Brachycephalic Airway Disease

We’ll help your bulldog get the most out of life!

At Macquarie Veterinary Hospital, we love our squashed faced dogs. We just want to help them breathe easier.

Brachycephalic airway disease refers to all squashed faced dogs that by definition have alterations to their breathing because of the shape of their nose and airways. The changes start right from the tip of their nostrils, through to the back of the throat and soft palate, down their windpipe and into their lungs.

The most common breeds we see in for surgery are Pugs, French bulldogs, Australian bulldogs, British bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. We assess each dog in their own right to see exactly what surgery will involve for them. One thing we know for sure is that every single one will benefit from surgery, we just have to figure out specifically what is needed in each case.

The surgical options include widening of the nostrils, shortening of the soft palate and removal of the laryngeal saccules if required.

We know the risk of surgical and anaesthetic complications is higher in bulldogs and pugs so we take all the precautions we can to make the surgery as safe as possible. For that reason all dogs will have a blood test and chest x-rays prior to surgery to make sure they are otherwise healthy candidates for the procedure. After surgery, we send all cases for overnight monitoring before they go home with you the next day.

Improved Quality of Life!

Your dog will appreciate the ability to breath with comparative ease and enjoy playing for longer without losing their breath! Now that sounds good!

Improved Long Term Health

We know that performing airway surgery will decrease the chances of harmful secondary changes to your pet’s lungs and windpipe later in life. That means a lifetime of improved breathing.

Anaesthetic Safety & Monitoring

We use the latest in anaesthtetic protocols, techniques and monitoring to make your pet’s anaesthetic as safe as possible.

Pre Surgery Care

We understand that surgery for your pet can be daunting and scary. The aim of our pre-surgery care is to minimise your concerns and prepare your pet for safe and stress free surgery.

Prior to the day of your pug or bulldog’s surgery, we will dispense a medication called ‘omeprazole’ to help reduce the acidity of the stomach and lower the irritation to the oesphagus for 10 days leading up to the surgery day.

The day before surgery one our team members will give you a call to remind you of your  admission time and to answer any questions you may have. A text message and email will also be sent as a helpful reminder as well.

The main points to remember are to:

  • Withhold food on the day of surgery;
  • Water is ok up until you leave the house to come to the clinic;
  • Take your pet for a short toilet walk prior to arriving at the clinic;
  • Arrive at the clinic at your scheduled appointment time.

When you arrive at the clinic one of our vets will take your dog through to the hospital straight away, so that they can avoid any disturbance in the waiting room and have more time to settle into the dog hospital ward.

A vet will then explain the procedure for the day and take you through some paperwork, including:

  • Standard consent forms for the surgery and the anaesthetic and explain the additional risks involved with the procedure;
  • Answer any questions you may have about the procedure;
  • Remind you of the pick up time the following day and that the 24 hour facility will require direct payment for the overnight monitoring.

For all dogs undergoing brachyceohalic airway surgery, a blood test is performed in the clinic on the morning of the surgery. This test is designed to pick up any early stage any internal health concerns that may affect the anaesthetic. The test includes a check of the liver and kidney values, blood glucose level, electrolyte levels, overall protein level and overall red blood cell count.

Additionally, xrays of the chest are taken to look for any hernias or an under-developed trachea (windpipe) that may mean the surgery will need to be delayed.

If both these tests are ok then we will proceed to surgery.

Brachycephalic Airway Surgery

We take anaesthetic monitoring and airway surgery in brachycephalic dogs very seriously. We use the latest in recommended anaesthetic and surgical techniques to get the best outcome we can for you dog.

Surgery on the airways is a delicate procedure. Our lead surgery vet, Dr Matt Buchanan-Pascall, has undergone further surgical training and has his GPCert in Small Animal Surgery. He performs these procedures regularly and uses the latest techniques to achieve the best outcomes for his patients.

