Laryngeal saccules or laryngeal ventricles are soft tissue masses located between the vocal folds

Vocal folds

The vocal folds, also known commonly as vocal cords, are composed of twin infoldings of mucous membrane stretched horizontally across the larynx...

 and the lateral wall of the larynx

Larynx

The larynx , commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume...

 in canines

Dog

The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...

. Their function is not well understood, but in brachycephalic breeds the saccules can become "everted" and protrude into the laryngeal opening, causing symptoms such as snoring, noisy breathing, coughing, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath in affected dogs.

Role in airway disease

Chronic airway obstruction (caused by stenotic nares

Stenotic nares

Stenotic nares is part of the brachycephalic syndrome of short-nosed dogs. Breeds such as Boxers, Bulldogs, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Pugs, Boston Terriers, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, etc. are all considered brachycephalic breeds. Stenotic nares means the nostrils are pinched or narrow. This...

, elongated soft palate

Soft palate

The soft palate is the soft tissue constituting the back of the roof of the mouth. The soft palate is distinguished from the hard palate at the front of the mouth in that it does not contain bone....

, or other conditions) can evert the laryngeal saccules, aggravating existing breathing problems. Prolonged airway stress can pull laryngeal walls

Larynx

The larynx , commonly called the voice box, is an organ in the neck of amphibians, reptiles and mammals involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume...

 inward, further obstructing the airway and causing swelling and irritation of the laryngeal membranes. Tracheal collapse

Tracheal collapse

Tracheal collapse is a condition characterized by incomplete formation or weakening of the cartilagenous rings of the trachea resulting in flattening of the trachea. It can be congenital or acquired, and extrathoracic or intrathoracic. Tracheal collapse is a dynamic condition...

may also contribute to the vicious cycle of airway obstruction → airway changes → worse airway obstruction.

Surgical removal

Laryngeal sacculectomy may involve snipping the saccules out with scissors or snaring them with a wire loop, or the saccules may be removed with the use of a laser, thus allowing a dog afflicted with airway disease to breathe better, if not normally.