Trust VetNaturally With Your Pet’s Stenotic Nares Surgery
When your pet is well taken care of, you can breathe easier. Help your four-legged friend breathe easier, too, with stenotic nares surgery in Mandeville, LA.
If you’ve noticed your pet has difficulty breathing, don’t assume you’ve done something wrong as an owner. It could be the natural shape of their head, throat, and muzzle. Some breeds are born with natural obstructions to their breathing.
Don’t worry; they don’t need to struggle. Here at VetNaturally, we offer stenotic nares surgery to help you and your pet feel more comfortable.
What Is Brachycephalic Syndrome?
The word “brachycephalic” means “short head.” Therefore, breeds of dogs and cats with abnormally short heads are called brachycephalic. These pets have shorter muzzles, making their throats and breathing passages undersized.
Brachycephalic syndrome refers to pets with:
- Stenotic nares (narrow or disfigured nostrils)
- Elongated soft palates (the soft palate is too long for the length of the mouth and partially blocks the entrance to the trachea or the “windpipe”)
- Everted laryngeal saccules (small sacs or pouches that are located inside the larynx: everted saccules are sucked into the airway)
These conditions often occur simultaneously, but not in every case. If you suspect your pet has brachycephalic syndrome, veterinary surgeons can diagnose them with a physical examination.
Typically, if your pet has stenotic nares, you can use surgery to open their airways. Stenotic nares are common among brachycephalic breeds and, most importantly, treatable.
Does Your Dog Need Stenotic Nares Surgery?
You take your dog for a walk, thinking you’re helping them. Exercise is supposed to be good for everyone, right? But when you return home, you notice your pet is struggling to breathe. What do you do?
This is one of the several signs your dog needs stenotic nares surgery. Your dog uses more oxygen when exercising. This can be dangerous if the air can’t properly move through their passageways.
Common breeds requiring stenotic nares surgery include:
- Pugs
- Pekingese
- Boston terriers
- French bulldogs
- English bulldogs
- Boxers
If you own one of the breeds above, keep an eye out for signs of stenotic nares. These may include:
- Snoring
- Salivating
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty with exercise
- Vomiting
- In severe cases, fainting
Experts recommend that pets have stenotic nares surgery earlier in life. If your pet hasn’t been spayed or neutered yet, they suggest having stenotic nares surgery done at the same time.
Additionally, if your pet has other brachycephalic conditions, like an elongated soft palate, it’s best to schedule those procedures simultaneously.
How Does Stenotic Nares Surgery Work?
Understandably, you want to know what’s happening to your pet. It’s hard to hand them over to strangers for surgery.
Before surgery, your dog shouldn’t eat for at least eight hours, including water after midnight. Upon arrival, the vet will perform an exam to check your pet’s vital signs. If everything looks good, they’ll move on to surgery.
The most common surgical technique is the wedge resection..
A vet will use a surgical blade to remove a wedge from the lateral aspect of the alar fold in order to widen the diameter of the nares.
Afterward, your dog should rest with limited activity for 1-2 weeks to protect the incision sites. They’ll receive medication for the pain, but you should monitor their breathing 24-48 hours after the surgery.
Choose VetNaturally for Stenotic Nares Surgery in Mandeville, LA
When scheduling surgery for your pet, you want a trusted veterinary team. Here at VetNaturally, we prioritize your pet’s well-being above all. We are dedicated to helping your pets live happily and healthily. If your pet needs stenotic nares surgery in Mandeville, LA, contact us today at (985) 718-9991 to schedule an appointment.
