A blocked nose is like a fortress under siege, with mucus piling up behind the nostrils, forming an impenetrable wall.

Every time you attempt to breathe it feels like you are trying to suck air through a clogged straw.

The saying “Just breathe through your mouth, dear!” isn’t that simple!

Imagine your mouth, dry from a constant open position, making each breath feel like swallowing sandpaper. And there is no escaping the accompanying symphony of wheezes & sniffs that punctuate the air every few seconds.

It isn’t just about breathing; it is about the sense of normalcy that is stolen away by a blocked nose.

As people we will try everything. From menthol ointment under the nostrils, hoping for a miracle, to long, steamy showers, praying that the steam will break through the blockade. We even prop up with extra pillows at night, hoping gravity might assist in finding some relief.

But imagine nothing works. Each night, you lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, with a mouth dry as a desert, wishing for the simple luxury of a deep, unobstructed breath through the nose. Sleep becomes a distant memory with the battle, the urge to flip from side to side, searching for a position that would grant the tiniest breath of air.

It is amazing how something as simple as a stuffy nose can turn the world upside down.

This is what life is like for dogs who suffer from Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) & this is why we must all continue to share these very important stories !