Upper respiratory tract disease in small animals

Question 1

What is stertor?

Answer 1

snoring noise
indicates excessive or redudant soft tissue
indicates revererant airflow in upper airway

Question 2

Describe the primary disorder of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome

Answer 2

elongated soft palate
stenotic nares
excess pharyngela mucosa
narrowed nasal passages
reduced airflow

Question 3

Describe the secondary disorders of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome

Answer 3

soft palate thickening
laryngeal saccule eversion
laryngeal collapse
tonsillar prolapse
inflammation
swelling of soft tissues

Question 4

What can cause regurgitation in bradycephalic breeds?

Answer 4

pressure effects

hiatal hernia

Question 5

What components are amenable to simple surgery?

Answer 5

Primary- elongated soft palate and stenotic nares
Secondary- laryngeal saccule eversion and tonsillar prolapse
Laryngeal collapse and hiatal hernia

Question 6

How can a chronic case be managed?

Answer 6

Weight loss
Modify lifestyle- stress, exercise, heat
Harness not lead
Surgery- early intervention may prevent progression

Question 7

How can BOAS be managed in emergency cases?

Answer 7

Cage rest
Keep cool
Oxygen therapy
Sedation to calm down but too much sedation and cause loss of pharyngeal tone and reflexes
Butorphanol is therefore used

Question 8

How is BOAS diagnosed?

Answer 8

stenotic nares
occurs after birth
cartilage collapse causing loss of comma shape

Question 9

How are stenotic nares surgically corrected?

Answer 9

surgically corrected via vertical wedge resection - a wedge of tissue is removed, and the remaining is stitched back up open

Question 10

How is largyneal collapse treated?

Answer 10

first line treatment is to correct other BOAS issues and start lifestyle modification
glottis widening procedures can be undertaken
tracheostomy can also be considered

Question 11

Why are BOAS cases prone to regurgitation?

Answer 11

Sliding hiatal hernia
Increased intrathoracic pressure due to dyspnoea
Gastritis
Saliva/food gets trapped in pharyngeal folds
These all lead to increased risk of aspiration pneumonia

Question 12

What is stridor and what causes it?

Answer 12

hard noise heard on inspiration

caused by vocal cords reverberating due to laryngeal paralysis

Question 13

What breed is idiopathic acquired laryngeal paralysis common in?

Answer 13

labradors

Question 14

What breeds is congenital laryngeal paralysis common in?

Answer 14

rottweilers
bouvier des flandres
dalmatian
white german shepherds

Question 15

What are typical signs of secondary laryngeal paralysis?

Answer 15

inspiratory stridor at exercise
excerise intolernace
dyspnoea at rest, cyanosis
pyrexia
productive cough

Question 16

How can laryngeal paralysis be diagnosed?

Answer 16

loss of active abduction on inspiration

Question 17

How can laryngeal paralysis be treated in an emergency situation?

Answer 17

Aspiration pneumonia- systemic antibiotics

Dyspnoeic crisis- sedate, cool oxygen and temporary tracheostomy or refer for surgery

Question 18

What are common upper respiratory diseases in cats?

Answer 18

Nasopharyngeal polyps
Neoplasia- squamous cell carcinoma: tonsil, larynx
Lymphoma
BOAS rare: (Persian cats)
Laryngeal paralysis uncommon: lactogenic (thyroidectomy, 50% of cases) and idiopathic (50% of cases)

Question 19

Describe feline nasopharyngeal polyps

Answer 19

Common
Typically seen in cats under 2 years old
Association with respiratory viruses
Originate in tympanic bulla: aural masses (grow out of ear canal) and nasopharyngeal masses grow down Eustachian tube
Swelling above soft palate, stertor, swallowing issues
Treatment= traction and steroids and middle ear surgery to curette base.