By: Connie Warren, CVT, VTS (Anesthesia)-Coral Springs Animal Hospital Anesthesia Nurse & Surgery Team Leader
Brachycephalic patients have some breed specific issues
Brachycephalic dogs are
that we don’t normally encounter with the average
those with a very short
healthy patient. The narrow nares make it difficult for
nose, wide skull, wide thick
them to breathe through their nose, and the long soft
tongue and protruding
palate can get in the way of their trachea, making that
eyes. “Smooshed” face is a
also difficult for them to breathe through their mouth.
common term used with
When they get in a stressful situation or become anxious
these breeds. These dogs
(like coming into a veterinary hospital), and start panthave narrow nares, an
ing, this is when respiratory distress can occur. When
elongated soft palate wide,
this happens, the elongated soft palate can start blockeverted laryngeal saccules,
ing the trachea such that they cannot successfully transthick tongues and small
fer air and begin to turn blue. This creates a challenge
tracheas. These abnormalas veterinary technicians to treat these patients and keep
ities make these dogs
them from collapsing due to lack of oxygen. Antianxiety
prone to upper respiratory problems such as snoring,
medications in low doses can be helpful to reduce anxierespiratory stridor and exercise intolerance. Common
ty while in the hospital. Low doses of acepromazine can
brachycephalic breeds are the Boston Terrier, Pug, Engbe very helpful in relieving stress without causing undo
lish Bulldog, French Bulldog, Boxer and the Shih Tzu.
sedation or respirato