Brachycephalic upper airway syndrome in a young Boston Terrier

Abstract

On 3/14/06 a 4.5 month-old Boston terrier presented to the Cornell University Hospital for Animals for surgical treatment of Brachycephalic Upper Airway Syndrome (BUAS). This patient had a 3-month history of progressive stertorous breathing. The patient originally presented to the Medicine Service on 2/21/06 for this condition. A thorough diagnostic work-up was performed. The results were negative for disease. Thus, the patient was given a definitive diagnosis of stenotic nares with a presumptive diagnosis of BUAS and was referred to the Soft Tissue Surgery Service for further diagnostic testing and surgical treatment. Laryngoscopy was performed under heavy sedation revealing an elongated soft palate and everted laryngeal saccules consistent with BUAS. The patient was then prepped for the following surgical treatments: 1) laryngeal sacculectomy with metzenbaum scissors; 2) soft palate resection with CO2 laser; 3) lateral wedge resection of stenotic nares. Surgery was successful and the patient recovered well.