Living with a collapsed trachea condition - YorkieTalk.com Forums

debbies · 11-23-2005, 05:46 PM

I have an 8 month old yorkie, Roxy, whom I love very much. She was given to me by my boyfriend as a surprise, and she is my baby. Well, after one episode of her seeming to not be able to breath (only lasted 2 sec) ----- i took her to the vet. I had also done a little research on the internet.

The vet confirmed that she does have a mildly "narrowed" trachea. I saw the xrays myself. My question is......anyone out there have any experience long term in living with this condition? Ive read all the info on it, but she's only 8 months so I have a long way to go.

The vet seemed to think this was manageable -- but any of you out there have any input on your experience with living with a yorkie with this condition? Thanks.

debbies · 11-23-2005, 05:48 PM

By the way...I love her to death so we are just going to make the best of it...but I just need some insights from some people who have also dwelt with it.

yorkieusa · 11-23-2005, 06:08 PM

Other than to never, ever put a collar on her and to use a harness only which I am sure you already know, I have no experience, but there are some people on this site that I'm sure will see your thread. The only thing is that it is Thanksgiving, so you may have to keep it bumped up and don't be afraid to do that. OK?

Patti · 11-23-2005, 06:53 PM

I had 3 yorkies with the collapsed trachea, all at different times. Karma lived to be 13 and only coughed once in awhile. Zorro had it and he lived to almost 13 years of age and coughed only when he was excited and he would be fine after a minute or two. Gracie was 6 1/2 and died of complications freom the collapsed trachea. She got real bad at about 5 years of age and fought the good fight for 1 1/2 years when she just couldn't breathe anymore. Gracie had a severely collapsed trachea in the thoracic area which they said was a bad place for it almost impossible to fix. I do think that in my ignorance of the problem contributed to the problem by putting her on a collar and a tie out so she could chase a soccer ball which she loved to do.Stupidly, I never realized it till later that was putting pressure on her trachea when she would reach the end of the tie out it would jerk her neck sometimes. I know to never put a collar on them and keep their weight under control. Since Roxy's is mild I would thnk she should live a full life if you always protect her neck and keep the weight off of her.
Good luck I'm sure she will be fine! If you have any questions you can PM me.

spydergurl · 11-23-2005, 07:17 PM

One of my girls has it, she is six years old and has bouts of it once and awhile. When she gets excited, tries to bark too much, and sometimes after getting a drink. But it doesn't last long, we are with her 90% of the time, so we don't worry about it too much.

Auntie Crazy · 12-01-2005, 07:56 PM

My little girl, Jasmine, also has a mild form of this condition. She is eight years old and doing very well, I'm glad to say, but the first couple of episodes scared half the life off me - she just stood there with her sides heaving, struggling to breathe.

I'd go with the advice you've already been given - no collars and keep your furbaby in good health. I've seen a noticeable difference in Jasmine's condition between the summers she goes hiking with me (yep - all five pounds of her) and the summers we don't get out as much. An example thats slightly off topic, but illustrates the benefits of keeping our babies in good health: Jasmine developed something similar to a pinched nerve condition that the vet thought might require surgery to repair two winters ago. We decided to wait and watch for awhile and shortly thereafter I was laid off from work. All that spring and summer we hiked two or three times a week, from three to six miles each time. By the following fall, Jazzy no longer had that painful pinch, and we haven't seen it since.*yeah!!*

From my experience and others, I'd say you have a long, fun yorkie relationship to look forward too. Good luck, Debbies, and welcome to the wonderful world of Yorkies!

OnCloudNine82 · 12-02-2005, 12:14 PM

My baby Libby will be a year old on December 21st. Shortly after I got her in February, she would cough (we call it snorting) when she gets excited. At first the vet said it was kennel cough although she had just had her shots. He put her on medicine to cure the kennel cough to see if that was what it was. Well it wasn't because she still does it. She hadn't been back to the vet in the past few months. Originally we were going to breed her, but she only weighs. 3.04 lbs, so we are definitly NOT going to now. Anyway, she just got out of her first heat a couple days ago, so I am going to get her an appt to get her spayed. I came across www.collapsingtrachea.com the other day by accident just looking at yorkie stuff. I read the first paragraph on the info tab and immediately knew this is what she could have. So i printed it out and when I went by the vet's office yesterday to get her refills on interceptor and frontline, i asked if I could speak with him. As soon as he came out and saw I had a paper from the internet he knew what I was going to ask about. He said that when we brought her in again that if we mentioned that she still does it that he was going to sit us down and talk about it. He explained it to me and told me that it would be wise to go ahead and get her xrayed soon. I'm pretty sure she has to have it though. I read all of the posts above me and it says not to use collars...I feel horrible because I have used one with her very often, and when we rake leaves and stuff I do hook her to the thing in the ground. Any other advise or stories for both Debbie (i think was the person that posted the first one) and me would be great.

