Elongated soft palate

An elongated soft palate is a congenital hereditary disorder that negatively affect dogs and cats breathing and eating. A soft palate is considered elongated when it extends past the top of the epiglottis and/or past the middle of the tonsillar crypts.[1] When the soft palate is elongated, it partially blocks the throat thereby creating breathing and feeding-related issues. An elongated soft palate is a symptom of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) and is common in brachycephalic dog breeds and has been reported in brachycephalic cat breeds as well.[2]  Some of the other BOAS related symptoms include stenotic nares, everted laryngeal saccules, and laryngeal collapse.[3]

Signs and symptoms

Some of the signs and symptoms of an elongated soft palate are loud and/or labored breathing and eating difficulties. Some of the breathing symptoms include stridor, snoring, wheezing, gasping, and reverse sneezing. Some of the eating symptoms include gaging and trouble swallowing.[4] In extreme cases, the animal may be exercise intolerant and may collapse, when overly exerted.[3]

Many brachycephalic pet owners may see these symptoms as “normal” for that breed.[5]

Treatment

An elongated soft palate can be treated surgically by resection, meaning the excess soft palate tissue is removed.[1] A few different methods can be used to perform an elongated soft palate resection including:

  • CO2 laser surgery causes little to no bleeding and it is a quicker procedure when compared to other treatment methods. Sutures are often not required.[6][7]
  • Electrocautery and diode laser surgery results in little to no bleeding, but due to excessive heat and their burning nature, these methods may cause tissue edema.[7][8] Sutures are often not required.[1]
  • Scalpel or scissors surgery takes longer than with the CO2 laser, there is bleeding, and suturing is required.[6]

Early intervention and correction is recommended.[3] The majority of patients show improvement after elongated soft palate surgery.[6]

References
  1. Lodato, Dena; Mauterer, John (2014-01-01). "Surgical Skills | Corrective Surgery: Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome". Today's Veterinary Practice. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  2. Corgozinho KB, Pereira AN, Cunha SC, Damico CB, Ferreira AM, de Souza HJ (June 2012). "Recurrent pulmonary edema secondary to elongated soft palate in a cat". Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 14 (6): 417–9. doi:10.1177/1098612X12442024. PMID 22398461.
  3. Arza, Ray (2016-09-29) [2015]. "Elongated soft palate resection with a CO2 surgical laser". Aesculight. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  4. "Recognition & Diagnosis — Department of Veterinary Medicine". www.vet.cam.ac.uk. Cambridge Veterinary School. Retrieved 2020-01-09.
  5. Packer RM, O'Neill DG, Fletcher F, Farnworth MJ (2019-07-19). "Great expectations, inconvenient truths, and the paradoxes of the dog-owner relationship for owners of brachycephalic dogs". PLOS ONE. 14 (7): e0219918. Bibcode:2019PLoSO..1419918P. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0219918. PMC 6641206. PMID 31323057.
  6. Davidson EB, Davis MS, Campbell GA, Williamson KK, Payton ME, Healey TS, Bartels KE (September 2001). "Evaluation of carbon dioxide laser and conventional incisional techniques for resection of soft palates in brachycephalic dogs". Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 219 (6): 776–81. doi:10.2460/javma.2001.219.776. PMID 11561652.
  7. Dunié-Mérigot A, Bouvy B, Poncet C (October 2010). "Comparative use of CO₂ laser, diode laser and monopolar electrocautery for resection of the soft palate in dogs with brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome". The Veterinary Record. 167 (18): 700–4. doi:10.1136/vr.c5107. PMID 21257486.
  8. Saaiq M, Zaib S, Ahmad S (December 2012). "Electrocautery burns: experience with three cases and review of literature". Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters. 25 (4): 203–6. PMC 3664530. PMID 23766755.
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