Therapy of chronic nasal disease in the dog

Abstract

The study includes a total of 61 dogs affected with chronic nasal disease. Various treatment procedures were employed depending on the aetiology and extent of the process. The aim was to check and evaluate different forms of therapy of chronic nasal disease in the dog. Bacterial rhinitis cases were treated in a conservative way using antibiotics (amoxycillin, ceftazidime) and chemotherapeutics (enrofloxacin) for 4 to 5 weeks; mycotic rhinitis cases required treatment by antimycotics (ketoconazole) for 6 to 7 weeks. It was necessary to change the antibiotic drug during the bacterial rhinitis therapy in 5 patients. Surgical treatment of the chronic nasal disease was selected in 47 dogs. A total of 5 dorsal rhinotomy cases resulted in a neoplasm finding and extirpation. Periapical granulomas communicating with the nasal cavity caused chronic rhinitis in 21 dogs. A total of 28 and 11 dogs were treated because of the periapical granuloma of the maxillary fourth premolar (P4) and the maxillary canine tooth (C), respectively. In all, 16 extractions of affected teeth and 5 ventral rhinotomies were performed. Oronasal fistulas on the C position were in 4 cases treated using the double flap technique and in 6 cases closed by buccal mucosa. Foreign bodies were removed from the nasal cavity with respect to the size and localisation using a rigid endoscope in 4 cases or rhinotomy (4 dorsal and 2 ventral rhinotomy cases). Conservative and surgical approaches are effective in the treatment of chronic nasal diseases in the dog. Selection of proper therapeutic procedures depends on individual evaluation of each case.