I am so sorry that Kayla is so sick. As you know, my little Gracie had CT, and when she had an attack, her trachea would start to swell. That would cause the temperature to rise, sometimes dangerously high, and at that point, I would submerge her in cool water to bring the body temperature down. Within a minute of being in the water, her breathing would return to normal. I always carried ice with me whenever we went out. She had these acute attacks quite often. During the summer, she would go to the back door, and that would be my signal that she needed to cool off. She would jump into the pool and stand on the first step. Water up to the belly really works to get that breathing back to normal and to lower the body temperature.
I know what it's like to go to the vet with a pup with CT. My vet is a half an hour from me, and with the excitement of the car ride that Gracie loved, and going into the vet, we always had issues with her breathing. One time my vet ran for oxygen, and I asked him to give me a minute to try my method first. I knew that if she had oxygen, she would not be able to have a dental, which she desperately needed. She had it done once or twice a year, and each time my vet would gently tell me that her trachea was getting worse and tried to prepare me for the inevitable. After this dental, he told me he could no longer do them because it was too dangerous.
This was Gracie's only health issue, and she was a very small Yorkie, but it was a very serious one. When she passed away at 9.5 years, her vet told me that he hadn't expected her to live beyond five years He said that managing it the way I did was what kept her alive. I just heard that her only sister from the litter she was in just passed away at the age of eighteen. Mary was bigger than Gracie, but I don't think she was larger than 5.5 pounds.
My heart goes out to you and Kayla, but please don't give up hope. Sometimes with our love and care, our babies defy all the odds. I will continue to pray for both of you. |