Objectives: To report the prevalence of abnormal fluoroscopic findings in brachycephalic dogs that were presented to a referral hospital for obstructive airway syndrome.
Methods: Hospital records between May 2013 and November 2015 identified 36 brachycephalic dogs investigated for obstructive airway disease: 21 French bulldogs, six bulldogs, four Boston terriers, two pugs, two boxers and one shih-tzu. The presence or absence of hiatal hernia, delayed oesophageal transit, gastro-oesophageal reflux and redundant oesophagus were recorded.
Results: Of the 36 dogs, 16 had hiatal hernia, all of which were French bulldogs; 31 dogs had delayed oesophageal transit time, 27 had gastro-oesophageal reflux, and four had redundant oesophagus.
Clinical significance: Clinical Significance: The prevalence of hiatal hernia is higher than expected in the French bulldog, and there was a high prevalence of oesophageal disease in this group in general. These results suggest a need to investigate similar cases for evidence of gastrointestinal disease that may also require attention.
© 2017 British Small Animal Veterinary Association.