Daffney is having tracheal surgery

[Lindyloo]

Daffney was 4 when we adopted her 3 years ago. From the very start she did the reverse sneezing and when she got excited, she would cough and honk like a goose. At first it scared the dickens out of me, but she'd always recover very quickly.

I asked the vet about it and he told me it was called collapsing trachea or laryngeal paralysis. He said that he didn't think it would get any worse, so we didn't need to worry about it.

At the end of March Daffney caught kennel cough while romping outside with a neighbor's dog. As soon as I realized she was sick I brought her straight to the vet and he put her on antibiotics, which worked quickly. Unfortunately, this illness antagonized her collapsing trachea. The vet was seeing her a couple of times a week for steroid shots to keep the swelling down. She was showing tremendous improvement and we thought that she was out of the woods--until last Friday night.

She woke us up because her breathing sounded like a bullfrog. She was panting, her whole body was heaving with each breath, her tongue was hanging out of the side of her mouth, and her eyes were wide with fear. I was able to reach our vet almost immediately and he told me she wouldn't suffocate. He thought she might be too warm and to cool her down. That worked, thank Heaven. The next morning we went in to see him and agreed that we needed to schedule the surgery. He said that it would be laser surgery to eliminate the excess tissue in her trachea that causes the problem.

Our vet arranged an appointment with the same surgeon who repaired both of Daffney's knees, but we haven't had a chance to speak with him yet.

So, my questions are:
Have any of your babies had this laser surgery?
How long did the surgery take?
How long was the recovery?
Is there anything we need to know about?

Linda K.

[rbelland]

I dont have any answers to your questions. I just wanted to tell you to keep your head up and we will be praying for Daffney!!!!!

[Lindyloo]

Thank you, Renee. Prayers are always welcome.

Linda K.

[ARCHIE]

I know nothing about this kind of surgery and it scares me as well
because when excited Buddy does this also.
Sending prayer's for your little one. I hope surgery goes well
and he has a speedy recovery.

[Yorkiexpress]

My little guy Rhett has CT and has been treated for the last two years for it...he is on Torbutrol and lasix twice a day...1/4 tab each morning and evening 7 am and 7 pm....I have known of a few who have had the Ct surgery although it was not laser.....they actually had a stent placed in the trachea...but end result was.....the Trachea ended up collapsing in a different area than the original collapse.....the recovery for the surgery in my opinion is far worse than treating this.....there is the possibility of pnumonia...which several have died from within weeks of the surgery....CT is very tricky to treat....some give large amounts of meds that more or less keep the dog in a stupor...we have shosen to treat rhett with diet and mild meds....the important thing to remember it to keep the respritory sustem clear of fluids, as they build up is causes the heart to work overtime and the lungs and the trachea to clear them.....main thing is to keep the weight down so the heart does not have to work so hard...and watch allergies..Rhet is allergic to corn, soy and wheat....and the pollens from those really work hard on his system..we have him on Solid Gold Holistiq Blends food, and keep our house cool...humidity, especially where we live plays a major role in his breathing so the cooler the better...I also use Olbas Oil on his throat when he has bad breathing episodes, it works much like any menthol works for us..it opens his airways for breathing....he even comes to us now when he knows he needs it...He has learned his limits....other than that he is a pretty normal little 5 yr old guy....and he has no plans to leave us yet.....
Would I have the surgery for him, even if he was a candidate for it I still would not do it...his collapse is way to low....so surgery is not an option I have to deal with and if it was, I would not do it to him. But that is just my opinion.
Where are you having the surgery done? and how many surgeries like this have they done and at what success rate.....these are all questions I would be asking.....I am sorry if I sound negative on this but I have been going thru this with Rhett for 2 years now and he has even went out cold on us once a year ago....but came back. Plus we have not started with any steriods as yet as they do damage to the heart....and the longer you can go without them the better, especially since Collapsing Trachea and heart disease seem to go hand in hand.

Originally Posted by Lindyloo

Daffney was 4 when we adopted her 3 years ago. From the very start she did the reverse sneezing and when she got excited, she would cough and honk like a goose. At first it scared the dickens out of me, but she'd always recover very quickly.

I asked the vet about it and he told me it was called collapsing trachea or laryngeal paralysis. He said that he didn't think it would get any worse, so we didn't need to worry about it.

At the end of March Daffney caught kennel cough while romping outside with a neighbor's dog. As soon as I realized she was sick I brought her straight to the vet and he put her on antibiotics, which worked quickly. Unfortunately, this illness antagonized her collapsing trachea. The vet was seeing her a couple of times a week for steroid shots to keep the swelling down. She was showing tremendous improvement and we thought that she was out of the woods--until last Friday night.

She woke us up because her breathing sounded like a bullfrog. She was panting, her whole body was heaving with each breath, her tongue was hanging out of the side of her mouth, and her eyes were wide with fear. I was able to reach our vet almost immediately and he told me she wouldn't suffocate. He thought she might be too warm and to cool her down. That worked, thank Heaven. The next morning we went in to see him and agreed that we needed to schedule the surgery. He said that it would be laser surgery to eliminate the excess tissue in her trachea that causes the problem.

