Elongated Soft Palate Laser Surgery FAQ

Figure 1: Elongated soft palate anatomy.

As part of the anatomy of the oral cavity, the soft palate is the muscular back portion of the roof of the mouth. A soft palate is elongated when it extends past the top of the epiglottis or the mid to lower part of the tonsillar crypt (See Figure 1). Having an elongated soft palate partially blocks the throat and often causes breathing and feeding-related issues. An elongated soft palate is one of the symptoms of Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) and can be treated surgically with an Aesculight CO₂ laser.^[1]

Figure 3: Brachycephalic Dogs and Cats

Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome is a genetic disorder that compromises the upper airway most commonly in flat-faced/short-headed (brachycephalic) dog and cat breeds.^[2] Upper airway abnormalities correlated with BOAS include an elongated soft palate, stenotic nares, laryngeal collapse, extended nasopharyngeal turbinates, and others. A dog or cat with BOAS could be affected by one or more of these abnormalities.^[3]

Figure 4: Brachycephalic dog breeds include french bulldog.

Dog Breeds prone to Brachycephalic Airway Obstructive Syndrome include:

• Affenpinscher
• American Staffordshire Terrier
• American Bulldog
• Boston Terrier
• Boxer
• Brussels Griffon
• Bulldog
• Bullmastiff
• Cane Corso
• Chihuahua (apple-headed)
• Dogue de Bordeaux
• English Mastiff
• French Bulldog
• Griffon Bruxellois
• Japanese Chin
• King Charles Spaniel
• Lhasa Apso
• Neapolitan Mastiff
• Newfoundland
• Olde English Bulldogge
• Pekingese
• Pug
• Rottweiler
• Shar Pei
• Shih Tzu
• Tibetan Spaniel
• Valley Bulldog

Figure 5: Brachycephalic cat breeds include Exotic Shorthair.

Cat Breeds prone to Brachycephalic Airway Obstructive Syndrome:

• British Shorthair
• Burmese
• Exotic Shorthair
• Himalayan cat
• Persian cat
• Scottish Fold

Some common symptoms of elongated soft palate are breathing difficulties such as snoring, stridor (high-pitched whistling sound when breathing), and snorting. Also feeding issues can occur such as gagging, retch, and food aspiration. Also the animal may prefer to sleep on its back to help open up the throat. Depending on the severity, the animal may be unwilling to exercise and can develop a complete collapse of the airway.^{[4, 5]}

Early detection and treatment of elongated soft palate is highly recommended. Many BOAS-related surgeries can be performed at the same time as spay or neuter procedures, thereby reducing the cost to pet owners and the number of visits to the veterinarian. If treated late, the elongated soft palate may contribute to the development of secondary problems and make the benefits of surgery less effective.^[4]

Figure 7: Aesculight CO₂ laser used to excise excess soft palate tissue. Photo courtesy of William E. Schultz, DVM.

During an Aesculight laser elongated soft palate resection, the laser is used to excise the excessive soft palate tissue that blocks the airway.^[6]

Figure 8: Soft palate resection with Aesculight CO₂ laser. Photo courtesy of Steve Nielsen.

An elongated soft palate resection can be performed with either a scalpel, electrocautery or a CO₂ laser. Scalpel surgery requires suturing the soft palate. Resection with electrosurgery may cause severe tissue edema or a large band of necrosis.^[6]

Aesculight CO₂ laser surgery allows for minimized bleeding, excellent visualization of the surgical field, less postoperative swelling, discomfort and pain, reduced risk of infection, shortened procedure time, and smoother recovery, as numerous human and animal studies have shown.^[4,7-10]

Recovery after an Aesculight CO₂ laser soft palate resection is most often uneventful and quieter breathing is noted immediately after the surgery. Often medium potency steroids are prescribed to reduce the possibility of inflammation, as well as a week of a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Limited exercise is recommended for the first 5 days after surgery.^[6]

If you are looking for local veterinarians who perform Aesculight CO₂ laser surgery, please use our Locate a Veterinarian form.

Introduction to Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) Research Group at the University of Cambridge.