Brachycephalic airway syndrome (BAS, also called BOAS) is a group of upper airway abnormalities in flat-faced breeds, and cats are less studied than dogs. In Persians, Himalayans and Exotic Shorthairs the most obvious problem is stenotic nares, which causes noisy breathing and exercise intolerance and raises anesthetic risk.
Key facts
Brachycephalic airway syndrome (e.g., stenotic nares) at a glance- Species and system: cat, upper respiratory tract.
- At risk: flat-faced breeds, especially Persian, Himalayan and Exotic Shorthair.
- Cause: shortened skull without matching reduction in soft tissue, narrowing the airway.
- Cat-specific feature: stenotic nares are mainly due to redundant skin at the floor of the nostril, not the alar cartilage deviation typical of dogs.
- Signs: snoring or stertor, noisy inspiration, exercise intolerance, open-mouth breathing, tear staining.
What's inside
15 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Don't confuse these
- Treatment and management
- Prognosis
- Anesthesia and recovery
- Owner counselling and breeding
- Related problems to watch for
- Reading a vignette
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 4 tables, 2 figures, 3 self-test questions and 5 references, available to NAVLE members.
Read the full study guide
The full guide is part of every NAVLE plan, with diagnosis and treatment tables, figures, a quick review and self-test questions. Start a free trial to try the question bank, or log in if you are already a member.