Our vet arranged an appointment with the same surgeon who repaired both of Daffney's knees, but we haven't had a chance to speak with him yet.

So, my questions are:
Have any of your babies had this laser surgery?
How long did the surgery take?
How long was the recovery?
Is there anything we need to know about?

Linda K.

[jeanietoo]

I am anxious to know how this works out for you. I have heard the results of this surgery aren't too good or don't last. My brother's yorkie was given this option when he was 12 and the meds were no longer working but his vet said the surgery doesn't always help so they had him euthanized. I hope it works for your dog.

[Lindyloo]

Daffney had another visit with the vet today--to do an x-ray and blood test in preparation for her surgery. I asked some questions and learned that collapsing trachea and laryngeal paralysis are 2 different things--my misunderstanding.

He says Daffney has a "slightly collapsing trachea," but it's not bad enough to need surgery. It's the laryngeal paralysis that's going to be fixed. He explained that it's caused by excess tissue higher up in the larynx and the surgeon will remove some of that tissue with a laser.

Daffney is a large Yorkie--12 pounds right now. She was 13, but we put her on a diet at the vet's recommendation. Our goal is 11 pounds. Anyway, the vet says that because of her size, the surgery is less dangerous.

My vet has sent quite a large number of small dogs Dr. Kenny for this procedure. This is the same surgeon who repaired both of Daffney's ACL's and stabilized her knees. At the time, whenever I told someone about the knee surgery, they always asked if we went to Dr. Kenny. He has an excellent reputation and I'm very comfortable with him.

Thanks for your responses and your prayers.

Linda K.

[Yorkiexpress]

Originally Posted by Lindyloo

Daffney had another visit with the vet today--to do an x-ray and blood test in preparation for her surgery. I asked some questions and learned that collapsing trachea and laryngeal paralysis are 2 different things--my misunderstanding.

He says Daffney has a "slightly collapsing trachea," but it's not bad enough to need surgery. It's the laryngeal paralysis that's going to be fixed. He explained that it's caused by excess tissue higher up in the larynx and the surgeon will remove some of that tissue with a laser.

Daffney is a large Yorkie--12 pounds right now. She was 13, but we put her on a diet at the vet's recommendation. Our goal is 11 pounds. Anyway, the vet says that because of her size, the surgery is less dangerous.

My vet has sent quite a large number of small dogs Dr. Kenny for this procedure. This is the same surgeon who repaired both of Daffney's ACL's and stabilized her knees. At the time, whenever I told someone about the knee surgery, they always asked if we went to Dr. Kenny. He has an excellent reputation and I'm very comfortable with him.

Thanks for your responses and your prayers.

Linda K.

oh yes, that is a difference....yes, she is a good size Yorkie...much better for the surgery....or any surgery for that matter.....I hlave never heard of aryngeal paralysis, did he say what causes it.....? Rhett was 2.5 lbs over weight and we had to get it off him too....he is back down to his normal 5 lbs now...if you go to YTNR Collapsing Trachea.com you can see his x rays they were taken when he was over weight....you can see his little fat rolls....we put him on solid Gold Holistiq Blendz...within in a month he was back down to 5 3/4 lbs and now he bounces between 5 and 5.5 lbs....he collects his fat in his chest area and that is where his collapse is lower in the trachea so even an ounce is not good for him...He did not like the food at first but finally figured it was that or nothing...and it helps my other two also eat it....
I will be thinking of you litttle one as she goes into surgery....please let us know how it comes out....it sure helps when you fully trust your vet...I don't know what I would do if i did not have the wondeeful vet we have...he has saved Rhett more than once..!!! He and all the girls in his office are so attached to him....

[Lindyloo]

We had another trip to the vet yesterday because Daffney needs steroid shots to keep her throat open until the surgery next week.

In the meantime, I did some research online. There were lots of hits on surgery for laryngeal paralysis, but only two hits on laser surgery and they were in medicalese. What I got out of all this is that there are potential problems with this surgery that can result in inhalation pneumonia. Apparently when the tissue is tied back, the larynx may not open and shut properly, allowing the dog to inhale food into its lungs. The laser surgery removes the excess tissue rather than tying it back, so the chance of aspirating food is much lower.

I discussed this with Dr. Bruce and he said that the laser surgery is much safer. He also said that he has sent dozens of dogs to Dr. Kenney for this surgery and not one of them has had an aspiration problem. So, although I'm still nervous, I'm feeling much less worried.

Another thing that I learned online is that this is a problem usually found in older, large dogs. Although Daffney is big for a Yorkie, at 12 pounds she's hardly a large dog. Anyway, that explains why Yorkie owners wouldn't have heard of this problem.

I'll let you all know how the surgery works out. It's scheduled for 9 AM next Monday, June 1.

Linda K.

[Yorkiexpress]

Originally Posted by Lindyloo

We had another trip to the vet yesterday because Daffney needs steroid shots to keep her throat open until the surgery next week.

