Boston Terrier puppy struggling to breathe: When can she get surgery?

Poor guy. Unfortunately we don't have video sharing set up through the website. However, you can probably get creative and find out how to share a video using a 3rd party. Regardless of that, even if your pet is having a hard breathing through his nose, he will need to be properly examined unfortunately. Even after a physical exam, he still may need some kind of diagnostic testing such as scoping or radiographs. If an upper airway infection is likley the cause, then a short course of antibiotics should clear things up; however, its imperative that you get Spy seen soon in case this is a more serious condition (i.e. heart disease, pneumonia, bronchitis. I do hope that your pet Spy is going to be ok moving forward. Best of luck and take care.

This situation does present challenges. Certainly keeping her lean is best for her in the long run. Too much added fat just makes breathing more difficult. A picture of your dog was not included, so I am not sure what her nose and nostrils look like, but a surgical procedure can be done to make the opening of the nostrils wider if they are very constructed. This can improve their ability to breathe without having to open mouth breathe. If your vet has never mentioned it, or maybe does not do the procedure-many vets do not- you can ask them for a referral to a veterinary surgeon who does. The surgery is basically like a cosmetic surgery but the benefits can be great. Other things to do are to reduce the humidity in your home, use a light fan where she rests, don't walk her too far or during hot parts of the day. It's great that she has a mom who is so willing to help her.

A staffy is a brachycephalic breed, which means the snout is short, but the rest of the head did not get smaller. So the structures in his mouth stayed the same as if the head was longer. This results in an elongated soft palate, which covers the airway and cuts off the air reaching the lungs. This can be repaired with surgery, ie, the soft palate is cut to a smaller size. It is possible that from the inhalation anesthesia, there is a slight irritation of the soft palate, which should go away soon. Here is some information on the problem: https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/brachycephalic-syndrome

Pixie is so cute! Yes, sometimes short-nosed dogs like Pixie need a surgery to widen their nostrils so they can breathe easier. Your veterinarian will be able to determine if this surgery is needed, and when to perform the surgery. Some vets like to wait until a dog is full grown, but it can be done at any age. Hope this helps!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bentley. An upper respiratory tract infection cause the symptoms you have described. Small breed dogs are also prone to a condition known as collapsing trachea. This can be diagnosed on x-rays of his neck and chest. I recommend discussing these possibilities with his veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

Hi. I am sorry to hear that biggie Paws is having trouble breathing. Unfortunately breathing issues can become an emergency very quickly. Bulldogs do tend to have trouble breathing due to their synotic nares an elongated soft palate. In addition, if they are overweight that contributes even further to breathing problems. If he is actually struggling to breathe, I would recommend you take him to the ER rather than waiting until Monday. He may have an upper respiratory infection, a heart condition, or the respiratory issues that this breed has have become extreme for him. The ER veterinarian will do an examination, and probably some chest x-rays to see if there is any heart condition or primary lung issue. That will help lead us to the correct diagnosis and treatment. There are surgical interventions for the stenitic nares an elongated soft palate that this breed has. That may be in his future if that is what the cause is for his breathing at this time. Good luck and I hope he feels better soon.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Breathing problems can be a sign of many conditions such as pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Bailey evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Likely diagnostics to be performed include thoracic radiographs and bloodwork. Treatment would be dependent on findings. Good luck and have a good night!