Airway surgery involves a combination of the following procedures depending on your dog’s specific needs as noted at the time of surgery:

  • Widening of the nares (nostrils) -this involves making incisions into the tissue of the nostrils to greatly open up the size of the nostrils.
  • Shortening of the soft palate – this involves surgically removing excess tissue from the roof of the mouth at the back of the throat and allow air to pass more easily from the nose and mouth and into the windpipe.
  • Removal of laryngeal saccules – this is only performed in patients where the saccules (two litttle sacs at the opening of the windpipe) have moved into a position and are obstructing the windpipe.

We take anaesthetic monitoring extremely seriously and are proud to offer the highest level of monitoring care for you pet.

We go above and beyond the accepted standards to include:

  1. monitoring of oxygen levels via an spO2 probe (called pulse oximetry)
  2. a continuous ECG trace to track the heart’s rhythm throughout surgery;
  3. blood pressure monitoring – this is the key to a successful recovery;
  4. carbon dioxide monitoring to ensure the lungs are able to blow off all harmful gases;
  5. patients are warmed with a ‘bare hugger‘ to prevent deleterious cooling;
  6. all patients receive intravenous fluids to ensure hydration remains perfect;
  7. we use the most modern anaesthetic machines and drug protocols.

Additionally, our airway surgeries include the following additional safety measures:

  • All patients receive ‘omeprazole’ before and after surgery to reduce their risk of vomiting peri-operatively;
  • All patients have a blood test and chest x-rays taken prior to surgery to ensure there are no other underlying health concerns;
  • All patients receive oxygen before and after surgery and monitored one-on-one for the first 2 hours after surgery;
  • All patients are transferred to a 24 hour emergency facility for overnight monitoring on the day of surgery.

As with any procedure, there are potential risks with the anaesthetic as well as with the surgery. We do know that all anaesthetics in brachycephalic dogs carry higher rates of complications, including death and pneumonia when compared to pets with a long nose.

Due to the increased risk of complications, we include the following additional safety measures for these procedures:

  • All patients receive ‘omeprazole’ before and after surgery to reduce their risk of vomiting peri-operatively;
  • All patients have a blood test and chest x-rays taken prior to surgery to ensure there are no other underlying health concerns;
  • All patients receive oxygen before and after surgery and monitored one-on-one for the first 2 hours after surgery;
  • All patients are transferred to a 24 hour emergency facility for overnight monitoring on the day of surgery.

Post Surgery Care

Following surgery, we transfer all patients across to a 24 hour hospital (Northside Emergency Veterinary Service) for overnight monitoring.  This helps reduce the risk of post operative complications and means any issues can be addressed if they arise. We then have them transferred back to our clinic for further monitoring the next day for one final check before they go home!

Our patients generally recover exceptionally quickly from surgery, so it can be tempting to get back to normal activity straight away. However, remember that whilst the surgery seems routine, it is still considered major surgery.

Please strictly rest your fur child in a warm, calm environment for the first 7 days post surgery. This may mean you need to separate them from other pets in the meantime to facilitate the chance to recuperate in peace.

Patient comfort is our priority! All dogs undergoing airway surgery receive pain relief to go home with as well as anti-nausea medication to reduce the risk of vomiting after the anaesthetic.

Most dogs recover extremely quickly from surgery and are comfortable within 24 hours after surgery. However, if you feel that your fur child still seems uncomfortable then we always encourage you to contact us for any further advice on providing additional comfort.

We provide two complimentary visits with one of our vets following bracycephalic airway surgery. The first appointment occurs 2-4 days after surgery and then again a week later.

During the appointment we will further ask you how you think your pet is recovering and then perform a basic health and surgery site check to ensure we are happy with how you fur child is recovering.

Gap Only Payments Available!

We work directly with most insurance companies so that you only have to pay the gap for any hospital treatment or surgery. Sorted!

Gap only treatment available at Macquarie Veterinary Hospital in North Ryde