Dog breathing worse, eyes puffy after surgery. Is it brachycephalic?

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. If Rusty has an elongated soft palate, the surgery will definitely help him breathe easier. I would have the surgery done if this is the recommendation so that the flap does not obstruct the airway. The anesthesia is typically not the problem it is the recovery period when the tube is removed from the airway that the breathing problems can occur. Once the tube is in place for Rusty to attach the anesthesia to, it will probably be the best that he has ever been able to breathe if he has been dealing with an elongated soft palate. Typically with these cases, I will leave the airway tube in place until the patient is wide awake and can hold the head up. Once the patient is awake and able to swallow, I then pull the tube. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sandy. I recommend that she sees her veterinarian. She may have a respiratory infection that is affecting her breathing. You can ask her veterinarian for an anti-anxiety medication for her to take in advance of her appointment if necessary. I hope this information helps!

Poor Henry! While this may be caused by an upper respiratory infection from having an endotracheal tube placed for surgery to keep his airways open to breathe, it may be unrelated. Henry may have kennel cough, or even something more serious like pneumonia. Unfortunately, these conditions require treatment with antibiotics, which are likely different from the ones he may have been given post surgery. If Henry is eating and playing normally, and just overall being his normal self, it is likely okay to wait until tomorrow morning to have him seen. Because of Henry’s breed, and him having a shortened airway, I do recommend that he is seen by an emergency vet if you are concerned that he is unable to breathe properly. This is an emergency in all dogs, but in breeds like pugs, bulldogs, etc it is important to have them stabilized as soon as possible. I’m happy to answer any addition questions you may have!

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.

This difficulty breathing could be related to his bronchitis, but the conformation of his nostrils and soft palate could be contributing to it as well. Because of his flat face, Jax will have an undersized throat and breathing passages, and when there is inflammation in the airways, it will be even harder for him to breathe. If he's congested, he may need bronchodilator, and you'd have to speak to your vet for a prescription for that. At home, you you can also try using a humidifier or bringing him into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections. When he's better from the bronchitis, it would be worth a discussion with your vet about his facial conformation. If he has stenotic nares, an elongated soft palate, and everted laryngeal saccules, having surgery done to correct this things will help with his breathing in the future.

Eddie's trachea could be irritated from the ET tube used during the dental procedure. Keep a close eye on him, and if this continues over the next 24 hours or he has trouble breathing, take him into a vet immediately. Best of luck.

Unfortunately pugs are extremely brachycephalic dogs and it is not rare that they cannot breathe properly and fall unconscious due to lack of oxygen. You will need to take your dog to a veterinarian for assessment and an exam. The extremely flat face and nose causes two problems: the opening of the nose is often obstructed and can be surgically enlarged to help with breathing. Also the soft palate is often way to big as there is no snout, and often obstructs the larynx, cutting off the air flow. This can be surgically adjusted. Both these conditions can also cause heart failure. Please take your dog to a veterinarian or veterinary surgeon for an exam soon.