Collapsed Trachea meds
 

My yorkie mix, Sunshine, was finally officially diagnosed with collapsed trachea by our new vet. We had always suspected it, but her previous vets never offered to do xrays. Instead, they just treated her symptons. I wanted to know for sure and how bad it was as her coughing had increased recently. Her collapse is in her thoracic region, which I understand to be the worst place for it to be. To boot, it is a fairly long area of collapse. The vet put her on 1/2 Temaril-P twice a day, 1/4 Tussigon 2-3 times a day and 1/2 Aminophylline twice a day. Also, he put her on an antibiotic for a week (Zeniquin). She has been on Temaril-P for a year now anyway to control her itching; however, I had her down to 1/2 a tablet once a day. I know many people do not like to give steroids on a long term basis, but without it she literally itches herself until she bleeds. There have been no negative effects from the Temaril-P and if it keeps her comfortable at her age (approx 10 years old), I don't mind using it. My question, is have any of you had any successes or non-successes with these meds or a combo of them? The meds appear to be helping, even though there are alot of them. She is still coughing a little. She has been on Tussigon before for coughing, but I was not too impressed with it, but I am trying it again. Does anyone else know of a more effective cough medicine? Also, should I have oxygen handy at my house in the event of a severe attack? My worst fear is that she will get an attack that my cause her to suffocate and I won't be able to help her. I thank each of you in advance for any insights you can offer.

My dog Paris who is 10 has also just been diagnosed with CT. He is on Torbutrol a narcotic derived from opium for the cough but it is very expensive. $70 for two weeks. After the two weeks I am hoping my vet can find something less costly to use. Paris is still coughing about 3 or 4 times a day but nowhere near as bad as he was without the medication. I'm not really sure that it isn't Kennel cough myself after looking at the videos. But I have to go with what the doc says.
I would be interested to know how expensive the cough meds you are using are if you don't mind telling. I have also looked up Robutussin dm and will ask about using that.

Hi, My molly also has a CT in the very same place, she is on hydrocodone for her cough, the steriod meds add weight gain and thats my hardest part, she is not to have any activity and ive cut her food down, no treats :( but she still continues to gain :confused: she is also on a sedative for when i leave
I hate this med as well, it makes her out of it for about 5-6 hrs. we go back the 20th for refills and im going to see if they can reduce that med and give her something thats not so strong, she is also on calvimax , she also mention
adding a oxygen, we do have c/a and a fan on her for when she is really having problems. sending you prayers for your babies ~ its really sad :(

Little whip, it is a sad diagnosis and very scary. Thank goodness, Sunshine is not to the point where I really believe oxygen is necessary, I am just trying to think ahead. If we do need it one day, I want to have it on hand. The Temaril-P only contains 2mg of Prednisolone, so when I give her 1/2 a tablet once a day, I am only really giving her 1mg a day. She was originally prescribed 1 tablet twice a day and I have gradually reduced it. The 1/2 tablet controlls her itching immensely. As a matter of fact, she doesn't itch at all anymore. Without it she is constantly itching, bleeding and scabby. My husband is bad about giving her and my other dogs treats, but with this diagnosis being official, we are cutting that out completely. I don't excercise her either (it brings on episodes), so that doesn't help with the weight gain. You said that you use a fan on her. Just a regular household fan? I had one in our room and she would sleep in front of it, but if she started coughing, I would think that the fan was irritating her and we quit using it. Maybe I was wrong and it actually helps? Does it help Molly?

Beachdog--About the Robitussin DM, we tried it several times and it really didn't work that well for Sunshine. Hardly no effect at all and it was very messy to give to her. She takes pills much better. However, Benadryl worked a little better, but I think that was because it somewhat sedated her. I gave it to her mostly at bedtime.

Little whip--The Temaril-P only contains 2mg of Prednisolone and I usually give her 1/2 tablet a day or 1mg of Prednisolone as I have gradually reduced it from the originally prescribed 1 tablet twice a day. The 1/2 tablet once a day controlls her itching to where she almost doesn't itch at all whereas before she itched constantly until her hair fell out and she was bloody and scabby. She has gained a little weight since we've had her, but I attribute that more to the snacks my husband likes to give her and my other dogs. With this diagnosis, however, that is being cut out completely. I also don't excercise her as this causes episodes which also doesn't help with the weight gain. I don't have to sedate her, but would like to have the oxygen on hand in case the need for it ever suddenly arises. Thank goodness, it has never gotten that bad. About the fan, is it just a regular household fan and does that help Molly? We were using a fan in our room and Sunshine had a penchant for sleeping in front of it, but when she would start coughing I thought maybe the fan was irritating her. Maybe I was wrong and it really helps? What is c/a? I hope it works out for you and Molly when you go back to the vet. This is a terrible condition and I just don't understand why there is not more they can do to correct it. If it were a person, they would have figured something out by now.

