Syndromic surveillance of the frequency and severity of respiratory compromise of brachycephalic dogs in ICUs.

Abstract

Brachycephalic dogs (BCD) are increasingly popular companion animals and widely recognized to suffer from respiratory compromise based upon their conformation; however, the actual percentages of BCD in veterinary ICUs are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate a canine ICU census, as well as the presence, development, and severity of respiratory compromise in BCD using syndromic surveillance. Ten institutions provided surveillance data twice weekly over an 11-week study period. The total canine ICU census was 1254 dogs hospitalized during the days and times of the study period; of this population, 125 (10%) were BCD. Fifty-six (45%) BCD were hospitalized in ICUs because they were perceived to be at risk of respiratory complications while recovering from general anesthesia or had a nonrespiratory condition requiring ICU admission, with the remaining 69 dogs (55%) being treated for respiratory disease. Twenty dogs (16%) developed respiratory complications requiring ICU admission after initially being hospitalized for another condition. Four percent of dogs were supported with mechanical ventilation. Syndromic surveillance was a useful method for evaluating the number of BCD in a veterinary ICU. Almost 1 in 5 BCD developed respiratory compromise after initial evaluation for an unrelated problem. Ongoing evaluation of the medical issues associated with brachycephaly is warranted.