BOAS Surgery

5/5 BOAS Surgery - Dr Belinda Wright Bvsc (hons)

What is BOAS Surgery

BOAS is short for Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome. The flat-face and shortened skull results in abnormal anatomy of the upper airways. Brachycephalic dogs typically have narrowed nostrils, overly-long soft palates and excessive tissue around the larynx (in the throat) and within the nasal cavity. The trachea (windpipe) can also be very narrow. As a result of their anatomy and narrowed airways, dogs can have breathing difficulties that negatively impact their daily life. Symptoms of BOAS in dogs BOAS physically obstructs airflow and causes problems with breathing.

How is BOAS diagnosed?

Most dogs are diagnosed between one and four years of age. Males and females are affected equally. The diagnosis is made based on a combination of factors including the breed of dog, symptoms, and physical examination findings. Stenotic nares can be observed through a routine exam. Further evaluation requires your dog to be lightly anesthetized to assess the soft palate and laryngeal saccules.

Symptoms of BOAS

Dogs suffering from BOAS may exhibit the following:

Snoring Loud/difficult breathing

Reduced ability to exercise

Poor tolerance to heat

Trouble sleeping (sleep apnoea)

Digestive problems, such as regurgitation and vomiting

Dogs suffering from BOAS are more likely to require emergency veterinary treatment as they may be at risk of collapse and life-threatening airway obstruction.

5/5 BOAS Surgery Explained

1. Widening of the nostrils (Deep vertical wedge and vestibuloplasty vs traders and vestibuloplasty)

2. Shortening of an elongated soft palate

3. Thinning of a thickened soft palate

4. Removal of inflamed and everted laryngeal saccules

5. Removal of enlarged tonsils.

What to do if you think your dog need BOAS?

At Dr B’s Vet clinic, we offer pre-BOAS consultation. Dr Belinda will perform the examination of the respiratory system and evaluate BOAS Functional Grading. Then, Dr Belinda will discuss what kind of procedures she is going to perform during BOAS surgery. She will also go over preoperative and post-operative care.

We will also provide a 3 days course of GI protectant and prokinetic. The medication course will be finished a night before BOAS surgery.

If you have any questions about Pre-BOAS consult, please feel free to ring (07) 3802 8763.