Stephanie

YorkieShadow · 12-02-2005, 01:09 PM

I have heard alot of small dogs have this. I feel so sorry for them .but I think with it being mild she will be ok.

shelbysmom · 12-02-2005, 04:00 PM

I don't have personal experience with it but I remember reading about it in Yorkie Magazine and/ or a Yorkie book. The advice was no collars, keep them away from cigarette smoke, keep them in good health (overweight may contribute to the problem) and try to limit their getting over excited or playing to hard for too long.

alisonJ · 12-04-2005, 06:48 AM

I believe my Edie has a mild case of collapsing trachea. She is 5 yrs old now, and she goes weeks or even months without symptoms. It does not seem to have gotten worse since she was a baby, so I am hopeful that it will not affect her life too much.

Regarding collars, I think IT CAN"T HURT to use harnesses instead, and Edie wears a harness. However, for those of you who have been using collars, don't beat yourself up about it. The collar probably did not hurt the condition. Many collapsing tracheas are in the thoracic region--if this is the case it doesn't matter if you use a collar or not. THe collar is not near the affected area. If the collapsed area is in the upper respiratory area, the collar might seem to be a problem, but I have done a lot of reading and I from what I can discern, there is no indication that collars have hurt or made the condition worse.

I DO AGREE with the other posters here, who recommend a harness however. It can't hurt to be conservative here. But don't get down on yourself for putting a collar on your pup. Just get a harness!

alisonJ · 12-04-2005, 06:52 AM

OH---I recommend www.collapsingtrachea.com. They explain the surgical procedure. It is only done on dogs with a severe problem (CLASS III or Class IV). Interesting that glucosamine has not been found to be helpful (but it doesn't hurt either. There is a vet on this site that actually does the surgery, and they have a fund that will pay for the surgery for qualified pets....you have to apply. The surgery is $2000-5000,

dimp51 · 12-20-2005, 09:17 AM

My little yorkie, Rose had a collasped trachea. She didn't have the cough but was always panting alot. After having a chest exray it showed that she had a severe collaspe. We were refered to a vet specialist. She had tracheal prosthesis surgery. Her airway was reinforced with prosthetic rings. She takes 25 mil. of theophylline twice to help with her breathing. Rose had the surgery in Sept. 2001. This past Sept. she turned 12. I firmly believe that if she did not have the surgery I wouldn't still have her.

P.S a harness should always be used and not a collar.

Pattie · 01-03-2006, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OnCloudNine82

My baby Libby will be a year old on December 21st. Shortly after I got her in February, she would cough (we call it snorting) when she gets excited. At first the vet said it was kennel cough although she had just had her shots. He put her on medicine to cure the kennel cough to see if that was what it was. Well it wasn't because she still does it. She hadn't been back to the vet in the past few months. Originally we were going to breed her, but she only weighs. 3.04 lbs, so we are definitly NOT going to now. Anyway, she just got out of her first heat a couple days ago, so I am going to get her an appt to get her spayed. I came across www.collapsingtrachea.com the other day by accident just looking at yorkie stuff. I read the first paragraph on the info tab and immediately knew this is what she could have. So i printed it out and when I went by the vet's office yesterday to get her refills on interceptor and frontline, i asked if I could speak with him. As soon as he came out and saw I had a paper from the internet he knew what I was going to ask about. He said that when we brought her in again that if we mentioned that she still does it that he was going to sit us down and talk about it. He explained it to me and told me that it would be wise to go ahead and get her xrayed soon. I'm pretty sure she has to have it though. I read all of the posts above me and it says not to use collars...I feel horrible because I have used one with her very often, and when we rake leaves and stuff I do hook her to the thing in the ground. Any other advise or stories for both Debbie (i think was the person that posted the first one) and me would be great.

