Comprehensive Analysis of the Influence of Soft Palate Inflammation in Brachycephalic Dogs with BOAS III

Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome is a group of abnormalities that primarily affect the upper respiratory tract, particularly in dogs-especially in English and French bulldogs, pugs, and Boston terriers. The description and the consequences of these anomalies are well known. We performed a detailed histopathological analysis of soft palate samples taken from brachycephalic dogs with BOAS III. We examined the impact of the severity and composition of inflammatory infiltrates on individual histological structures, such as mucosal membrane, serosal and mucosal glands, and muscles. The study was conducted on 50 samples of soft palate tissue collected from pugs and French bulldogs. The sections were then stained with haematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson-Goldner trichrome. In general, both lymphocytic and plasmocytic inflammation were observed. Plasmacytic inflammation was more commonly associated with more advanced changes, including glandular fibrosis, muscle degeneration, and waxy necrosis of the muscles. Therefore, inflammatory infiltration-particularly plasmocytic infiltration-is associated with more severe clinical symptoms and a poorer prognosis in BOAS III dogs.