Collapsing Trachea in Yorkie

[BarbaraM]

I was told in the beginning, at 3 years old, it was a cough - possibly a reverse sneeze. But it progressed. Little by little, slowly but it did become worse. When excited, when going to the vet, being walked. It took TeddE longer and longer to recover from episodes. I was then told possibly a collapsing trachea. No tests. Just told to keep him quiet. Calm. That was three years ago at age 4.

Yesterday for a wellness visit and heartworm check he began HONKING/coughing. Every breath he took sounded awful. Was told it was a palate issue and we schedule a resection surgery for the 4th of November. (He once became this bad at a grooming appt in the summer, too. We have a new groomer now and there has been no more problems, until yesterday).

He kept it up all thru the night. I took him to Purdue Westville at 6 am. Then was told to take him to Lafayette. It is 241pm and he is there now. Resting. Heavily sedated and is in an oxygen cage. They may have to intubate him if he gets worse. They are hoping he settles down and the inflammation decreases so they can get a fluoroscopy of his trachea. And decide on treatment from there, which I hope is minimal medicines and a really good weight loss food.

He did put on weight due to not being able to exercise. (This is bad, I am to learn now. ) I had been giving him less food recently, but he was not getting enough nutrition.

If your vet suspects COLLAPSED TRACHEA or even the soft palate issue that obstructs an airway --don't wait - get the right diagnostic tests IMMEDIATELY, FLUOROSCOPY PLEASE!

I wish I had three years ago. Neither of the three vets that heard and seen TeddE do this honk/cough/sneeze etc., mentioned a test to determine the cause. NOW? He is in critical care at Purdue West Lafayette just trying to breath.

Even when he was having SEVERE issues yesterday and our new vet commented "you need a puppy valium" NOTHING was done. She diagnosed as soft palate and we schedule excision surgery for November 4th, but she needed to xray him and their machine was down yesterday.

Don't wait. Get the needed test. No matter what.

Please.

[sbgooljar]

OMG I am so sorry to hear this! We are supposed to trust in our vets and believe they have the best interests of our babies. I hope your little one recovers soon ... you are such a wonderful parent for ensuring, even at this critical time, your baby gets the best medical care he possibly can.

[ladyjane]

I am sorry to hear this. What I will say is that to do a flouroscopy early on is really not necessary for every pup with CT. Some pups can have CT for many years and it not get to where his is. I have had CT pups and it is an awful condition when it gets bad.
Yes, keeping the weight off is important and so is rest .. and cool temperatures. I personally will not have the surgery done on my pups...but some have done it with some temporary success.
I will keep your him in my thoughts and prayers...and you as well. I know how very stressful this is.

[ladyjane]

Oh, and speaking of doggy valium....when my last pup would get bad we did give him a tranquilizer! They get more upset and that is natural because it is scary to not be able to breathe! I had syringes preloaded for nighttime in case he needed something.

There are various meds you can use to try medical management if they have not done so yet. One med that I found helpful was Lomotil. It is an anti diarrheal, but it works on CT! Does not cause constipation....the dosage is very small..and some vets are not familiar with it. If your vet is not, tell him it is in Kirk's Vet Manual.

[beachdog]

I am sorry to hear about your baby! My Paris has CT also. He has been on meds for over a year now. They just don't seem to be working as well as they used to. He is on Hycodan cough syrup and theophylline tablets.

[beachdog]

LadyJane what is the dosage of the lomotil? Is it prescription?

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by beachdog

LadyJane what is the dosage of the lomotil? Is it prescription?

Lomotil is a prescription medication.

I have recommended it for a couple of other people who have found some success with it.

Sending you a pm...

[ladyjane]

Ooops....cannot send you a PM.

Send an email to Yorkie Haven and put it Attn to Linda. I will send you a copy of the article.

[BarbaraM]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

I am sorry to hear this. What I will say is that to do a flouroscopy early on is really not necessary for every pup with CT. Some pups can have CT for many years and it not get to where his is. I have had CT pups and it is an awful condition when it gets bad.
Yes, keeping the weight off is important and so is rest .. and cool temperatures. I personally will not have the surgery done on my pups...but some have done it with some temporary success.
I will keep your him in my thoughts and prayers...and you as well. I know how very stressful this is.

Thank you for the kindess, ladyjane, I have some reading up to do here! I had no idea what was truly wrong. Didn't realize the severity. It just took him longer and longer to recover from an episode. Once at a groomers during the summer and what happened a couple days (feels longer) ago.