Stephanie

My vet also put Chloe on anti-biotics saying it was kennel cough but it never went away. I also belive mine has a slight case, she coughs most after "trying" to bark, drinking or streatching her neck sleeping across my arm. I bought a harness today (even tho she didn't agree with me taking her collar off!

11-23-2005, 05:46 PM	#1
debbies YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 7	Living with a collapsed trachea condition I have an 8 month old yorkie, Roxy, whom I love very much. She was given to me by my boyfriend as a surprise, and she is my baby. Well, after one episode of her seeming to not be able to breath (only lasted 2 sec) ----- i took her to the vet. I had also done a little research on the internet. The vet confirmed that she does have a mildly "narrowed" trachea. I saw the xrays myself. My question is......anyone out there have any experience long term in living with this condition? Ive read all the info on it, but she's only 8 months so I have a long way to go. The vet seemed to think this was manageable -- but any of you out there have any input on your experience with living with a yorkie with this condition? Thanks.

11-23-2005, 06:08 PM	#3
yorkieusa Crazy about Kacee! Donating Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 8,825	Other than to never, ever put a collar on her and to use a harness only which I am sure you already know, I have no experience, but there are some people on this site that I'm sure will see your thread. The only thing is that it is Thanksgiving, so you may have to keep it bumped up and don't be afraid to do that. OK? __________________ Karen Kacee Muffin 1991-2005 Rest in Peace My Little Angel

11-23-2005, 06:53 PM	#4
Patti Donating YT 10000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 18,304	I had 3 yorkies with the collapsed trachea, all at different times. Karma lived to be 13 and only coughed once in awhile. Zorro had it and he lived to almost 13 years of age and coughed only when he was excited and he would be fine after a minute or two. Gracie was 6 1/2 and died of complications freom the collapsed trachea. She got real bad at about 5 years of age and fought the good fight for 1 1/2 years when she just couldn't breathe anymore. Gracie had a severely collapsed trachea in the thoracic area which they said was a bad place for it almost impossible to fix. I do think that in my ignorance of the problem contributed to the problem by putting her on a collar and a tie out so she could chase a soccer ball which she loved to do.Stupidly, I never realized it till later that was putting pressure on her trachea when she would reach the end of the tie out it would jerk her neck sometimes. I know to never put a collar on them and keep their weight under control. Since Roxy's is mild I would thnk she should live a full life if you always protect her neck and keep the weight off of her. Good luck I'm sure she will be fine! If you have any questions you can PM me. __________________ Cali Pixie Roxie : Maya's Mom RIP my sweet Dixie girl 1/17/08 http://callipuppyscastle.bravehost.com/index.html

12-02-2005, 12:14 PM	#7
OnCloudNine82 Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Waldorf, MD Posts: 11	collapsing trachea My baby Libby will be a year old on December 21st. Shortly after I got her in February, she would cough (we call it snorting) when she gets excited. At first the vet said it was kennel cough although she had just had her shots. He put her on medicine to cure the kennel cough to see if that was what it was. Well it wasn't because she still does it. She hadn't been back to the vet in the past few months. Originally we were going to breed her, but she only weighs. 3.04 lbs, so we are definitly NOT going to now. Anyway, she just got out of her first heat a couple days ago, so I am going to get her an appt to get her spayed. I came across www.collapsingtrachea.com the other day by accident just looking at yorkie stuff. I read the first paragraph on the info tab and immediately knew this is what she could have. So i printed it out and when I went by the vet's office yesterday to get her refills on interceptor and frontline, i asked if I could speak with him. As soon as he came out and saw I had a paper from the internet he knew what I was going to ask about. He said that when we brought her in again that if we mentioned that she still does it that he was going to sit us down and talk about it. He explained it to me and told me that it would be wise to go ahead and get her xrayed soon. I'm pretty sure she has to have it though. I read all of the posts above me and it says not to use collars...I feel horrible because I have used one with her very often, and when we rake leaves and stuff I do hook her to the thing in the ground. Any other advise or stories for both Debbie (i think was the person that posted the first one) and me would be great. Stephanie __________________ Stephanie ~ Libby's mommy www.dogster.com/?127090 Libby's Dogster Page

12-02-2005, 01:09 PM	#8
YorkieShadow Yorkie Shadows are the best Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: USA Posts: 8,395 Blog Entries: 1	I have heard alot of small dogs have this. I feel so sorry for them .but I think with it being mild she will be ok. __________________ Now Taking Orders Business cards, Labels, Holiday cards

11-23-2005, 05:48 PM	#2
debbies YorkieTalk Newbie! Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 7	By the way...I love her to death so we are just going to make the best of it...but I just need some insights from some people who have also dwelt with it.

