Tyson's Stenotic Nares

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Meet Tyson, the handsome 2-year-old Staffordshire Bull Terrier with a new lease on life!

Tyson announced his arrival at Vetwest Yokine with his tail wagging and a typical ‘Staffy smile’ on his face.  At 26kg, Tyson has a big appetite for both food and life.  His observant owners noticed he was having difficulty eating and wasn’t quite his bouncy self on his trips to the park.

Tyson also had nasal discharge and his owner heard him snoring in his sleep.  When completing a physical exam on Tyson, our vet could hear noisy and obstructed breathing.  The vet diagnosed Tyson with Stenotic Nares, which meant his nostrils were too narrow and he wasn’t able to breathe effectively through his nose.  This is an unusual finding in a Staffy, as it is more often found in brachycephalic (short-nosed) breeds such as Pugs, Bulldogs and King Charles Spaniels.

Our vet also warned the owner that he could also have an elongated soft palate, which is when the soft part of the roof of the mouth extends past the top of the epiglottis and interferes with the airway.  Between this and his pinched nostrils, its no surprise that Tyson was snoring!

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As Tyson's quality of life was being affected, his owner didn't hesititate to have surgery performed to help him breathe normally.  Our vet successfully trimmed his soft palate and made his nostrils a normal shape (as you can see in the photos). Tyson had a normal and uncomplicated recovery.

Tyson is now a much happier boy, can eat and drink normally and best of all can breathe again!  His quality of life has improved so much, it has been really rewarding for everyone involved.