Help!!!

[shimbo]

Hi, I am very new....my 12 year old yorkie has had sign of collapase trachea...

Well, after coming back from an overnight trip....I left her with a good friend....when i picked her up i noticed her cough was so persistent and very very unusual then normal....you can say, very loud goose like sound...lots of snorting...etc etc...rather then just a mere couple of secs...its ongoing.....and i know she is having a hard time breathing...

when i took her home...i watched to make sure it would clear up or go away...knowing she probably was so nervous and anxious cause of her unusal settings and there were other dogs there...

finally, i couldn't stand to see her gasping for breathe....note, she still manages to eat and drink...everything else...but her gasping and large sound is just way not normal..........

i took her to the german emgenecy vet...mind you, we are stationed her...and onbase vet is closed on weekend....the german vet didn't seem concerned but she tried to check her heart rate.,...unable to because of her loud noises she was making...she was overly excited and just couldn't seem to calm down....the vet finally game a shot of something to make her calm and another to clear out her lungs....unfortunately, it still didn't work...and could not hear anything.....she really was no help....and just prescibed something that will clear her lungs....or easier to breathe.....she wanted me to continue giving antiobiotics...

Well, now its 2:30am here in germany...and my poor dog is or sounds like she is suffering.................i have never ever heard her like this nor this lung....i have no idea what triggered the cough or her new conditions and symtoms....i hate to ask my friend...who seemed concerned but really it would not be her fault...

anyways, i would have to wait till monday morning...to head to on post vet...right now, the vet said, they will not be open tomorrow.....

i dont know what to do....she seems to finally fell asleep...but i can hear her right now, still snorting....its like someone congested and having a hard time breathing...is there anything i can give her besides the meds the vet gave me...i'm so scared that she is totally suffering and will she make it during the eveing...............i don't know what to do...the meds the vet gave me is not working...........

help, thank you

[chattiesmom]

I wish I had some advice for you, but I don't. I will say a prayer and I'm sending hugs . Hope the meds helps your little one get some rest.

[shimbo]

she managed to fall asleep...but i could her breathing so badly......after reading some of the past post...she might be suffering pneumonia...i know for sure bronchrontis....

gosh, i am so beyond myself....i am so sad and feel overwhelmed....i don't know what to do just because i can't go anywhere until monday....

thanks for the prayers...yes, i prayed as well...........so far, she mangaing to goto sleep is a blessing....practically the who evening...she could not............


i am so scared its worse then i think it is...................i am so exhausted...having just arrived from our trip and not getting enough sleep...then trying to deal with this afterwards.....my hubby is deployed so i do feel so overwhelmed and scared...this is the first in her 12 yearss.....thats why i am very concerned...

please anyone have any suggestions so needed...

[nefertelli]

Did the vet say she had collasped trachea? Or does she have a history of it? Cause it sounds like a resp infection, perhaps kennel cough? does she cough when you massage her throat? if so it might be kennel cough. I hope she is ok.

[wemple2]

I think it sounds more like a respiratory infection, could be pneumonia...did they not even do a chest x-ray to see if her lungs were congested. Heart failure sounds a lot like that to, she may need a diuretic. But she needs a vet to be sure. Lots of thoughts and prayers to you and I really hope she does improve, maybe some rest will help...

[Yorkiedaze]

Put a steamer on her till you can get her in the Vet. I hope the poor little thing will be ok and that it isn't the trachea. Please let us know Monday what the Vet. says.

[shimbo]

Thank you for all the suggestions and advice....

at this moment, i still have to wait till tomorrow to see anyone....i'm going to check out on base vet and see what they can do....or know...

the german vet couldn't do anything....she just prescribed some meds...she couldn't hear her heart due to my dogs loud coughing...and honking...i mean it was very loud....never have i heard it loud...plus, she would not relax....the doctor just couldn't seem to do anything until she calms down...we waited for the relaxations meds to kick in...but my dog just wouldn't and the sound wasn't any better...overall, she prescribed some to clear the lungs hopefully, able to breathe...plus, i was to continue giving her antibotics...thats it....

it did worse last night....BTW, she is eating very well and drinking...her actions seems the same just the coughing is really annoying....i practically could not sleep all night because my poor dog was suffering...she is a great sleeper but to see her having a hard time and uncomfy...i did rub her belly and chest...it helped but not much....

out of desperation...i gave her some children tyenol...the one with cough meds.....gave her in a very very small dosage....but it seemed to have worked....at least she fell asleep..and snoring very very loud..but i angled her in a verticaly and she feel asleep next to me...every half an hour just to check on her.....this morning...she woke...did the usual rountine....still coughing hard...ate..i am putting her on a diet..she is overweight...and then gave her another dosage of tyenol....whatever, i can ease her suffering...honestly, i couldn't bear to see and hear what she was going through...

as for kennel cough...it could be...because my friend had two dogs..she isn't use to be around other dogs..but again, because of all that was happening...she doesn't like lots of activity because it puts lots of stress on her....with 4 kids and her mommy not there...i am sure she was very stressed...

again, all the suggestions you ladies gave....will the vet be able to do something? or am i seeing something I don't want to encounter...? she is old...12 years old...she has hype, pancret...and yes, she has been diagnosed collaspse trachea...but we controlled it by not getting her overly excitied...but i feel terrible for even leaving her with a friend...but then again, we never imagined that she's go through this..

i will update as much as i can............thnak you...my yorkie is my first...i had the dog before my dd.....my dh us concerned because my dog adores him...but because he's deployed...he feels just as helpless...............

thanks again

[shimbo]

update:

so far, the loud goose like snorting has slowly diminishing...she sounds still congested but i think the children tyenol is really working...or at least doing something....

