Brachycephalic Airway Obstructive Syndrome

Do you have a dog with a flat face or a short nose?

If you answered yes to any of the above, then your dog may be suffering from a condition called brachycephalic syndrome, which literally means short skull.

This can be a worrying but common condition in short-nosed breeds like English bulldogs, Pugs and Boxers. It needs your immediate attention, as sadly the signs are often picked up too late. This syndrome can make your dog susceptible to skin infections, heart, and eye problems but the most serious threat to your dog’s welfare is the struggle to breathe, unfortunately, the condition can cause severe suffering and sometimes even death.

Luckily there is a solution and we have the skill and expertise here at Streatham Hill Vets and Briar House Vets to diagnose and treat your precious pet. Simply book an urgent appointment with our lead surgeons Gabriella Pappa and Enrico Cecchetti, who have extensive training and great experience in diagnosing and treating this condition successfully. Helping to improve the quality of life of dogs who have undergone treatment to rectify this worrying problem.

Over the last year, many pets have visited both Gabriella and Enrico asking for their help! They received a first-class care treatment and went home after the surgery feeling more comfortable and happier. Meet below, some of our gorgeous canine patients who came in for a BOAS surgery. BOAS surgery is Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome surgery which involves making the nostrils wider and shortening the soft palate allowing easier passage of air down the trachea.

☎️ If you are worried about your brachycephalic furbaby, call our practices to arrange a BOAS assessment with Gabriella or Enrico!

Loki

Lovely Loki, who joined for a complex BOAS Surgery, spent the evening at ‘Briar Hotel’ under the watchful eye of our team and was fit for discharge the following day😍😍 But not before some Team Briar cuddles 😍😍 See you for your post-op check Loki xx

Mango

Meet the very handsome Mango 😍 As a brachycephalic breed (flat-nosed), Mango was born with certain anatomical features that made breathing difficult for him 😥 This included very narrow nostrils, a very long soft-palate which could block his trachea (windpipe), and everted laryngeal saccules (small lumps in the back of the throat, that may become ‘everted’ and reduce the space available for air to pass)

Following a BOAS assessment with our fab surgeon, Gabriella, she recommended surgery to correct these issues. The surgery went well and you can see the difference in the size of his nostrils in the photos! Hopefully, he feels a lot more comfortable in himself from now on, especially in the hot weather!! 🥵

Mango has been a very popular boy in practice this week, and has been demanding lots of cuddles from our nurses, who were more than happy to oblige 🥰 we all wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to more cuddles and tail wags at his check-ups!

Bear

This little cutie is Bear! 🐶😍 The surgery went great and Bear went home on that day! We were so happy seeing him back healthy and happy for his post-surgery check-up.😊

Zoro

This handsome man is Zoro! Zoro had surgery for Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) by our wonderful vet Gabriella last week.

Zoro loved saying hi to everyone and getting lots of treats. – Especially to Gabriella! (They became best friends 🐶❤️

Lily

Meet beautiful little Lily who came to see the amazing Gabriella for her BOAS surgery 🐕

Lily’s owners brought her in with concerns related to her breathing, particularly when exercising; a common symptom with BOAS 🏃🏻‍♀️

Her surgery went very well and you can see that she’s super happy with her new and improved nose 👃🐶

Reggie

This gorgeous boy is Reggie! 😍
Reggie was suffering from BOAS syndrome which is a common but worrying condition for French bulldogs like Reggie! 😳
Thankfully, our amazing surgeon Gabriella, has the skills and the expertise to successfully perform such a difficult surgery!👩‍🔬
We are very happy to report that Reggie’s surgery went great and he is feeling more comfortable now! 🐶
You can see in the picture that Reggie and Gabriella really bonded and possibly became best friends! 💕 He gave Gabriella lots of thankyou kisses and put his best smile on for this lovely picture! 🙌

Peggy

Peggy visited us this week for a BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome) surgery. As a brachycephalic breed (flat-nosed), Peggy was born with certain anatomical features that made breathing difficult for her 😥 This included very narrow nostrils and a long soft-palate which was blocking her trachea – or windpipe – and causing airway difficulties.

Following a BOAS assessment with our wonderful certificate holding surgeon, Enrico she was scheduled for her procedure.

The surgery went brilliantly and we have included pictures before, during and after of the widening of her nostrils…. look at the difference!!

While with us, Peggy was a firm favourite with staff – in the picture above, Peggy is with Veterinary Care Assistant Megan getting well earned, post-operative cuddle for being such a brave girl!!