BOAS Surgery Stoke On Trent

Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) is a recognised condition predominantly affecting certain dog breeds with shorter muzzles, flatter noses and wide-shaped heads, known as brachycephalic breeds (‘brachy’ meaning short, and ‘cephalic’, meaning head).

Common breeds of brachycephalic dogs include

Common breeds of brachycephalic dogs include French and English bulldogs, Shih Tzus, Pugs, Boxers, Mastiffs and Pekingese. Other breeds with longer noses, such as Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, can also be affected, although less commonly.

In some brachycephalic dogs, the soft tissues of the nose and throat may be excessive and lead to partial obstruction of their airways. This makes it difficult for these dogs to breathe normally, causing noisy breathing and often heavy panting. This condition is a progressive disorder that can impair a dog’s ability to;

Exercise and play – reduced ability, slow, may appear lazy or less inclined to go for a walk.
Eat – frequently regurgitates.
Sleep – excessive snoring and may wake themselves up when they can’t catch a breath properly.

The condition may deteriorate with time, so the sooner something can be done to help, the better the expected outcome. Also, general anaesthesia and surgery are far less risky in maintaining an open airway if the symptoms are mild or caught early.

Contact us for BOAS Surgery at our Clinic near Stoke On Trent

NARROW NOSTRILS?
Having narrow nostrils makes breathing difficult; some severely affected dogs have to pant to get enough air.

CROWDED NOSE AND THROAT?
Flat-faced dogs have a lot of nose tissue packed into a small space, which means they have to breathe through very narrow, crowded nasal passages.

OVERLONG SOFT PALATE?
Flat-faced dogs often have a large soft palate that sits further back than normal. It often covers the windpipe, which makes breathing difficult.

The soft palate can also cause problems during sleep – if it’s covering the windpipe you may notice your dog snoring or waking up suddenly gasping for breath.

NARROW WINDPIPE?
A narrow windpipe makes breathing difficult, especially when exercising. Breathing through a narrow windpipe is a bit like trying to breathe through a drinking straw. There are also two sacs inside the windpipe that often become enlarged and cause further problems.

Contact us for BOAS Surgery at our Clinic near Stoke On Trent

In BOAS procedures, administering the anesthetic, particularly during the postoperative recovery phase, is the main concern. Although major complications—including death—are rare, they may still occur during the recovery period.

The team at Rock House Veterinary Clinic in Wolverhampton prioritises our patients’ safety and well-being throughout all surgical stages. We act holistically to reduce complication risks and provide the best quality of treatment for your beloved companion.

Dogs with extreme brachycephalic features like Pugs, Bulldogs, and French Bulldogs, BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome) may seriously compromise their health and well-being. Responsible pet ownership involves an understanding of the risk factors connected with BOAS.

• Compared to dogs within a normal body weight, obese dogs experience symptoms of BOAS more than twice as often. Reducing the risk mostly requires keeping a good weight by following a suitable diet and exercise.
• Dogs with very extreme brachycephalic features face higher risks associated with BOAS. Compared to other breeds, shockingly, data suggests that 17% of dogs with high brachycephalic conformation died from this disease.
• Dogs who have strong brachycephalic conformation enjoy an average of 8.6 years, compared to other breeds, resulting in their average lifespan is undoubtedly shorter. This highlights how urgently education efforts and proactive efforts are needed to address BOAS-related medical concerns.

See our knowledgeable veterinary professionals for advice if you have questions regarding BOAS or any other health problems compromising your beloved companion.

Since many of the issues related to BOAS result from obstructed airways, treatment primarily aims at improving breathing through the removal of these obstructions. Typically, surgical techniques to expand the nostrils and shorten the soft palate help achieve this. Correcting these physical defects in dogs often leads to significant and long-lasting respiratory improvements.

Only a small percentage of dogs may respond poorly to initial treatment and develop worsening symptoms. Given such circumstances, especially focussing on the larynx, further treatment may be required to ease their breathing problems and improve their quality of life.
Our veterinary staff at Rock House Veterinary Clinic is committed to making sure your beloved companion gets BOAS treatment at the highest quality.

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Dogs who suffer from BOAS have more difficulty breathing, which then can cause secondary difficulties to develop over time. In dogs, increased weight gain from restricted exercise and aging over time may develop into life-threatening breathing difficulties.

The main objective of treatment is to clear and unblock the airways. Our veterinary surgeon will do a soft palate resection (removal of extra soft palate skin that promotes snoring). And a stenotic nare resection (widening of the nostrils to improve airflow). The reduced effort required to breathe following surgery will greatly improve your dog’s quality of life. Most dogs will benefit from increased exercise, better feeding and digestion, heat tolerance, better sleep, and reduced snoring.

Depending on factors such as your dog’s age and the severity of their condition, the recovery period typically lasts between 1 and 2 weeks, with most cases being uncomplicated.

Before he can return home, your dog will receive pain treatment and undergo monitoring for 8-24 hours. Once allowed home, they should rest for one week; ideally, no activity would cause heavy breathing and barking, i.e., short walks and light play.

According to recent studies, approximately 70% of dogs who undergo BOAS surgery report a significant improvement in their quality of life. The effort needed for breathing, eating and digesting, sleeping, snoring less loudly, and exercising significantly improves.

BOAS Surgery at our Clinic near Stoke On Trent

Puppies as young as 3-4 months old can undergo surgery. The dog’s age determines the outcome at the time of operation and the level of severity of the clinical conditions. We recommend waiting till your dog is 12 months before performing surgery.

Rock House Vets near Stoke On Trent for BOAS Surgery