Paris doesn't cough when being walked or when playing his favorite chase game with the football, he coughs in the morning and around 2 times during the day. The xray the doctor took is posted under the topic New to forum/ct/kennelcough and is marked with a green arrow if you look at it you can see there isn't much difference in his trachea. Maybe it is early on because he just started the coughing about a month ago.
I don't like to take medicine and I sure don't want to keep giving my dog a narcotic if he doesn't really need it. Thanks for the other info I will discuss it with my vet.
It is scarey and I cried for two days but hope I can give Paris a good quality life for as long as he has left.

Yesterday looing around I found Temeral-P at www.allivet.com for 100 count for $50. Is that cheaper than what you are paying now?

Yes its just a house hold fan, I hold her face up to it and it does seem to help. her main attacks are when im not with her, Thats the reason the sedative was added, she has such bad anxiety it takes me a while to calm her upon comming home, but i dont like the way it effects her, but if it helps then i must do it, I believe we will need surgery soon and we have no vets around here that will perform this...she is on 4 meds a day :(

Beachdog--Paris' symptons sound just like Sunshine's. She coughs in the morning and a few times throughout the day. So far, the meds she is on now seems to be helping. We started them last Wednesday.

Well it looks like we will journey through this together. Paris started on his meds last Tuesday. He has been coughing for about a month and a half now.
I have a video quicktime of his cough I sent to the vet but don't know if I can post a video here?

I hope his meds are helping him, and yes you can post a video ~ Ive googled and seen many :( and there are support groups as well ~

Count me in! I was having a fit paying $40.00 for a month's worth of Torbutrol! Ask your vet about giving you a better price as it is a maintenence drug, or for a script to be filled at a local pharmacy (some do dog meds). I've thought too about having Oxygen on hand, in the mean time I brushed up on my CPR skills.

Seems surgery isn't a long term fix for these guys yet... still looking for answers. Will post back here if I find anything...


Have you ever had Sunshine on Revolution for her itching?

Paris has been on 1/4 tab 1.25mg of Torbutrol for several days now still maintaing his 2 x's a day cough but not as severe. I think it is working at this low dose. But I also think it is kennel cough not Ct. Time will tell. He plays, runs, goes for a walk all without coughing. I am thinking of stopping the Torbutrol after the 2 weeks is up and keeping the rest on hand in case he needs it again. I am still researcing other meds.

ct isnt always 24/7 my dog had it for 2 years before he needed to be PTS. its just like people with asthma they have attacks when they have them not always a reason but when they are not in an attack they act fine, my dog could be fine for a few hours not fine then fine again all in the same day. I did everything for him I could washes, meds oxygen at home, more meds than any dog should ever have to take, they all seem to work for a time until a stronger one is needed. I wish the breeders would do the proper tests in the dogs they breed, so that this would not be an issue.

Im very sorry for your loss :( mine didnt start with molly untill 6 months ago
and she is 3 yrs old, I asked the vet about this factory and her answer...
they can get this at any age and yorkies are more prone to this then any other dog. its so darn scary, Im to the point of not even leaving her alone.
and about the meds, I agree, when is to many to many ? she is on 5 now :(

Update
 

I took Sunshine back to the vet on Wednesday for a check up to see how the meds were doing. I told him that she was still coughing somewhat and asked him if there was anything stronger than the Tussigon to give her for the cough and said not really. He suggested that we increase the Tussigon to 1/2 tablet twice a day rather than the 1/4 tablet that we had been giving her. I tried this starting Wednesday night and praise God she woke up this morning and did not cough once!!!! She ALWAYS wakes up coughing. The mornings are always worse for her. I am so thrilled and I believe that the extra bit of Tussigon was the key. I can only hope it continues.

Thats great to hear :) I will continue to pray for her, Molly is about the same,
we have very humid weather here right now so i have limited her out side time
done to just potty and thats it, the cough med is working some, now if i could just get some weight off her :aimeeyork best wishes to you ~

have they done an xray?? if it is severe, ct will show up...

My baby yorkie also has ct...Has anyone tried glucosamine??? i heard it could strengthen the cartilage.....

Not sure who was posting about cough medicine... but be careful.. My vet advised me not to use anything with codine, as it could relax the muscules. May help them sleep, but could intensify the collapsing problem..