In the meantime, I did some research online. There were lots of hits on surgery for laryngeal paralysis, but only two hits on laser surgery and they were in medicalese. What I got out of all this is that there are potential problems with this surgery that can result in inhalation pneumonia. Apparently when the tissue is tied back, the larynx may not open and shut properly, allowing the dog to inhale food into its lungs. The laser surgery removes the excess tissue rather than tying it back, so the chance of aspirating food is much lower.

I discussed this with Dr. Bruce and he said that the laser surgery is much safer. He also said that he has sent dozens of dogs to Dr. Kenney for this surgery and not one of them has had an aspiration problem. So, although I'm still nervous, I'm feeling much less worried.

Another thing that I learned online is that this is a problem usually found in older, large dogs. Although Daffney is big for a Yorkie, at 12 pounds she's hardly a large dog. Anyway, that explains why Yorkie owners wouldn't have heard of this problem.

I'll let you all know how the surgery works out. It's scheduled for 9 AM next Monday, June 1.

Linda K.

Yes, please do keep me updated I am sending lots of prayer for a succesful surgery and speedy recovery..I also sent you some information privately ..I hope this helps....

[ARCHIE]

I am sorry your Daphney needs surgery but wishing her a successful
one and a speedy recovery.
Will watch for an update.

[Yorkiexpress]

I found this web page to be quite helpful for my rhett who has severe CT.
Tracheal Collapse - VeterinaryPartner.com - a VIN company!

Originally Posted by Lindyloo

We had another trip to the vet yesterday because Daffney needs steroid shots to keep her throat open until the surgery next week.

In the meantime, I did some research online. There were lots of hits on surgery for laryngeal paralysis, but only two hits on laser surgery and they were in medicalese. What I got out of all this is that there are potential problems with this surgery that can result in inhalation pneumonia. Apparently when the tissue is tied back, the larynx may not open and shut properly, allowing the dog to inhale food into its lungs. The laser surgery removes the excess tissue rather than tying it back, so the chance of aspirating food is much lower.

I discussed this with Dr. Bruce and he said that the laser surgery is much safer. He also said that he has sent dozens of dogs to Dr. Kenney for this surgery and not one of them has had an aspiration problem. So, although I'm still nervous, I'm feeling much less worried.

Another thing that I learned online is that this is a problem usually found in older, large dogs. Although Daffney is big for a Yorkie, at 12 pounds she's hardly a large dog. Anyway, that explains why Yorkie owners wouldn't have heard of this problem.

I'll let you all know how the surgery works out. It's scheduled for 9 AM next Monday, June 1.

Linda K.

[kjc]

All sounds good to me with this case...

Laser surgery leaves less opportunity for scar tissue to develope, recovery is mush quicker than with conventional Sx bc you don't have the Sx wounds that need to heal and scar tissue can regrow more readily, most important is having a skilled / experienced Laser surgeon, which it sounds like you have one of the best. In Laser Sx, the excess tissue is vaporized, the wound is instantly cauterized by the laser at the time of removal/vaporization, so healing occurs rapidly. The whole Sx is quick bc so many steps are unneccessary with laser sx as opposed to cutting. No sutures involved, less chance of infection. Bc your dog is bigger and has had prior Sx with no problems, all appears to be good. I wouldn't worry too much, I think your pup is in excellent hands.

Sending prayers your way (never hurts), and hugs and a speedy get well soon to your pup. Hope this helps ...

[Lindyloo]

We're just back from our 2-hour trip to the surgeon. To our relief, he immediately said that Daffney doesn't look or sound like she's in need of laser surgery to fix the laryngeal paralysis. He suggested that the first thing he should do was sedate her and go in to look at her throat, and we agreed.

He said that it looked almost normal to him and that he wants to treat her with meds. She'll be taking Prednisone for a few weeks--starting with a full pill each day, working down to a quarter pill every three days until they are gone. He is very optimistic that this will work.

He also discussed the collapsing trachea, which he says all Yorkies have to some degree. His opinion is that with a 35% success rate, he is not willing to insert a stent into the trachea. He feels that medication gets the same, if not more success. At this time there is no indication that Daffney will need treatment for her collapsing trachea.

Thanks to all of you for your concern and prayers. I'll let you know how she's feeling in a few weeks.

Linda K.

[Yorkiexpress]

Wonderful news...It sounds like you have an awesome vet...!!!!

Originally Posted by Lindyloo

We're just back from our 2-hour trip to the surgeon. To our relief, he immediately said that Daffney doesn't look or sound like she's in need of laser surgery to fix the laryngeal paralysis. He suggested that the first thing he should do was sedate her and go in to look at her throat, and we agreed.

He said that it looked almost normal to him and that he wants to treat her with meds. She'll be taking Prednisone for a few weeks--starting with a full pill each day, working down to a quarter pill every three days until they are gone. He is very optimistic that this will work.

He also discussed the collapsing trachea, which he says all Yorkies have to some degree. His opinion is that with a 35% success rate, he is not willing to insert a stent into the trachea. He feels that medication gets the same, if not more success. At this time there is no indication that Daffney will need treatment for her collapsing trachea.

Thanks to all of you for your concern and prayers. I'll let you know how she's feeling in a few weeks.

Linda K.