[M5NSX]

It's been a long time since I posted on this forum. I thought I should share our story about one of our Yorkie's. Lucy is 7 years old. She started with signs and symptoms of collapsed trachea about 4 years ago with occasional honking. As we know it is a progressive incurable genetic condition. She continued to honk like a goose until it got to the point were we could not take her on walks anymore. We tried some theophylline and was advised not to get her excited. She did well when she was at home but would have fits of honking at the groomer or if she get excited. Early in November she went to the groomer came home and was basically in distress for 24 hours keeping my wife up all night. I did some research and knew we needed more than just medical treatment. That left a tracheal stent or surgery. Luckily we live in Michigan and not too far from a world renowned criticalist and interventional radiologist at Michigan State University School of Veterinary Medicine. His name is Dr. Beal. After about a 90 minute drive to the campus for our 9am appointment, Dr. Beal met with us got Lucy's history did an exam and gave us all of our options with risks and benefits. They did a fluoro exam which confirmed severe tracheal collapse. We decided on the stent procedure as the surgery has some acute complications that we did not want to risk. We thought we would have to come back but he said they would do it today!! We left the procedure went great our little one spent the night in their beautiful new ICU. It has been about a month since the procedure and our little Lucy is like a new dog!! Her last grooming appointment went very well and her first walk today was great!! No honking like a goose!! The procedure was about $3,700 but worth EVERY penny!! She does cough some from the foreign body in her tracheal but we no doubt have given her a much better quality of life. I can't recommend Dr. Beal and MSU enough. I know there are many others here with the same problem. If you can afford it get the stent.