Yes they did an xray which I actually posted on this forum. It is not severe so it really doesn't show up well. Paris is still on the torbutrol but I have a call in to the vet for something else, less costly I hope. He is coughing a bit more today but it is very hot and humid here. I am trying to keep him indoors and near the fan. I have to wait for the vets call and I let you know what he says.

Ok finally heard form the doctor and he wants me to try Hycodan 5mg split into 1/4 tab 2 x's a day. He didn't sound very hopeful and I'm sure wants me to keep using what we know works. But it is too costly right now. Has anyone else ever used hycodan?
Opinions?

I have used Hycodan (syrup, not pills). Actually used that and Torbutrol at the same time. Just interchanged them which did seem to help.

Ask your vet about trying Lomotil. If he has never heard of using it for ct, tell him it is in Kirk's Veterinary Therapy. I had great results with that as did a friend of mine with her ct pupster.

Keeping their weight down is very important and keeping them in air conditioning helps. Also, a stress free environment is best.

I personally would never do the surgery on ct. I have yet to see a success story and with my last ct pup I was advised against it by three vets. There are some who will do it.....but, I would ask them for the percentages of their successes!

Yes he is on a diet and so far has lost 1 lb. He has maybe 1/2 pound to go. It is extremely hot here but I guess it is bad everywhere, I try to keep a fan on in the room he is in.

Hi Ladies,

I really do not like to read these threads because they are so hard and brings back a lot of memories of months feeling helpless, totally alone, angry, hurt, depress, scare, and felt so bad for my lil girl for failing her because I did not know what was wrong or how to help her.

Did I take her to the vet? Yes, but No help (long story)

I have a 13 yr old female yorkie name Buffy with a heart murmur, bronchitis , sinus allergies and the least of her problems a bad knee since baby (no problems 4 about 8 yrs now).

I know that her problems are different from yours but I have read that CT is also treated with some meds that bronchitis (also asthma) problem dogs.

Do any of your dogs take meds for bronchitis , asthma or allergies?

The reason I ask this is because I believe that the same things that effect dogs like mine effect dogs with CT, and if I'm right the condition of the air has a lot to do with what triggers the breathing attacks and doubles the triggers if they have allergies.

The First thing that makes me believe it, is that you are all using fans to help minimize or control the attacks. My vet told me to put Buffy in front of the fan also when she would have an attack, that was after having to rush her to the ER at 4am (5 yrs ago) and was put in an oxygen cage she had just started all meds and were not really in her system.

He said the fan pushes in the air (like the oxygen cage or mask would) which helps them not to have to suck in so hard to get air in. Which causes less stress and can make the attack pass sooner, because with dogs like mine but really any dog can panic and have a heart attack.

I hold her in front of the fan but I watch her face for signs that I got her too close and it is bothering her instead of helping her (try it yourself put your face in front of a fan and if your too close you can not breath) them I talk to her calming like trying to put a baby to sleep until its under control.

If I put Buffy in front of the fan dose not work it's because there are other factors in the air like too hot like in the summer and heaters on in the winter the air is dry, fire's anywhere in our county or allergy season.

I have to leave but I will be back later to give more info . from what I have experienced with Buffy.

I hope this is helping someone in anyway.

Can you describe your fur baby's breathing attacks and what you do to bring it under control ?

Well first thanks for trying to help us.
Paris' attacks, which were worse last night, began in May of this year. At first I didn't know what to think. I sounded like he was hacking up a bone in his throat. Then I thought he may have caught kennel cough from the vets waiting room. That's what it sounded like when I compared the videos.
I took him to the vet because it was getting worse and not stopping. After the xray which is posted on a different thread here, he said it was Ct. I could barely see any size difference in the trachea myself.
Paris will be starting a new med hycodan in three days because the torbutrol is very costly. I hope it works for him.
He does seem to do better when cool, it is very hot and humid right now in Florida so I haven't been taking him for his morning walks.
He usually coughs 4-5 times a day and usually it only lasts for three coughs and a choke at the end.
Thanks again.

Again: ask your vet about Lomotil! It is cheap and worked for me and also a friend of mine with a ct pupster!

It is hot and humid here in Houston most of the time as well. My ct pupster always was worse during higher humidity. Definitely a good idea not to walk him!

CT isn't always genetic. Prince got his after his dental cleaning!!!!!! The vet apparently used an anesthesia tube that was too big for his small trachea. He had xrays and all of the pre-dental cleaning procedures, and had no sign of it, now he does.:(:mad: (His parents, grandparents nor brother have it.)