Collapsed trachea - Need info!
 

Hi. I haven't been on for awhile but now I have a serious problem and I need any info anyone can give me. I have Gucci, a 4 year old Yorkie who went thru AAI surgery a couple of years ago and did fine. Ever since then tho, I felt something wasn't right - her bark was weak, she'd make funny noises, etc. About a year ago she was making those noises a lot, acting strange and licking whatever was in sight. Vet said her neck was fine but she had acid reflux. He put her on meds for a week and she was fine. About 3 weeks ago it happened again but really bad where I felt she was struggling to breathe. I rushed her to the vet, they did an X-ray and she has a collapsed trachea. Gave her meds for a week and she seemed "okay" this past week. This morning I see another episode coming on. Dr gave me extra meds for when this happens and I gave them to her this am but she is struggling. She obviously has acid reflux again as she is licking everything and I know that can trigger it. At any rate, this is 2 episodes in a month, is that how often it can happen??? Is her life span going to be short? I feel it will be but not sure and I can't imagine putting her thru another surgery which dr didn't bring up yet. I haven't called the vet yet today as they gave me meds for when this occurs but how often is it going to happen??? Any ideas on how to help my baby or what other people who have been thru this experienced would be so appreciated! Thank you...

I am sorry to hear Gucci has CT after all that she has been through already.

Here is a thread about a medication that is being used in a new way to help dogs with CT: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...blem-news.html

Other people who have been through this with their Yorkies will be able to give you tips. Keeping weight down is important and puts less stress on the airway, lungs, and body in general. Keep her from getting overheated. Heat and humidity are really hard on a CT dog. Try to keep her from getting overly excited.

Longevity: Lisaly had a baby with CT who had a very long life.

Aw I’m sorry

I’m sorry you are going through this. I have no advice for you, just wanted to let you know I will be sending prayers and well wishes for the both of you.

I know we also have a YT’er that deals with acid reflux with her baby.. Her screen name is Yorkietalkjilly and her name is Jeanie. Here are some threads that might help as well as her profile page- she is super nice and I’m sure if you have any questions she will be more than happy to help you out!

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...per-study.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/member.php?u=19222277

^^ Patti's Pixie has reflux too. She can help as well.

I'm very sorry that your baby has CT. You have already been through so much. It depends upon the degree of collapsed trachea. My little one, Gracie, had collapsed trachea from the time she was very young. She would have difficulty breathing when she got excited. It was necessary for me to act quickly to bring her breathing under control. While she did get exercise and ran around the house playing much of the day, I constantly monitored her. When I wasn't working, she and her two sisters went most places with me. I always carried ice with me. When her breathing got more labored, I wet her feet and face to bring her body temperature down. When she got too excited, her trachea would swell, and it caused her temperature to rise. Often I had to put her in the sink in cool water to get her temperature down. She would run to the back door to go outside so that she could cool off on the first step of our pool. Initially I started with a spray bottle to cool her off but needed to use more drastic measures when it was more serious. Once I was able to lower her body temperature, her breathing would return to normal. Although she had many attacks, Gracie lived such a happy, active, wonderful life, and she did everything at full speed. Her condition was very acute, and each time we went to the vet, he compassionately would tell me that it was worsening. She lived to 9.5 years because it put a strain on her heart. My vet told me that he hadn't expected her to live that long, but knowing how to care for her made the huge difference.

Her sister, Ashley, had problems with her trachea that we treated with Chinese herbs. Our veterinarian practices both Eastern and Western medicine, but he is is most known for his alternative therapies. In most cases we used conventional medicine because my girls were difficult to pill, but the times I used herbs, they worked really well. Ashley's was not any way as bad as Gracie's, but it did cause her heart to enlarge. She lived one month short of seventeen, even though she had a collapsed trachea. Both lived such full, active lives. I hope you are able to find something to help your baby. Please know there is help available, and if I can help you in any way, just ask.

I've attached some links to thread that might help you.


http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/gen...d-trachea.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sic...ease-help.html

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/yor...ea-yorkie.html

Ashley had reflux when she was sixteen, and we gave her Pepcid twice a day. She was under the care of our veterinarian, and she saw him every two months, sometimes more often. He said the Pepcid wouldn't harm her. Her doctor told us that she didn't need to see him that often, but she was sixteen, and it made us feel better being proactive with her. I'd want to find the underlying cause of the reflex, but the Pepcid helps.

Thank you all for your kind words and info. I have read each of the threads and links that you all have sent my way. I also took notes about specific meds and info that i want to bring up to the vet when i bring her back. It is so hard seeing my poor baby go through such an awful time and it breaks my heart seeing her so distressed. I totally believe the acid reflux is caused by my husband constantly giving her people food. Not only can she not tolerate it but because of this, she is way overweight. Lets just say I have a maltese who looks twice her size and Gucci weighs more. Her long hair covers it but her tummy is huge. He cut down after the first episode a few weeks ago but when I asked him this morning if he was still doing it, he admitted he was. I told him he is literally killing her and he promises he will stop. Obviously when the reflux comes back, she gets the ct. My hope is that she will not get this so often. She wasn't totally over the last episode and has it again. I guess only time will tell. I'm just very worried about her right now. Btw her tongue is pink but she is still making those noises. She has to be with me every second (that is sooo not normal for her) and the only time she sleeps is if I'm in the bed and she has very loud breathing in her sleep.

I'm sorry your baby is going through this. You say she is way overweight ? Any extra weight will definitely have a bad effect on a CT so you NEED to Scold, Scold, Scold & Scold again your DH & tell him he is killing your baby.

Appreciate that note and will take action. One of my girls has CT plus possible lung cancer and she has gained weight the past year. One of the things I will do to help her is to cut back on bits from the table to get her weight down. We have also just discovered the possibility of cancer when I had her CT checked out. She has had bumps on her tummy removed and the vet said that the cancer could have lodged in her lungs. She is on antibiotics right now and we will go back in about 20 days to follow up her condition. Has anyone had to deal with this and if so any help???

My Paris had CT. His blog has notes on how I dealt with his blindness but also his CT. I think I still have the records of all the meds I tried too if you want to see that. Never put a collar on your dog. I used the puppia soft harness. Nothing should ever pull on their throats.
His blog link is in my signature.

Sending prayers to your sweet baby. I am so sorry.