Short-term effects of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome surgery on fitness and exercise in brachycephalic dogs

BOAS surgery reduces clinical symptoms and improves physical fitness, but affected dogs continue to exhibit substantial limitations. The consistency of cortisol and vasopressin levels across both groups reinforces the hypothesis of a stress-induced HPA-axis dysfunction, yet the limited number of evaluable samples and external influences suggest that salivary stress hormones alone may not reliably indicate surgical success. Future studies should incorporate additional biomarkers and clinical assessments to better understand the physiological impact of BOAS and its treatment.