Baby is a 15 month old french bulldog who suffered from Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome.

He snored Zzz loudly, had sleep apnea (struggled to get adequate oxygen during sleep), had exercise intolerance, & suffered from daily episodes of regurgitation.

Baby also was recently treated for aspiration pneumonia secondary to BOAS.

An ELONGATED SOFT PALATE = ANIMAL WELFARE ISSUE in BRACHYCEPHALIC DOGS.

The soft palate = soft part at the back of the roof of the mouth that separates the nasal passages from the mouth.

An elongated soft palate extends into the throat (they suck this into the air pipe as they attempt to breathe) & it blocks oxygen airflow into the trachea/windpipe

Excitement, stress, barking, & panting causes the tissues to swell which leads to respiratory distress, airway collapse, & airway diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, heatstroke, & collapse.

To help correct this problem the elongated soft palate requires surgical correction which is known as a staphylectomy.

Did you know that adequate thermoregulation is dependent on nasal ventilation ?

Without the ability to breathe through the nose, brachycephalics are forced to breathe through the mouth. This is why we see these breeds open mouth breathing & panting.

Stenotic nares are genetic, caused by a malformation of the cartilage in the nose, & are a component of brachycephalic syndrome.

Stenotic nares are present from birth, though they might not cause problems until later in life.

Over time the increased airway resistance from pinched nostrils leads to increased effort to breathe in. This is hard on the larynx, which can collapse, making breathing nearly impossible which can lead to death.Dogs affected by stenotic nares can show the following symptoms:
* Noisy breathing, especially during inhalation
* Exercise intolerance
* Cyanosis – blue gums due to lack of oxygen
* Fainting