TABLE 2.
Summary of respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) clinical signs (CS) in dogs diagnosed with sliding hiatal hernia (sHH)
| Clinical signs | Brachycephalic (n) | Nonbrachycephalic (n) | Total dogs (n) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respiratory | |||
| Cough | 7 | 9 | 16 |
| Respiratory distress a * | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Labored breathing a | 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Stridor | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Collapse | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Stertor | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Exercise intolerance | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Tachypnea | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Cyanosis | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Hiccups | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| GI | |||
| Regurgitation | 15 | 13 | 28 |
| Vomiting | 12 | 7 | 19 |
| Anorexia | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Abdominal pain | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Gagging | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Repetitive “dry” swallowing b | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Note: Clinical signs were included in the study where there was a change in severity noted in the medical record prompting veterinary medical evaluation. Dogs may have had >1 respiratory or GI CS.
a
Dogs requiring emergency intervention at the time of presentation were considered to be in in respiratory distress whereas labored breathing referred to dogs that increased respiratory effort but did not require emergency stabilization.
b
A “dry” swallow refers to spontaneous, reflexive swallowing that occurs without eating or drinking.
*Statistically significant comparisons (P < .05).