34th Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Objectives:

To identify risk factors based on CT imaging and signalment of brachycephalic dogs before BOAS surgery and evaluate breed differences for the prevalence of BOAS-related skull and airway morphology.

Methods:

Signalment and preoperative CT imaging parameters, including skull, palate, and airway morphology measurements, and the presence of preoperative pulmonary pathology were evaluated for association with minor (regurgitation/vomiting) or major (re-intubation, postoperative pneumonia or tracheostomy) complications or death. French bulldogs (FB), English bulldogs (EB), pugs, and “other” brachycephalic breeds were compared for incidence of complications and their association with CT-measured parameters.

Results:

The study included 209 dogs (108 FB, 27 EB, 55 pugs, 19 others). Minor complications occurred in 59.8% of the cases, with FB (OR=1.9, P=0.0001) more likely to experience them than other breeds. Major complications occurred in 7.2% of the cases; however, no association with any variable was identified. Death occurred in 3.4% of the cases with EB more likely to die following BOAS surgery (14.8% mortality) than other breeds (OR=3.2, P=0.003). No CT-measured parameter was associated with complications or death. Nasal cross-sectional airway areas were lower, and the palates were longer in EB than in other breeds (P<0.014). The palate thickness and Brachycephalic index were greater in FB than in other breeds (P<0.026). The palate thickness and length were smaller in pugs than in other breeds.

Conclusions:

Airway measurements on preoperative CT images were not associated with the risk of acute perioperative complications or death in dogs undergoing BOAS surgery; however, we identified significant differences in conformation between EB, FB, and pugs. FBs were more likely to experience vomiting/regurgitation perioperatively, while EBs were more likely to die following BOAS surgery.