Now Offering Brachycephalic Airway Surgeries!
We at Westgate Pet Clinic are pleased to be able to offer our surgical services for brachycephalic airway surgeries to dogs from all local Twin Cities MVP clinics. Using our Aesculight VetScalpel CO2 laser, Dr. Valerie Aliano will perform brachycephalic airway surgeries including stenotic nares, elongated soft palates, and everted laryngeal saccules. If this service would benefit one of your patients, please fill out the attached referral form and we will reach out to clients to begin the scheduling process.
FAQs/Talking Points for Clients:
Brachycephalic dogs such as French Bulldogs, English Bulldogs, Pugs, and Boston Terriers have been selectively bred for shortened faces. Unfortunately this leads to a combination of anatomic abnormalities that make breathing difficult. Over time the increased pressure caused by their heavier breathing leads to increased inflammation and hyperplasia of these structures, which makes breathing progressively more difficult and increases the risk of airway obstruction. Some of these abnormalities such as hypoplastic trachea have no surgical option for treatment, but others including stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, and everted laryngeal saccules can be surgically altered to open up the airway and decrease the resistance to airflow.
Stenotic nares are corrected by removing a wedge of tissue to widen the nostrils. Elongated soft palates are corrected by surgically removing the back part of the soft palate that is too long. Laryngeal saccules are removed by excising them at the base. These surgeries are performed with a surgical CO2 laser in order to reduce hemorrhage and swelling during and after the procedure.
If clients prefer their pet to be spayed or neutered at the time of their upper airway surgery instead of a separate procedure, this can be arranged as well.
Dogs will need a CBC, chemistry, and PT/PTT performed within 3 months of the day of surgery. Dogs will take oral famotidine, maropitant, and trazodone the night before surgery, and famotidine and trazodone the morning of surgery. These medications may be prescribed by the veterinarian at the primary clinic.
Standard fasting for 12 hours prior to anesthesia.
Exercise should be restricted for 1 week postoperatively (2 weeks if spayed or neutered). Pets should eat soft food for 1 week after surgery, and there may be mild coughing or noisy breathing due to inflammation. Aquaphor ointment should be applied to the nostrils for 1 week after nares surgery to reduce crusting. No suture removal is necessary.
Besides the standard anesthetic risks, clients should be educated about the risks of laryngeal edema leading to airway obstruction. Although this risk is lessened by using the CO2 laser instead of a scalpel, it is still a possibility so patients will need to be closely monitored after surgery. There is also a risk for aspiration pneumonia with upper airway surgery.
Patients will need a pre-operative consultation with Dr. Aliano which costs $98. Bloodwork can be performed by the referring veterinarian but otherwise can be done at the pre-operative consultation. As a general estimate for the day of surgery, clients can expect $2000-$3500 depending on the extent of the surgeries needed for the individual patient. If their dog will be spayed or neutered at the time of their upper airway surgery, expect an additional $350-$500.
Please email us the patient’s medical records with the below referral form attached to help streamline that initial appointment. We will reach out to clients within 24-48 hours to set up the pre-operative consultation.
