Cricoarytenoid joint ankylosis in four miniature English bull terriers.

This short case series describes four young adult miniature English bull terriers that presented with dyspnoea and marked inspiratory stridor as a consequence of cricoarytenoid joint ankylosis. Upper airway examinations in all four dogs documented absent abduction of the arytenoid cartilages bilaterally and a narrowrima glottis. Arytenoid lateralisationwas attempted inall fourdogs, but therewasnoincrease inthe cross-sectional area of the rima glottis in any dog due to an apparent ankylosis of the cricoarytenoid joint. Three dogs were successfullymanaged with permanent tracheostomy (with minor post-operative complications encountered in one dog and major post-operative complications encountered in another), but the owner of the fourth dog elected for euthanasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]