Staphylectomy in nonbrachycephalic dogs: A retrospective study of 27 cases.

OBJECTIVE

To report the outcomes and complications associated with staphylectomy in nonbrachycephalic dogs.

ANIMAL: Twenty-seven nonbrachycephalic dogs with elongated soft palates and undergoing staphylectomy.

PROCEDURE: Retrospective study.

RESULTS

Increased upper airway noise (70.4%) and dyspnea (44.4%) were the most common presenting clinical signs. Concurrent upper airway abnormalities found in the study population included laryngeal collapse (25.9%) and laryngeal paralysis (14.8%). The most common staphylectomy technique used in this study was sharp excision (66.7%) with sutured oral and nasal mucosal apposition. The dogs in this study had an overall minor postoperative complication rate of 33.3%, with regurgitation/vomiting (11.1%) and coughing (11.1%) occurring most commonly. No dog required supplemental oxygen therapy or temporary tracheostomy.

CONCLUSION

Staphylectomy was well-tolerated in nonbrachycephalic dogs and was associated with a relatively low rate of complications. Concurrent airway abnormalities were common among nonbrachycephalic dogs with elongated soft palates, similar to brachycephalic dogs.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinicians should be aware that elongated soft palate can occur in nonbrachycephalic dogs, and surgical correction can be achieved with rare major or catastrophic complications.