Judith, i lost my sweet baby Gracie at 6 1/2 years due to complications from a severely collapsed trachea at the thoracic area. She lived a little over a year from time of diagnosis. She developed heart and lung problems because of it and breathing became too difficult for her. This happened 9 years ago. I took her to a specialist and the surgery they suggested would most likely have left her with a trach tube and a whole set of problems. I researched it with the Univ of ill vet school who referred me to Texas A & M Univ vet school who had just done a long study on collapsed trachea's in small dogs. They were so kind and I talked to one of their vets and she told me her opinion, which was that the outcome was never good when it was collapsed where Gracie's was. They then sent me the paper/ study for $10.00. After reading that and the input from their vet I did not do the surgery. She most likely would have died on the table. She did live another year which had it's ups and downs, many trips to the er vet and regular vets. What would send Gracie into a spell was thunder. I lived in fera of thunderstorms because she would get so upset and go into a choking spell. One day about a week after her last spell my husband called me and said she had'nt moved from her spot in the hall on a big blanket and she was laying in her urine. I took her in and the vet said she's struggling for every breath she is no longer enjoying life.
I made the hardest decision to put her down so she would be in peace.
IMO i would tak her to a specialist and see what the say, depending on where the collapse is and with newer technology surgery may be an option for you. I also had a male Yorkies who had a pretty bad collapsed trachea but he lived until he was almost 13 with the help of medicine. Sorry this was so long but I wanted to give you my experience with it. Good luck and keep us posted. Feel free to Pm me if you want. |