BOAS Surgery Warwickshire
Clinic in Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) Surgery near Warwickshire
Rock House Vet Wolverhampton is one of the UK’s number one choices for Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) Surgery. We are based in Wolverhampton in the West Midlands, but have people travel from all over the UK due to our experience in this area. We aim to offer our BOAS surgery at realistic prices while still offering only the best in treatments and aftercare.
What our BOAS surgery involves:
We offer an X-ray to every patient, this is essential to investigate the presence of concurrent and secondary diseases such as aspiration pneumonia or megaoesophagus.
Your surgery will only be carried out by a veterinary surgeon who is skilled and has a wealth of experience in this field.
All of our BOAS patients will then have our head nurse as their dedicated nurse with them at all times during the recovery process.
All our BOAS patients are offered direct contact with our BOAS team who are contactable day and night for the first week after surgery for any questions or queries you may have about your pet’s recovery. Please note this is for advice only and we recommend seeking veterinary care as soon as possible if your pet has a genuine emergency (such as difficulty breathing or collapse).
We take pride in our ability to take care of these issues and surgery on a daily basis. It’s important to know that having a vet that has a lot of experience with brachycephalic breeds is extremely important when choosing to own this type of breed.
Get in touch for more information about our BOAS Surgery in Wolverhampton
Why are only certain breeds affected by BOAS?
Dog Breeds with short noses have a compacted skeleton, which can cause several malformations. This includes malformations in their spines, tails, nasal cavities and spines and their tails. This means their soft tissue is excessive for their skeleton. Which explains the number of skin folds brachycephalic dogs have on their faces and bodies. Similar folds and excessive soft tissues are also present inside the body. This often leads to airway obstructions. The skin folds may also cause dermatological problems.
BOAS FAQs
What is BOAS?
Dogs with a flat, wide-shaped head are said to be brachycephalic (‘brachy’ meaning short, and ‘cephalic’, meaning head). The soft tissue in the nose and throat of some brachycephalic dogs may be excessive for the airways, partially obstructing the airway and making it difficult for them to breathe normally (causing heavy panting or noisy breathing). This condition is known as BOAS and is a progressive disorder that can impair a dog’s ability to exercise, play, eat and sleep.
Contact us for BOAS Surgery at our Clinic near Warwickshire, West Midlands
Are your vets trained especially for BOAS?
YES!!! A selection of regionally approved assessors (vets trained especially in BOAS) have been appointed to carry out respiratory function grading on dogs, Our practice offers two exceptional boas vets.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF BOAS?
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.
Get in touch for BOAS Surgery at our Clinic near Warwickshire
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS OF DOGS WITH BOAS?
Obese dogs are more than twice as likely to show signs of BOAS as dogs with normal body conditions.
Unfortunately, the cause of death for dogs is 17% with extreme brachycephalic conformation (Pugs, Bulldogs and French Bulldogs) compared to 0% for all other breeds of dogs.
The lifespan of dogs with extreme brachycephalic conformation is younger (8.6 years) than all other dog breeds (12.7 years).
HOW IS BOAS TREATED?
As most of the problems included in BOAS result from upper airway obstruction, the main initial focus is unblocking the airways. This is mostly achieved by surgically widening the nares and shortening the soft palate. In most instances, dogs having undergone surgery will be sufficiently and durably improved to never require any additional surgical treatments for their airways. However, a small subset of dogs will deteriorate further with time and require more treatments, especially for their larynx.
What does your BOAS surgery include?
Our BOAS surgery includes…
- Widening of the nostrils
- Shortening of the elongated palate
- Removal of everted laryngeal saccules
- Removal of enlarged tonsils
- X-ray to check for hyperplastic trachea and other issues that may be present.
- Trained dedicated BOAS nurse post surgery and throughout recovery
CAN BOAS (BRACHYCEPHALIC OBSTRUCTIVE AIRWAY SYNDROME) WORSEN WITH AGE?
Dogs who suffer from BOAS, have more difficulty breathing, which then can cause secondary difficulties to develop over time. Added weight gain from restricted exercise and ageing over time may develop into life-threatening breathing difficulties in dogs.
WILL BOAS STOP MY DOG FROM SNORING?
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.
HOW LONG WILL RECOVERY TAKE AFTER BOAS SURGERY?
Depending on factors including age and the severity of your dog’s condition, it’s usual for the recovery period to be between 1 -2 weeks, for most recovery is uncomplicated.
Your dog will be treated for pain and also monitored for 8-24 hours before being able to go home. Once released, they should rest for 1 week, ideally, no activity that would cause heavy breathing and barking i.e short walks and light play.
What aftercare should we expect post surgery?
We offer a dedicated BOAS nurse who keeps in daily contact via WhatsApp throughout recovery.
HOW SUCCESSFUL IS BOAS SURGERY?
Recent studies have shown around 70% of dogs that undergo BOAS surgery show a significant improvement in life. Greatly improving effort required for breathing, eating and digestion, sleeping, snoring less loudly and exercise.
WHAT IS THE IDEAL AGE FOR BOAS SURGERY?
Surgery can be performed on puppies who are as young as 3-4 months old. 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.
Why is your BOAS so much cheaper than other practices?
This is a big one and we are very passionate about this answer!
Firstly we are an independent practice meaning we have the freedom to cost as we feel right.
Yes, we are a business but our passion is the welfare of animals! These animals struggle with EVERY BREATHE and need our help urgently. Imagine if their owners don’t have insurance and can’t afford the thousands of pounds for surgery…..What happens then?? They don’t get help? We are here to help and save animals at a lower cost, that’s the life we chose.
FOLLOWING BOAS SURGERY, WHAT SHOULD I FEED MY DOG?
Their normal diet can be gradually re-introduced after 4–5 days following surgery; however, we advise thoroughly soaking kibble and avoid providing hard food, treats or chews for two weeks. Until the oral incisions heal, we do not encourage raw food to be given for the first two weeks after surgery.
AFTER BOAS SURGERY, IS IT SAFE TO LEAVE MY DOG ALONE?
Until the effects of the anaesthesia wear off after BOAS surgery, avoid leaving your dog alone for twelve to twenty-four hours.
During these 24 to 48 hours, your dog can have minor swelling, pain, or even changes in breathing, all causing distress to your dog.
If you must leave your dog alone, confine them to a secure area where they cannot jump or overexert themselves. Try to limit their time alone to no more than 1-2 hours. You could use a crate or a baby gate to limit their movement. Consider using a pet camera to monitor your dog during your absence.
Do we educate our clients when it comes to breeding and BOAS?
Yes, we do, neutering is also really strongly advised and discounted at the time of surgery or offered at a later date. This is to promote the healthy breeding of these brachycephalic animals.
Do you offer BOAS Surgery near me?
Yes, we offer BOAS Surgery Near You in the West Midlands including:
Our Veterinary Clinic is based in Wolverhampton, where we cover areas of Birmingham, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield. Dudley, Kingswinford and Stourbridge. Sandwell, Wednesbury and West Bromwich. Walsall and Willenhall.
Our professional reputation expands across the Midlands with patients travelling to us from Warwickshire, Lichfield, and Stratford Upon Avon. Worcestershire, Bromsgrove and Redditch. Bridgnorth, Cannock, Coventry, Derbyshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Stoke On Trent, Staffordshire, Stafford and Telford.