Canine upper respiratory tract diseases: What do we need to know?
Author(s): David Karunyakaran H
Abstract: Upper airway disorders are a major cause of chronic respiratory signs in dogs, often presenting with overlapping clinical features that challenge diagnosis and management in practice. Nasal disease commonly manifests with discharge, sneezing, epistaxis, facial deformity, and airflow reduction, with differentials including neoplasia, fungal rhinitis, inflammatory rhinitis, dental disease, and systemic illnesses. Thorough history, targeted physical examination, advanced imaging, rhinoscopy, and histopathology form the backbone of diagnostic workup, guiding specific interventions. Laryngeal diseases such as laryngeal paralysis, laryngeal collapse, and laryngeal masses lead to upper airway obstruction, stridor, exercise intolerance, and potentially life-threatening dyspnea; management ranges from emergency stabilization to surgical procedures like arytenoid lateralization or permanent tracheostomy. Tracheal collapse and bronchomalacia in small breeds produce a characteristic chronic honking cough and dynamic airway obstruction, requiring long?term medical management, environmental modification, and, in refractory cases, stenting or ring placement. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome in short?muzzled breeds reflects congenital anatomical compromise, with progressive secondary changes that necessitate early surgical correction and lifelong management to optimize quality of life.
