BOAS Surgery Preparation - Melbourne Bulldog Clinic

Read all the information sheets and fee estimations that have been provided to you.
Make a decision about which procedures you want done (e.g. desexing, optional imaging of hips and spine) PRIOR to the day of surgery.
Advise us of any additional concerns you want addressed on the day. Please note: A consultation fee or additional surgery fees may apply, depending on your request.
Advise us if your dog is prone to anxiety – we cater individually to all patients to minimise stress, and knowing your dog’s personality in advance assists us in doing so.
If your dog is on any medications, check with us when to give them. In general, we advise all medications be given as usual on the evening before surgery, but some medications may be withheld on the morning of surgery.
Feed as normal the the night before surgery, then no food must be given after this (treats included). Water should not be withheld.
Contact us via phone if you have any queries.

Do not feed breakfast.
Take your dog out for a short walk to allow toileting prior to driving to the clinic.
You will be advised of an admission time when you make your surgical booking.
On admission – one of our BOAS nurses will confirm all procedures to be done with you, and organise consent paperwork.
It is ideal that you are available for the day, as we sometimes organise for you to sit with your dog in recovery – this is especially important for dogs with an excitable or anxious personality.
After surgery, Dr Davids will call you to discuss all surgical procedures and imaging results. If she is unable to call you straightaway after surgery (she often has a large surgical list), your BOAS nurse will call you as soon as your dog is in recovery.
We generally like to have patients under observation for several hours after surgery, but may call you to come and sit with your dog to minimise anxiety (see above).
Discharge time is usually between 2 and 5pm, depending on recovery, but can be organised outside these times.
At discharge, a BOAS nurse will run through all post-operative care instructions and medications with you. You will also receive printed paperwork containing all of these instructions.
Your dog will be able to have water as soon as you are home, and start with a small (soft food) meal that night.

Follow all post-op instructions that we have given you.
For the vast majority of patients, recovery is fairly easy and non-eventful. A small percentage may have a rough time for a few days or a week, usually related to age and noisier dogs.
We encourage a small amount of soft vanilla ice-cream (xylitol and birch sugar free), 2-3 times daily for 3-5 days, and have found this really lifts the spirits of the small number feeling a little sorry for themselves (1-2 level tablespoons only!).
It is not unusual for some patients to vomit or regurgitate during this period. If this is just some small phlegm vomits, or a little food 2-3 times a day, but they are otherwise well, this is of little concern and quite normal, but please still call your BOAS nurse and let her know. They will adjust medications if appropriate.
It is also possible that breathing and snoring will be noisier during the healing period in some patients.
Your dog’s medications can be tailored based on their individual needs, so please call us if you have any concerns.
Please direct all inquiries to one of our BOAS Nurses who will be able to advise on most concerns but will converse with one of our veterinarians as appropriate.

– Chantelle Garnier

– Steph Locandro

– Sarah Williams

– Ally Bakewell

– Ashleigh Scheltinga

The main aims of surgery are improvement in ability to breathe, increased exercise tolerance, and resolution or significant improvement of reflux, regurgitation and vomiting.
Most dogs will have obvious improved quality of life due to an easier ability to breathe, but all dogs will have a significantly slower rate of degeneration compared to non-corrected dogs for the rest of their lives, being at less risk in warm weather and for future anaesthesia.
Most dogs will have significant improvement of their symptoms.
Some dogs (especially if older, overweight or in Stage 2 laryngeal collapse at the time of surgery) will only have a partial improvement of their symptoms, and will thus have some ongoing snoring and heat intolerance.
A small percentage dogs will have no improvement in snoring, or recurrence of snoring within 6-12 months of surgery.
Even with airway surgery, BOAS is a progressive condition, as there is only a certain number of things that we can address surgically. Short noses, large tongues, redundant pharyngeal muscosa, Stage 2 or 3 laryngeal collapse and hypoplastic trachea can not be surgically corrected.
The onset of progressive BOAS and the severity of progressive changes can be delayed with corrective surgery, with maximum benefit occurring if surgery is done early.
It is always wise with any brachycephalic breed dog to be cautious in hot weather.