Elongated Soft Palate
The soft palate refers to the soft tissue located at the back of the roof of the mouth.
In dogs with an elongated soft palate, this tissue grows too long for the head and can block the entrance of the windpipe.
An elongated soft palate is part of the Brachycephalic Syndrome and many French Bulldogs are born with this issue. It can make breathing difficult for your French Bulldog.
An elongated soft palate is just one of the manifestations of Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome (BAS)
Symptoms of Elongated Soft Palate
The issues from an elongated soft palate all relate to breathing. There’s too much tissue in their airway which is blocking airflow.
- Difficulty or noisy breathing
- Snoring & snorting
- Coughing
- Gagging
- Vomiting
- Bluish gums
- Heatstroke
- Exercise intolerance or collapse after exercise
Luckily for your Frenchie, there’s a simple surgical procedure that can be performed to remove the tissue blocking the airways.
It only takes a few minutes to perform and does not require sutures.
This procedure can usually be performed at the same time as a neuter or spay.
What causes an Elongated Soft Palate?
- Genetic
- Short, flat faces (the flatter the face, the higher the risk)
What can be done about my Frenchie’s elongated soft palate?
- Surgery
- Lose weight
- Wear a harness rather than a collar to alleviate pressure on the airway
- Identify triggers for “episodes” of breathing issues and try to avoid them
Surgery for an Elongated Soft Palate
- The operation for fixing an elongated soft palate consists of shortening the soft palate by removing excess tissue.
- Hospitalization for 24-48 hours after the surgery.
- Removing excess tissue that is in front of the vocal cords