Stenotic Nares (Small nostrils)
Small nostrils, pinched nostrils, slit nose holes... are more correctly called Stenotic Nares. Stenotic nares are most often seen in the brachycephalic breeds of cats and dogs... Persians... Boxers, Pugs,
Any breeder can produce a dog with this problem.
Small nostrils are genetic, however the process of inheritance is polygenic, indicating multiple genes are involved. What does this mean? It means dogs with wide open nostrils can produce Puppies with small nostrils. And dogs with small nose holes can produce Puppies with normal nose openings. So regardless of how conscientious a breeder may be about never using breeding stock with small nostrils, the day may come when any breeder may need to deal with the problem of a dog with stenotic nares.
Usually, the wing of the nostril blocks the opening and when the dog breathes in, the wing is pulled in further and blocks the opening even more. This can cause the Dog to struggle to breath properly. Severely affected dogs can be heard breathing across the room. The negative pressures caused by the added effort of breathing can also cause deformations of the soft palate and trachea formation. Affected dogs often eat poorly and show stress when playing or being very active.
An operation that enlarges the nose holes can result in remarkable improvements and a more comfortable life for the dog. While enlarging the holes can be accomplished with conventional scalpel techniques, the use of laser surgery often obtains superior results.
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CLEAR OPEN NOSTRILS
STENOTIC NARES (Pinched Nostrils)