Gender, Weight, and Age Effects on Prevalence of Caudal Aberrant Nasal Turbinates in Clinically Healthy English Bulldogs: A Computed Tomographic Study and Classification

Abstract

English Bulldogs have been reported to demonstrate abnormal growth and development of the nasal turbinates, which contribute to an increase in airway resistance and hence clinical signs of brachycephalic airway syndrome. The purpose of this prospective, cross-sectional study was to assess the prevalence and severity of caudal aberrant turbinate protrusion via CT studies of English Bulldogs with, according to the owners, none or minimal clinical signs of brachycephalic airway syndrome. An additional objective was to propose a classification scheme for describing the degree of caudal aberrant turbinate protrusion in English Bulldogs and to apply this scheme in assessing the effect of gender, weight, and age on prevalence and severity of turbinate protrusion. The nasal cavities of 40 clinically healthy English Bulldogs were examined. The prevalence of caudal aberrant turbinates in this group was 100%. Using our proposed classification scheme, Grade 1 (minimal) was detected in 7 of 40 (17.5%), Grade 2 (mild) in 28 of 40 (70%), and Grade 3 (moderate) in 5 of 40 (12.5%) English Bulldogs. No significant effect of gender, weight, and age on degree of protrusion was found. In conclusion, this study identified minimal to moderate protrusion of caudal aberrant turbinates toward the nasopharynx in all the sampled English Bulldogs, despite the absence of clinical signs of brachycephalic airway syndrome.

Use of CT to evaluate and compare intranasal features in brachycephalic and normocephalic dogs

“…(Vilaplana Grosso et al ). They are associated with intranasal stenosis, and therefore are hypothesised to contribute to symptoms of brachycephalic airway syndrome (Oechtering et al , Ginn et al , Bernaerts et al , Vilaplana Grosso et al ). All affected dogs in this study had only minimal or mild protrusions except for one brachycephalic dog with moderate protrusion.…”

“…Their presence is likely secondary to the shortening of the skulls in these breeds leading to the abnormal growth and development of the nasal conchae which extend into portions of the nasal cavity that are normally devoid of nasal turbinates. (Vilaplana Grosso et al 2015 ). They are associated with intranasal stenosis, and therefore are hypothesised to contribute to symptoms of brachycephalic airway syndrome (Oechtering et al 2007, Ginn et al 2008, Bernaerts et al 2010, Vilaplana Grosso et al 2015.…”

“…This is presumably because all included dogs did not have clinical signs of nasal disease. There were no identified grade 4 protrusions (nasopharyngeal turbinates) which have been associated with more severe clinical signs of brachycephalic airway syndrome (Oechtering et al 2007, Ginn et al 2008, Vilaplana Grosso et al 2015. Laser-assisted turbinectomy (LATE) in dogs with severe turbinate protrusion and symptoms of brachycephalic airway syndrome has been reported with a good outcome in some patients (Vilaplana Grosso et al 2015 ).…”

“…The shortened skulls of brachycephalic dogs are associated with anatomic deformities affecting the respiratory tract that increase inspiratory air-flow resistance, potentially leading to life-threatening airway obstruction (Roedler et al 2013 ). Common abnormalities are stenotic nares, elongated soft palate, hypoplastic trachea and aberrant nasopharyngeal turbinates (Oechtering et al 2007, Meola 2013, Vilaplana Grosso et al 2015. Secondary obstruction is due to everted laryngeal saccules, laryngeal oedema and laryngeal and bronchial collapse (Grand & Bureau 2011, Meola 2013.…”

A novel approach to brachycephalic syndrome. 3. Isolated laser‐assisted turbinectomy of caudal aberrant turbinates (CAT LATE)

“…Reported prevalence of CAT in the literature ranges from 21% to 100% in brachycephalic dogs, but is highly dependent on the breeds included in the study as well as the definition of what a CAT is . Up to 53% of Pugs can have CAT .…”