I was told the test is a bit more conclusive as to what the obstruction is at the time of episodes - whether elongated soft palate, trachea issues, etc. I am certain had TeddE been given the fluoroscopy last year - or the year before that - during an episode the trachea problem would have been found. Like I said, the vet he saw Thursday made a general dx of palate issues and we did schedule the xray and surgery for 11-04. Believing it was this somewhat 'minor' issue.

Purdue called yesterday and the test confirmed a severely collapsed trachea. I knew as much - he was in such distress! Suggested a stent and I immediately said no. I had been home googling every disease possible after dropping him off at Purdue Lafayette. We viewed the films when we arrived to pick him up. He was a MESS! He was still agitated for being poked every hour on the hour. And the doc was still injecting him while we were standing by the car!!! MORE steroids. MORE sedation for the trip home. I think she should have given ME some too. Really.

He is home now. On hydromet, theophyline, prednisone (short term) acepromazine AND A DIET! I gave him a little half bath - for while he is under sedation, he goes to the bathroom on his bedding. Or as he is walking up the stairs to go outside.

It is so very quiet here. He is resting. The other two must know what is up for they have been very calm, too. Actually, they avoid him like the plague. Almost afraid to be in the same room with him? Does he smell like vet maybe?

More info should have been given to me about the possibility of it worsening - especially with his increased weight. We tried walking him but he would wheeze/cough/honk so bad we stopped. This added to MORE weight. I still did NOT know what was happening, during this three year time frame. Not one of those vets gave me a brochure, suggested a THING, and all three felt he was overweight. But I told them he coughed soon after getting a leash on. To the point of gasping for air. Still, NO INFO. ???

What matters now, is he is home. On meds and resting comfortably with a clean behind on clean bedding. No more poking. I even have his favorite CD playing and I can hear just a bit of a wheeze and a tiny snore. (He does have a bit of a palate issue, too - but I was told that is not the problem)

He will be a problem with the decrease in his food while being on steroids and I am getting a plan of action together with the family. Oooh, he is making funny noises now. poor little guy. I feel like I let him down.

Anyone hear of Herbals called Empirical Lung Qi Support (Phlegm-Heat Cough)?? Supposed to help with CT? Ingredients:
Gua Lou Pi (Trichosanthis)
Bai Bu (Stemonae Rx)
Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix)
Sang Bai Pi (Mori Cortex)
Ting LI Zi (Descuraniae Semen)
Zhu Ru (Bambusae Caulis)
Di Long (Lumbricus)
Bai Ji Li (Tribuli Fructus)
Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Rx)
Zhi Shi (Fructus Immaturus Citri Aurantii)
Dan Nan Xing (Ariasaema Felle Bovis)


The site suggests grain free food and he has been on Nutrisca - grain free. But now we are going raw for sure. My bichon is allergic to everything. Why chance it with food?

[ladyjane]

It is a very upsetting condition. My last pup with it died in my arms on Christmas Eve morning a couple of years ago. It was sudden, although he had been very ill with it for some time,...and it devastated me. I hope never to have another CT pup.

You really can manage it sometimes. We tried many different medications .. I hope that you can get his weight down without it stressing him. I recently put a pup on a diet with Hills W/D food....and added green beans so he would not be so upset about the decreased amount of food. Worked wonderfully.

I personally would never feed raw. The one thing you really want to avoid in this pup is infection. He is more at risk of pneumonia. I had a pup with CT for many years...and it is not what killed him. He ate grains and I honestly don't believe they have anything to do with CT.

[BarbaraM]

Originally Posted by beachdog

I am sorry to hear about your baby! My Paris has CT also. He has been on meds for over a year now. They just don't seem to be working as well as they used to. He is on Hycodan cough syrup and theophylline tablets.

I am soo sorry, beachdog - it's awful isn't it? Those meds are the same as for my TeddE. Now and forever I suppose. Along with acepromazine for anxiety. We will begin the new new "raw" diet tonight to manage his over weight better. He really needs to lose three to four pounds.

Have you talked to your vet about new prescriptions? I am looking into Chinese Herbs. And accupuncture, if they will come to the house. Homeopathy too. Anything to strengthen the cartilage in that trachea. I will try anything that is safe. I don't even want to think about the stent surgery. Sounds too iffy.

My prayers for you and Paris are being said! Thank you so much.

[BarbaraM]

Originally Posted by ladyjane

It is a very upsetting condition. My last pup with it died in my arms on Christmas Eve morning a couple of years ago. It was sudden, although he had been very ill with it for some time,...and it devastated me. I hope never to have another CT pup.

