rock House Vets to discuss the next step.