13/09/2024
【什麼是「短吻犬阻塞性呼吸道症候群」？】
#短吻犬阻塞性呼吸道症候群（Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome, )，是一種好發於某些短吻犬品種的上呼吸道阻塞相關症候群。由於育種的選擇，牠們的頭顱縮短、顱內呼吸道軟組織被不正常的壓縮及異常生長（鼻甲增生、軟齶過大、舌頭肥厚），進而造成呼吸道阻塞。好發的犬種包括 #巴哥犬、 #法國鬥牛犬、 #英國鬥牛犬 等等。此症候群是一種漸進性疾病 ，可能影響狗的運動 、 遊戲 、 進食和睡眠 ，時間久了會增加併發心血管相關疾病的風險喔！
【我的狗狗有BOAS嗎?】
患有BOAS的狗狗可能出現以下症狀：
#運動不耐：
因氣道阻塞而無法正常喘氣及散熱，因而無法長時間運動，或是需要更久的時間才能恢復。
#呼吸雜音：
發出異常的呼吸聲，例如高頻喘鳴聲（尖尖的聲音或鋸木頭的聲音）、低頻打鼾聲。
＊因呼吸道長期阻塞，導致胸腔負壓增大，使得喉頭向內塌陷。喉頭塌陷可能會導致呼吸、喘氣時出現高頻率的呼吸雜音。
#不耐熱：
狗狗幾乎沒有皮膚表面的汗腺，主要散熱器官為鼻腔內的鼻甲。因呼吸道結構異常（如，鼻孔狹窄及鼻甲增生），造成犬隻散熱功能不佳，而出現不耐熱、容易過度喘氣的現象。
#反流、 #嘔吐：
許多短吻犬有食道運動及胃排空延遲的問題，又若有呼吸道阻塞造成胸腔負壓大，易導致犬隻出現嘔吐、反流的症狀。
#睡眠障礙：
常見症狀有睡覺時需要把頭墊高、咬著玩具睡、坐著睡、睡眠中頻繁醒來調整睡姿、睡眠呼吸中止症等等。
然而，根據研究統計，大約有60% 患有BOAS 的短吻犬的飼主不覺得自己的狗狗有呼吸問題。
如果你的狗狗有上述症狀，建議找有經驗的獸醫師諮詢，以免誤了最佳黃金治療時機！2024年十一月起台灣有共90位獸醫師受訓評估BOAS(上週六有新加入的24位獸醫師完成RFG培訓課程，成為核准的RFG區域評估獸醫師行列！)，配合農業部的計劃，希望可以幫助更多的狗狗及早診斷及早治療、在未來能改變育種的選擇！
【臺大附設動物醫院x短吻犬呼吸功能評估x專屬預約表單】
https://forms.gle/hvJuksnuWbgZiHSRA
【臺灣還有哪些動物醫院可以做BOAS評估?】
https://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~naichiehliu/ch/RFGassessors.html
以下為個北、中、南、東地方醫院的醫師名單，大多主要以電話預約為主，可點進去各家醫院網站或臉書查詢預預約方法
【What is BOAS?】
Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) is an upper respiratory syndrome that occurs in some brachycephalic breeds. Due to selective breeding, these dogs have shortened cranial structures, leading to abnormal compression and growth of soft tissues in the head (such as nasal turbinate, elongated soft palate, and thickened tongue), causing respiratory obstruction. Extreme brachycephalic dogs such as pugs, French bulldogs and bulldogs are more predisposed to BOAS in general. This syndrome is a progressive disease that can impact the dog's ability to exercise, play, eat, and sleep.
【Does my dog have BOAS?】
Dogs with BOAS may exhibit the following abnormal breathing characteristics:
Exercise intolerance:
Due to airway obstruction, affected dogs may be unable to exercise as long as other dogs and may take longer to recover after activities.
Abnormal breathing sounds:
Affected dogs may produce abnormal breathing noises (e.g., high-pitched stridor, low-pitched snoring).*Laryngeal collapse can result in high-pitched breathing noises (stridor) during respiration.
Heat intolerance:
Nasal turbinate is the structure responsible for a dog’s thermoregulation. Structural abnormalities in the airway (e.g., nasal turbinate) can reduce the dog's ability to cool down, leading to heat intolerance, such as excessive panting.
Regurgitation and vomiting:
Many brachycephalic dogs experience decreased esophageal mobility and delayed stomach emptying. In addition, if the dog also has an upper airway obstruction, the increased negative pressure in the chest can lead to symptoms of vomiting and regurgitation.
Sleep abnormalities:
Affected dogs may sleep with their heads elevated, hold toys while sleeping, stand while sleeping, frequently wake up to adjust their sleeping positions or sleep apnoea.
However, according to previous research (Packer et al. 2012), approximately 60% of the owners of BOAS-affected dogs do not think that their dogs are having breathing issues.
If your dog exhibits the symptoms mentioned above, it is advisable to consult an experienced veterinarian to avoid missing the optimal treatment window!
References:
1. Packer RMA, Hendricks A, Burn CC. Do dog owners perceive the clinical signs related to conformational inherited disorders as 'normal' for the breed? A potential constraint to improving canine welfare. Anim Welf. 2012;21(1):81-93.
2. Liu, Nai-Chieh, et al. "Conformational risk factors of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) in pugs, French bulldogs, and bulldogs." PloS one 12.8 (2017): e0181928.
