33rd Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Introduction
Laryngeal collapse has a high prevalence in dogs with BOAS. Higher grade laryngeal collapse may be treated surgically via cuneiformectomy using a procedure developed by Oechtering. There is conflicting literature concerning the complication rate and efficacy of cuneiformectomy. BOAS severity may be assessed using Respiratory Functional Grading (RFG) or Whole Body Barometric Plethysmography (WBBP).

Materials and Methods
182 dogs with BOAS undergoing modified multilevel airway surgery (95 control dogs; 87 additionally undergoing cuneiformectomy). Cuneiformectomy was performed if clinically indicated where grade 2 or 3 laryngeal collapse was present. Dogs were assessed for preoperative stridor and laryngeal collapse, RFG and WBBP index scores, hospitalisation duration and complication rates. Major complications were those necessitating surgical intervention or leading to euthanasia.

Results
Mean RFG reduction was 0.91 and 1.14 for controls and treatment dogs respectively. Mean WBBP index reduction was 21.0% and 24.7% for controls and treatment dogs respectively.  Hospitalisation duration (p=0.751) and general complication rate (p=0.793) did not differ between groups, however the rate of major complications was significantly higher (p=0.041) in the treatment group (11.6%) relative to controls (3.2%).

Discussion
Though the major complication rate was higher in the treatment group, these dogs were more severely affected and may have represented higher risk surgical candidates. Cuneiformectomy is not associated with a higher general complication rate than conventional multilevel surgery and is an effective treatment for laryngeal collapse in dogs with BOAS.