11-23-2005, 07:17 PM	#5
spydergurl YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: California Posts: 508	One of my girls has it, she is six years old and has bouts of it once and awhile. When she gets excited, tries to bark too much, and sometimes after getting a drink. But it doesn't last long, we are with her 90% of the time, so we don't worry about it too much.

12-01-2005, 07:56 PM	#6
Auntie Crazy Yorkie Yakker Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Tim-buc-too Posts: 31	My little girl, Jasmine, also has a mild form of this condition. She is eight years old and doing very well, I'm glad to say, but the first couple of episodes scared half the life off me - she just stood there with her sides heaving, struggling to breathe. I'd go with the advice you've already been given - no collars and keep your furbaby in good health. I've seen a noticeable difference in Jasmine's condition between the summers she goes hiking with me (yep - all five pounds of her) and the summers we don't get out as much. An example thats slightly off topic, but illustrates the benefits of keeping our babies in good health: Jasmine developed something similar to a pinched nerve condition that the vet thought might require surgery to repair two winters ago. We decided to wait and watch for awhile and shortly thereafter I was laid off from work. All that spring and summer we hiked two or three times a week, from three to six miles each time. By the following fall, Jazzy no longer had that painful pinch, and we haven't seen it since.yeah!! From my experience and others, I'd say you have a long, fun yorkie relationship to look forward too. Good luck, Debbies, and welcome to the wonderful world of Yorkies!

12-02-2005, 04:00 PM	#9
shelbysmom YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,049	I don't have personal experience with it but I remember reading about it in Yorkie Magazine and/ or a Yorkie book. The advice was no collars, keep them away from cigarette smoke, keep them in good health (overweight may contribute to the problem) and try to limit their getting over excited or playing to hard for too long.

12-04-2005, 06:48 AM	#10
alisonJ YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 1,241	collars vs. harness I believe my Edie has a mild case of collapsing trachea. She is 5 yrs old now, and she goes weeks or even months without symptoms. It does not seem to have gotten worse since she was a baby, so I am hopeful that it will not affect her life too much. Regarding collars, I think IT CAN"T HURT to use harnesses instead, and Edie wears a harness. However, for those of you who have been using collars, don't beat yourself up about it. The collar probably did not hurt the condition. Many collapsing tracheas are in the thoracic region--if this is the case it doesn't matter if you use a collar or not. THe collar is not near the affected area. If the collapsed area is in the upper respiratory area, the collar might seem to be a problem, but I have done a lot of reading and I from what I can discern, there is no indication that collars have hurt or made the condition worse. I DO AGREE with the other posters here, who recommend a harness however. It can't hurt to be conservative here. But don't get down on yourself for putting a collar on your pup. Just get a harness!

12-04-2005, 06:52 AM	#11
alisonJ YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Tucson, Arizona Posts: 1,241	OH---I recommend www.collapsingtrachea.com. They explain the surgical procedure. It is only done on dogs with a severe problem (CLASS III or Class IV). Interesting that glucosamine has not been found to be helpful (but it doesn't hurt either. There is a vet on this site that actually does the surgery, and they have a fund that will pay for the surgery for qualified pets....you have to apply. The surgery is $2000-5000,

12-20-2005, 09:17 AM	#12
dimp51 Yorkie Talk Newbie! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Riverview, MI Posts: 1	My little yorkie, Rose had a collasped trachea. She didn't have the cough but was always panting alot. After having a chest exray it showed that she had a severe collaspe. We were refered to a vet specialist. She had tracheal prosthesis surgery. Her airway was reinforced with prosthetic rings. She takes 25 mil. of theophylline twice to help with her breathing. Rose had the surgery in Sept. 2001. This past Sept. she turned 12. I firmly believe that if she did not have the surgery I wouldn't still have her. P.S a harness should always be used and not a collar.