A woman was rushed to Beaumont Hospital in north Dublin with a shattered voice box after being attacked by a Cane Corso dog. The attack, described as unprovoked, left her with a completely collapsed airway, necessitating life-saving surgery.
Details of the Attack
The Cane Corso breed is unrestricted in Ireland. The dog was known to the woman but not owned by her. The force of the bite caused two puncture wounds on the front of her neck and splintered her throat cartilage into pieces, an injury typically seen in high-speed car crashes, according to Dublin Live.
In addition, she suffered from surgical emphysema, a condition where air leaks from the windpipe and becomes trapped under the skin. The animal was euthanised shortly after the attack.
Medical Response
Doctors at Beaumont Hospital described laryngeal trauma following a dog bite as a rare but potentially life-threatening injury, more commonly seen in children. Because the woman exhibited stridor—noisy, laboured breathing—and surgical emphysema, the medical team performed an emergency tracheostomy to bypass the crushed larynx before undertaking complex reconstruction.
She required a laryngeal stent to keep her airway open for two weeks and underwent multiple follow-up procedures. Miraculously, the medical team reported an optimal recovery.
Recovery and Rehabilitation
The tracheostomy was successfully decannulated, meaning the tube was removed and she could breathe normally on her own. A follow-up flexible nasendoscopy confirmed that her vocal cords were moving normally, indicating retained structural and neurological function of her voice box. She then underwent specialised speech and language therapy to restore her ability to swallow and speak.
The case was detailed in the April 2026 issue of the Irish Medical Journal.
About the Breed
The Cane Corso is a large, muscular Italian mastiff breed historically used as a guardian. They can grow up to 28 inches at the shoulder and weigh more than 100lbs.
