A common human nasal decongestant may help reduce bleeding during corrective nasal surgery in dogs suffering from brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS).
Dr Jun-Yan Sek, a small animal surgical registrar at JCUVet, lecturer at James Cook University and JCU veterinary alumnus, led a study investigating the use of xylometazoline hydrochloride during surgery.
The research was published in Veterinary Surgery, the official scientific journal of the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons.
BOAS affects short-nosed breeds such as pugs and French bulldogs and can cause significant upper airway obstruction. Surgery is commonly required to improve airflow, including procedures to widen narrowed nostrils and the nasal vestibule.
“These dogs already have compromised upper airways, so bleeding during nasal surgery is about more than blood loss. Blood can obscure the surgical field and accumulate around the airway, where it may further complicate recovery,” Dr Sek said.
“We wanted to determine whether xylometazoline, a common human nasal decongestant sold over the counter in pharmacies, could improve local control of bleeding during surgery.”
Thirty dogs undergoing BOAS surgery were randomly allocated to receive either intranasal xylometazoline 0.1% or saline before their operation.
Dogs receiving xylometazoline had 62% less median intraoperative haemorrhage, while median time until bleeding stopped fell from 20 minutes to 14 minutes. Rescue treatment for persistent bleeding was required in 10 of 13 dogs receiving saline, compared with none of the 17 dogs receiving xylometazoline.
“The clinical benefit is not just about preventing major blood loss. Better haemorrhage control gives the surgeon a clearer operative field, reduces blood accumulation around an already compromised airway and reduces the need for prolonged measures to control bleeding,” Dr Sek said.
He said blood and nasal discharge are recognised complications following BOAS surgery and may contribute to airway obstruction and aspiration pneumonia. While these postoperative outcomes were not directly assessed in this study, the researchers said reducing blood accumulation may have additional clinical benefit in these high-risk patients.
The multicentre study brought together veterinary surgeons and researchers from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Dr Sek worked alongside Dr Arthur House and Dr Benjamin Mielke, two leading veterinary surgeons in the field of BOAS and brachycephalic airway surgery, as well as fellow JCU veterinary alumnus Dr Aaron Chung Lau.
The research also highlighted cross-disciplinary collaboration at JCU, with Professor Theophilus Emeto from Public Health and Tropical Medicine contributing specialist biostatistical expertise to the study design and analysis.
The researchers believe it is the first study to quantitatively evaluate the haemostatic effect of xylometazoline in dogs undergoing nasal surgery.
Dr Sek presented the findings at the European College of Veterinary Surgeons Annual Scientific Meeting in Liverpool in July 2026.
He said larger multicentre studies are needed to confirm the findings, optimise dosing and delivery, and compare xylometazoline with alternative treatments.
Link to paper here.
