Collapsing trachea is not something a Yorkie "gets" like a cold or something. It is actually a congenital condition that occurs in a lot of toy breeds. The ones with shorter muzzles are more prone to it, but any dog can be affected. The vet will gently squeeze a place on the throat of the dog and that can reproduce the sound you hear if it is C.T. If a young puppy has symptoms already, surgery sometimes is needed to help them....
A chest Xray can show changes in the trachea if the problem is severe. The little cartilage rings that keep the trachea open are oval and soft instead of round and firm. This can cause the problem... |