Stenotic nares means the
nares (nostrils) are pinched or narrow, making it more difficult for an animal to breathe, and resulting in a lot of open-mouth breathing and panting. The condition is part of the
brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome
Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome (BAOS) is a pathological condition affecting short nosed dogs and cats which can lead to severe respiratory distress. There are four different anatomical abnormalities that contribute to the disease, al ...
syndrome common to short-nosed dog
and cat breeds. Dog breeds commonly affected by stenotic nares include
Boston Terrier
The Boston Terrier is a breed of dog originating in the United States of America. This "American Gentleman" was accepted in 1893 by the American Kennel Club as a non-sporting breed. Color and markings are important when distinguishing this breed f ...
,
Boxer Boxer most commonly refers to:
* Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing
*Boxer (dog), a breed of dog
Boxer or boxers may also refer to:
Animal kingdom
* Boxer crab
* Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans
* Boxer snipe ee ...
,
Bulldog
The Bulldog is a British breed of dog of mastiff type. It may also be known as the English Bulldog or British Bulldog. It is of medium size, a muscular, hefty dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose.[King Charles Spaniel
The King Charles Spaniel (also known as the English Toy Spaniel) is a small dog breed of the spaniel type. In 1903, the Kennel Club combined four separate toy spaniel breeds under this single title. The other varieties merged into this breed wer ...]
,
Lhasa Apso
The Lhasa Apso ( ) is a non-sporting dog breed originating in Tibet. It has traditionally been used as an interior sentinel.
Etymology
Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet, and ''apso'' is a word from the Tibetan language. There is some deba ...
,
Pug
The Pug is a breed of dog originally from China, with physically distinctive features of a wrinkly, short-muzzled face and curled tail. The breed has a fine, glossy coat that comes in a variety of colors, most often light brown (fawn) or blac ...
, and
Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu (, ; literally " Hsi Shih dog") is a toy dog breed originating from Tibet and was bred from the Pekingese and the Lhasa Apso.
Shih Tzus are known for their short snouts and large round eyes, as well as their long coat, floppy ear ...
. Stenotic nares is a
congenital
A birth defect, also known as a congenital disorder, is an abnormal condition that is present at birth regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disabilities that may be physical, intellectual, or developmental. The disabilities can ...
trait, meaning an animal is born with it.
Veterinarian
A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...
s can perform a simple surgery to help widen the nares, which can be done at the same time as a
spay or neuter surgery.
Treatment
Several
resection techniques exist to help correct stenotic nares including alar wing amputation (Trader's technique), punch resection, vertical wedge, horizontal wedge, alapexy, and
laser ablation
Laser ablation or photoablation (also called laser blasting) is the process of removing material from a solid (or occasionally liquid) surface by irradiating it with a laser beam. At low laser flux, the material is heated by the absorbed laser ...
.
repair of the stenotic nares is bloodless, allowing a clear view of the surgical field and more precise surgical incisions.
Prevention
Since stenotic nares is congenital, there is no prevention other than breeding the trait out over generations.
References
{{Reflist
Dog anatomy
Dog diseases