Abstract
To assess the breed-specific prevalence of, and effects of corrective airway surgery on, gastrointestinal signs in French bulldogs, English bulldogs and pugs presenting with brachycephalic airway syndrome to a referral teaching hospital. In this retrospective study, ptyalism, regurgitation and vomiting were graded at presentation using a previously established scoring system. Staphylectomy and nares resection were performed on all dogs. Gastrointestinal signs were re-assessed via telephone follow-up at least 6weeks after surgery. Ninety-eight dogs were included: French bulldogs (n=43), English bulldogs (n=12) and pugs (n=43). Overall population prevalence of all gastrointestinal signs was 56%. Breed-specific prevalence for French bulldogs was 93%, English bulldogs 58% and pugs 16%. There was post-surgical clinical improvement in gastrointestinal signs for the whole study population, especially in French bulldogs. The prevalence of gastrointestinal signs in dogs presenting with brachycephalic airway syndrome and improvement in these clinical signs following corrective surgery may vary between breeds.
Highlights
Brachycephalic airway syndrome (BAS) is a broad term describing obstructive airway disease in brachycephalic dogs
Clinical Significance: The prevalence of gastrointestinal signs in dogs presenting with brachycephalic airway syndrome and improvement in these clinical signs following corrective surgery may vary between breeds
Our results suggest that French bulldogs affected with BAS have a higher prevalence of presurgical regurgitation and vomiting (98%) compared to English bulldogs (58%)
Summary
Brachycephalic airway syndrome (BAS) is a broad term describing obstructive airway disease in brachycephalic dogs. & Heidenreich 2016) but a definitive aetiopathogenesis or correlation between brachycephalic GI and respiratory disease has not been established. Clinical GI signs include dysphagia, regurgitation, vomiting and ptyalism and may be related to hiatal hernia, pyloric stenosis and oesophageal deviation or diverticulum (Poncet et al 2005). BAS scoring systems provide graded assessment of respiratory and GI signs (Poncet et al 2005). Ptyalism, regurgitation and vomiting have been assessed together, with the highest grade determining the overall classification. The aetiopathogenesis of individual GI signs (ptyalism, regurgitation or vomiting) in brachycephalic dogs is not understood
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