as weird as it sounds....she is knocked out and sleeping comfortably....again, i gave her a very very small dosage.....and just gave her again.....i think it is working for whatever she was suffering but she needed the rest...my goodness, have you ever heard a dog not being able to sleep in the evening...? thats exactly what happened last night....she did not sleep and kept coughing and soooo congested.....i felt so helpless and could not sleep as well..........

overall, i am relieved....and yes, i prayed very hard for her to have some relief.....to see her gagging for a breath was killing me.....at least with a child we have medication to relieve some pain...but with a dog what do you do? i don't know what the effect of giving children cold tyenol is dangerous or not...but i was very desperate and so far, she seems to be getting better......i know her trachea will always be there and definitly a wake up call to never leave her with anyone.....but just to see she is able to sleep and breathe without struggling....i am so relieved........

she is our family member..............and i am her mommy.....we love her as much as we love our 6 year old.....thank you for all the advices and prayers.....i will update as much as possible.........but the scary part has finally lessened and hopefully, when i visit the vet tomorrow...i will find some answers........as for now, my dog is relaxed and getting the rest she needs...BTW, she is eating so well...........still hungry as ever and drinking....good signs....but i have put her on a diet....whatever i can do to make her last couple years as comfortable...i will have to try...


thanks again!....now for my needed rest as well.............since, coming back from my trip....totaly lack of sleep...............

[feminvstr]

I had this happen in my Maltese male Max, at 9 years he was diagnosed with a reduced trachea and enlarging heart...the vet put him on a daily dose of prednisone, it kept him happy and comfortable for another 4 years, then the honking, hacking and coughing became persistant, non stop, at that point I had to do the unthinkable, put him to rest, a very sad time but I thank god the prednisone gave him a second chance for quite a few years.

[Sugar's Mom]

You can also give him Robitussin. I think the dose is one-fourth teaspoon for these little ones.

[shimbo]

thanks again....again, she seem to be suffering....i don't know how badly...better then yesterday....goodness, this is the longest weekend i have ever experienced...

its acting up again....but as long as i keep her in a quiet place...she seems to be managing...

i will definitly, look into those meds...

it might be an infection....since, the doctor couldn't check her heart...i really hope this time some results will be found....again, i feel helpless....i think for her to sleep or rest is the hardest...overall, when she is standing...she seems to be able to tolerate...i just hope and pray the vet on post will be able to see her and find something

i worry that if it is worse then we think.........yes, putting her to sleep is an option...only if they cannot help her............if no meds show any result...i will think of that as last resort....i just called our px to see if they have any cough meds....not surprisingly, they don't.....

its going to be a long night.....this is her first real attack and this long.....she seems to be uncomfy but tolerating it.....i will give her another dose of tylenol later in the evening....gosh, i cannot wait till tomorrow morning comes around...hopefully, some results will ease our anixty over my dog.....unfortunately, my friend told me that its a german holiday there will be no vets open....just great....hopefully, our vet on post will be able to do or say something.....

thanks for all the suggestions...she is older so its not a surprise that illness isn't easier as it was back when she was younger....

[wemple2]

Thank God she was able to get some relief...some rest...you get some too, you're going to need your strength to take care of her.
If she's overweight and been diagnosed with CT, weight reduction does help, for awhile. She'll most likely be put on a diuretic, maybe even be given by IV or injection at first, to help with the congestion, this should ease her cough. Her little heart is probably enlarged, from congestive heart failure...but this can be treated, not necessarily cured, but at the very least make her more comfortable. My thoughts and prayers will be with you, I know how hard this is, I have gone thru it myself. Please keep us updated, and remember you are not alone, we will continue to be here for you...and ...what's your little girls name? I'd like to know. Thanks...

[shimbo]

genie is her name....i am ready to face whatever...couple of month ago...we headed to german doctor because she was breathing differently....the vet said she had bronc....and seriously needed teeth cleaning..but until her wheezing went away...she would perform the procedure....antiobiotics were given....overall, it was never as bad as this........i'm still wondering what caused it...she only stayed with my friend overnight...how could it have gotten this bad......?

if it is enlarge heart...wouldn't the vet find that out when i took her in april??

at this moment, i just want her to breath.....i know she will never be better but just comfortable

BTW, she has had kennel cough before..and i'm pretty sure it was never as bad as this...it was more sneezing then this really annoying wheezing and honking sound...i wouldn't be scared if it happened briefly...but its all day.....every second...................i know it seems something serious...i'm anxious to just go and see.....i'm pretty sure it'll act up again when we visit the vet.....it gets worse when she is anxious.........its loud..................

thanks again........

[wemple2]

Genie, what a pretty name...Could she have possibly gotten into something, or maybe a bone or something, maybe she has something caught in her wind pipe or throat, any chance of that? But you did say she was able to eat and drink, right? I remember Spencer would stand a lot, I think he was more comfortable that way, easier to breath...laying down to sleep was the worst. Do you have a vaporizer/steamer? If not maybe try to run a hot bath or shower, close the bathroom door so she'll breath the steam, I wish I were there to help comfort her...and you...it's so very hard to watch and listen to this horrible sounding breaths. Is she peeing plenty, that's what a diuretic will do, she's got to be able to get rid of any built up fluid in her lungs. Is her tummy bloated at all? I am so hoping that it's just a bug, and that she will get better...Did they do a chest x-ray in April, that would show the size of her heart, when there's too much stress on it, the heart enlarges, can't pump as good as it should, so fluid builds up...and they cough, become more short of breath. Again, I'm so sorry she's not feeling well, and my thoughts and prayers are with you, always.

[tjdmom]

I'm so sorry to hear about genie and that she's feeling so poorly. Wish I had some great advice but sadly, I do not. I just wanted to send you well wishes and hope she is feeling better soon. Please keep us posted.