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Minimally Invasive BOAS Laser Surgery!
Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) is common in short-nose breeds that restrict their airway and daily breathing.
Breeds like French Bulldogs, Pugs, English Bulldogs, and Shih Tzus have shorter heads, flat faces, and compact snouts. While these features make them irresistibly cute, they also restrict airflow. The shortened airways, narrowed nostrils, and elongated soft palates common in these breeds can make breathing difficult — especially during exercise, excitement, in warm weather, and even while sleeping.
Ever notice that Bulldogs do a lot of snorting? That’s probably due to an elongated soft palate.
The soft palate is the soft part at the back of the roof of the mouth that separates the nasal passages from the mouth. In brachycephalic breeds, the soft palate extends into the throat & can block the trachea (windpipe).
Lots of barking & panting causes the tissues to swell which leads to breathing problems & respiratory distress. To help correct this problem the elongated soft palate is surgically corrected.
Stenotic nares refers to narrowing of the nostrils. This limits the airflow, making breathing through the nose difficult. When the nostrils are narrow, corrective surgery helps patients breathe better.
Early correction of airway obstruction is now more common and helps predisposed patients avoid the complications of BOAS.
Give Your Dog the Gift of Easy Breathing
BOAS Symptoms
These are the common BOAS symptoms
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Noisy breathing (especially with exercise)
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Snoring
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Snorting
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Tired easily with exercise
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Collapse
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Coughing
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Gagging
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Retching
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Vomiting
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Regurgitating
BOAS Recovery & Treatment
Some dogs may seem to cope quite well with BOAS (or perhaps people consider some of the symptoms listed above as “normal for the breed”), but dogs with these features have been selectively bred over the years for their appearance, rather than for their ability to breathe easily and this can lead to long term health detriments. The only treatment for dogs suffering from BOAS is surgery. A dog with BOAS may deteriorate with time, so the sooner intervention is done to help, the better the expected outcome. The surgical procedure(s) required to correct BOAS are done under general anesthesia. Surgery is far less risky if the patient’s symptoms are only mild or caught early (when the patient is young, 6-18 months of age). There are however a few things you can do that may help lessen your dog’s symptoms.
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Weight control – weight loss is critical to reduce the severity of BOAS
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Avoid hot humid weather – this can cause overheating
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Avoid stress
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Avoid over-exercising, especially on warmer days
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Keep cool indoors
Benefits of Using a CO2 Laser For Surgery
We use a CO2 laser that allows for precise removal of excess tissue with minimal damage to surrounding structures. The laser also cauterizes as it cuts, leading to less bleeding and a quicker, more comfortable recovery.
Early surgery using minimally invasive methods can significantly improve comfort and extend life expectancy.
Veterinary medicine is much better equipped now to address the surgical needs of BOAS patients. Advancement of CO2 laser techniques, better evaluation of brachycephalic patients, and earlier surgical intervention have dramatically improved the welfare of brachycephalic dogs.
What happens during a BOAS surgery?
Widening of the stenotic nares (constricted nostrils)
As seen in Fig 1, the nostrils of a brachycephalic breed tend to be very narrow, making it difficult for them to breathe. During surgery, the nostrils are trimmed to allow for a larger opening and in turn better intake of air to assist with breathing.
Shortening an elongated soft palate
Brachycephalic breeds tend to have an excessive amount of thickened soft tissue that hangs down from the roof of the mouth at the back of the throat. This area is known as the soft palate.
As shown in Fig 2, a brachycephalic breed’s soft palate can be so long that it narrows the opening to the trachea, again leading to further stress on the dog’s breathing abilities.
