New Insights into Sleep-Disordered Breathing and Inflammatory Response in Dogs

Sleep is fundamental to the welfare of dogs. Brachycephaly, the radically reduced length of the snout in the absence of a reduction in the soft tissues of the upper airways, causes many welfare issues for dogs. Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, frequent in brachycephalic dogs, results in clinical signs ranging from mild respiratory distress to death. Sleep-disordered breathing is described in brachycephalic dogs: in obstructive sleep-disordered breathing, periods of partial or complete cessation of respiration occur due to a physical obstruction of airflow during sleep. This leads to intermittent hypoxemia, the decreased arterial partial pressure of oxygen. The condition is like obstructive sleep apnea in humans, which is associated with various comorbidities and increased mortality. Additionally, obstructive sleep apnea is connected to low-grade inflammation in man. Low-grade inflammation is an independent risk factor for numerous chronic diseases and decreased survival.

This session delves into current knowledge of sleep-disordered breathing in both brachycephalic and non-brachycephalic dogs: new methods in diagnostics, risk factors for and owner-perceived signs of sleep-disordered breathing, treating the condition, and the inflammatory consequences.