Mike's Story

Mike loves life... he is a sweet, friendly, and handsome English Bulldog. All he wants to do is play, but since he was a puppy he has suffered from breathing issues related to his breed that affect his quality of life. Mike had a hard time running, going to the park, laying down and even sleeping at night. Mike had a clinically significant brachycephalic airway syndrome.

Brachycephalic airway syndrome is a combination of obstructive upper airway breathing problems imposed on "smashed face" breeds , due to selective breeding aimed at attaining their cute appearance features. These problems include narrow/collapsed nares (nostrils), compressed nasal passages, elongated soft palate (the back of the mouth's roof), along with pharyngeal “crowding” (throat with little free space), everted laryngeal saccules (inward collapse of tissues within the 'voice box'), and possibly hypoplastic trachea (small 'wind pipe'). The syndrome will frequently lead to respiratory (breathing) deficits and exercise intolerance in affected dogs. Noisy nose and throat breathing sounds are common clinical manifestations, even at rest. Some dogs may develop secondary collapse of the larynx, which can progress over the first few years in life and become severe.

Mike had surgery with Dr. Kramer to address his brachycephalic airway syndrome and improve his breathing situation. He is now doing great - his level of energy is similar to a puppy's, he is happy and comfortable, and his people report that everybody in the household is sleeping much better, with much reduced background noise.