You really can manage it sometimes. We tried many different medications .. I hope that you can get his weight down without it stressing him. I recently put a pup on a diet with Hills W/D food....and added green beans so he would not be so upset about the decreased amount of food. Worked wonderfully.

I personally would never feed raw. The one thing you really want to avoid in this pup is infection. He is more at risk of pneumonia. I had a pup with CT for many years...and it is not what killed him. He ate grains and I honestly don't believe they have anything to do with CT.

Oh, it is isn't it? Man, I had NO idea. To be gasping for air like that and have nothing happening. God it is awful. I am so sorry to hear about your yorkie passing away. I have been thinking about that, too. I would not want him to suffer. I did think about putting him down at one point the other day. For he couldn't breath at all. Once he was on sedation, he relaxed so much.

I never thought of any type of infection with the raw diet. I will have to do more research into this. We tried a few months ago and it was just a mess. It is sold frozen at a local pet shop - not the big box stores. He raises boxers and swears by it. But he is more knowledgeable should there be a problem, me? not so much. I will check on this and thanks. The reason I mention not feeding grains is due to my bichon turning pink and scratching himself until he is bleeding. He is highly allergic to just about everything. i would like to find ONE food to feed all three: the older poodle the bichon and the yorkie.

Am I fooling myself here?

[BarbaraM]

Originally Posted by sbgooljar

OMG I am so sorry to hear this! We are supposed to trust in our vets and believe they have the best interests of our babies. I hope your little one recovers soon ... you are such a wonderful parent for ensuring, even at this critical time, your baby gets the best medical care he possibly can.

Thank you sbgooljar. I am so frustrated that since he was 3, vets suspected he may have an airway issue *and that it could get worse. They knew he was overweight. They would hear him honk/cough/gasp for air. But I didn't get any help! Was it because the visit wasn't for the cough? It was for heartworm check or ears or something else?

Awful. I hope THEY never endure airway restriction and are ignored. *Sorry. I am a bit upset over this. That one vet that kept commenting about the doggie valium made $260 on each of my two dogs and had me sign the date of surgery for TeddE to do a resection of his palate!! But she couldn't offer him some type of medicine at all? We could barely carry on a conversation. It was awful. I don't have a degree in vet med and I felt he needed something. I even agreed to the doggie valium that never materialized. That was the first time and LAST time we will deal with that vet. There just isn't any good ones here.

All they want is for my dogs to be on every medicine possible for heartworm, flea/tick, all the vaccines: rabies/parvo/corona/distemper/lepto/bordatella. Whether the dogs need it or not. I feel like a mom of a child going to school requiring more and more vaccines pumping into their tiny little bodies. It is almost like it is just too much!!

Are the meds really safe? There is NO way they can do without some? My bichon almost died after his series of shots. He began throwing up, shaking his head, looking around in circles...it was awful. He cannot have shots anymore. Did the shots cause the allergies?

Thank you again for your kindness. TeddE thanks you, too!!

[yorkietalkjilly]

Barbara, I am so sorry to hear about your baby's CT but I don't know much about it. I had always understood that it could be surgically corrected but that is apparently not true??? Is a stent too big of a chance or do they just not work? Your plight has made me want to learn more about this awful condition now.

Please give your little one a big hug and kiss from Tibbe and me.

[ladyjane]

Originally Posted by BarbaraM

Oh, it is isn't it? Man, I had NO idea. To be gasping for air like that and have nothing happening. God it is awful. I am so sorry to hear about your yorkie passing away. I have been thinking about that, too. I would not want him to suffer. I did think about putting him down at one point the other day. For he couldn't breath at all. Once he was on sedation, he relaxed so much.

I never thought of any type of infection with the raw diet. I will have to do more research into this. We tried a few months ago and it was just a mess. It is sold frozen at a local pet shop - not the big box stores. He raises boxers and swears by it. But he is more knowledgeable should there be a problem, me? not so much. I will check on this and thanks. The reason I mention not feeding grains is due to my bichon turning pink and scratching himself until he is bleeding. He is highly allergic to just about everything. i would like to find ONE food to feed all three: the older poodle the bichon and the yorkie.

Am I fooling myself here?

I did not mean the food would make him sick. Sorry about that. I just would never feed raw. He is prone to upper respiratory issues. Many times CT pups need to be on antibiotics. ...nothing to do with food.

I don't honestly believe that any holistic methods will repair the trachea, but I suppose herbs won't hurt. Just take a few bucks out of your handbag that you might need.

Sadly, nothing is going to fix it. You just need to learn how to best manage it.