Dog Laryngectomy

A laryngectomy can be a part of cancer treatment in dogs.

Just like humans, dogs can develop cancer. Veterinarians have developed treatments for the different types of cancer dogs can experience, including laryngectomy as a way to treat laryngeal tumors.

Laryngectomy

In a laryngectomy, a dog's larynx is surgically removed. The procedure is often combined with a tracheostomy, a procedure that allows a dog to breathe through an opening in its throat rather than needing to breathe through its nose and mouth.

Reasons

For dogs, a laryngectomy is usually performed when a dog has large cancerous tumors in its larynx. By removing the larynx, a veterinary surgeon can be sure that the cancer does not spread to other parts of the dog's body, according to "Cancer in Dogs and Cats."

Considerations

A dog that undergoes a laryngectomy is at risk for developing pneumonia in the future. Because of the change to how a dog breathes after the procedure, it could also have difficulty cooling itself in hot weather because it cannot pant.

References

• "Cancer in Dogs and Cats"; Wallace B. Morrison; 2002.