[Yorkie 3]

Thank you all the kind support relating to Chelsie Collapsed trachea.
Some of you asked for more information on her symtoms and surgery.
Sorry the following is very long...

Chelsie is my third Yorkie, she will be Three years old on August 1st.
My other two girls are , Lacey (six years old) and Tessa (almost four)
About a year ago I started becoming a bit concerned when she started a heavier cough when she was excited~all of mine, as I'm sure most of you experience, do "a little" reverse cough/sneezing. Chelsies became clearly different, and turned into the "classic" goose honk. This spring and early summer she began to rapidly decline, her breathing~ even when a sleep was a struggle. She started to aspirate her food and choke, she had times that
I was sure she wouldn't survive~she just couldn't fill her lungs her breathing so weak and shallow.
I can not even begin to tell you what a horrible thing this is to witness.
She was sufficating in front of my eyes.
I have never felt so helpless in my life.
I did have a friend who had a Yorkie many years ago~ before the surgery~that died of a collapsed trachea, so I was aware of the condition, but never thought it would happen to one of my dogs.

She had diaognistic tests preformed at the UW Vetenianary teaching school.
They believed she was in the "early" stage of the diease, and that medication would work for a while. I did not feel that the results were totally accurate, and decided to get a second opinion per the advise of the National Yorkshire Terrier rescue. They strongly encouraged me to check into the University of Tennessee, and also called Doctor Tobias for me to start the process. They felt that UT was one of the best facilities in the country for small breed dogs.

We flew to Tennessee Monday July 18th, and met with Dr. Krahwinkel. He preformed a scope and Fluorosscopy on Tuesday and she was diagnosised with "severe collapsing cervical and thoracic trachea". Her entire trachea had collapsed, one of the worst they had seen. It was explained to me that the cartilage in her trachea was very weak. It is believed to be a congenital abnormaliy also genetic. This is not a condition that can be cured. Althought they can repair the trachea, eventually the bronchi cartilage will also collapse. There is no surgery for that.
(She has never worn a collar FYI)

Chelsie had a stent placed in the lower part of the trachea, in her chest. They decided to sew 5 rings into the throat part of her trachea. Their reasoning for the rings was that they were seeing the stents in some of the earlier dogs beginning to fray, especially in the throat area where there is so much motion.
(The stent can never be removed or adjusted).
Unfortunately a BIG complication of the rings is irritation/paralyzing the nerves that run on each side of the trachea~they control the larynx.
She was one of the unfortunate...so Friday a second surgery was preformed to permanently tie up one side of the larynx. Total bummer!

We brought her home Monday evening. She takes medication 6 times a day A cough suppressent 3xs, Prednisone 1x, Clavamox 2xs. I'm praying for her to heal, but she has been through a lot. She needs to eat with her head completely down, or she will choke, as the food will go into her lungs due to the layrnx tie. It's so sad. Hopefully she can relearn to eat. She also has some small spells of coughing which are scary. I think she does a little better each day, time will tell. Thanks for the prayers.

I now look at buying a Yorkie much differently...take your time~ be patient, check out the breeder, call their vet, ask for references, have the puppy genetically tested, get a LIFETIME guarantee against any genetic defects. This condition has cost us many thousands of dollars, but killing her was never an option.
The doctors at UT say Yorkies are a vets best friend...they make 'em rich.

Kara