This is my first post on here, although I have been a lurker for awhile.
My situation is very sad and I am so heartbroken right now. My sweet Gretta turns 1 year tomorrow, and Sunday she was diagnosed with a tracheal collapse. She is a little over 3 lbs. She started honking a couple weeks ago when getting excited and I just figured it was reverse sneezing. Well this Friday she started wheezing constantly and by Sunday she seemed to be struggling for air so much. I took her to an emergency vet hospital and they x-rayed her and her collapse is pretty severe in one spot. They gave her Theophylline and a shot but it didn't seem to do much good. I took her to her normal vet yesterday and he pretty much told me that medicine won't help as it won't of course open the collapsed part. She is eating and drinking well. She got so excited when I got home today. One of her vets main concerns is that she is breathing in so hard, and using her stomach muscles to get air, this is constant. Her wheezing is constant. I have kept her quiet and my children know to not get her excited.
I am soooo emotionally tied up in this little baby and am crying while writing this. She is so young and I feel cheated, I want more time with her! Her breathing is labored. Because of her small size she is not a candidate for surgery. My question is, should I consider the dreaded.... putting her to eternal sleep. She is struggling for air constantly, the wheezing does not stop. She strains her neck and opens her mouth for air sometimes. I don't want to lose my baby...but I don't want this most precious thing to suffer just because of my emotional ties.
If anyone is familiar with the severity degrees in this issue I would really appreciate any insight into this. I don't know if constant wheezing is normal, I am afraid it isn't. She has been sleeping a lot today. Thank you.