Tracheal Collapse

[bettyeanne]

Has anyone had any symptoms or heard of anyone who has? Found this online and it best describes:
COLLAPSING TRACHEA -- Collapsing Trachea is a problem common to Toy Breeds. The trachea is a long tube that carries air from the neck to the chest. It is reinforced with rings of cartilage that help keep it rigid as air moves in and out of the tube. When the cartilage weakens, the trachea may collapse while the dog is breathing. While many affected dogs do fine, this isn't the case in all of the Toy's. The round cartilage rings may flatten, forcing the dog to try to breathe through an extremely narrow opening.

The symptoms of the condition---shortness fo breath, coughing, fatigue---usually appear after the age of five, although they can begin as early as birth. Generally young dogs tolerate collapsing trachea pretty well until they get older.

It has been suggested that you should use a "harness" rather than collar on this type dog [which we do but had a hard time finding one small enough for Toto]. I would be mortified if this happened ... we always have "Dr. Lucy" check it when she sees Toto. You just can't be too careful!

[fasteddie]

I believe blondy was dealing with that issue in this thread:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...cheal+collapse

bettyanne: you can get CAT (or kitten) harnesses, which are a bit smaller and they fit a Yorkie just fine. It'd be so sad to see a Yorkie with this problem!

[bettyeanne]

Originally Posted by fasteddie

I believe blondy was dealing with that issue in this thread:

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...cheal+collapse

bettyanne: you can get CAT (or kitten) harnesses, which are a bit smaller and they fit a Yorkie just fine. It'd be so sad to see a Yorkie with this problem!

Yes, I believe that was what happened with Biggy. Wonder how he is doing ... has anyone heard?
Thanks for the cat harness tip .... that's exactly what we did! She is getting used to it finally but I don't know if she will ever learn to "heel"!!

[fasteddie]

No problem, she just probably needs to get more accustomed to it. We also have a retractable leash thing (maybe 15 feet total length). That helps, as you can make it short if you are near a street, or let it all out when all is safe. I believe Yoda didn't really get used to his harness for at least 3-4 months of constant use. Now he's a pro and drags US everywhere, whereas before he would have a problem walking in front of us...

[Higgin's Mom]

When Higgins was tiny, a fellow camper who breeds chihuahuas bought him two wonderful soft harnesses that are padded and use velcro to fasten them. He LOVED them. And the beauty of them was that you could just pick him right up and out of trouble with the leash since he was softly held in the harness. His first one was a very natty navy mesh and the next size she sent is black quilted fabric with red lipstick prints all over it -- really cute! When I get everything unpacked from my camper, I'll find the name of her website and post it.

Higgins now uses a regular small cat harness and a Flexi-lead that rolls in and out. He walked beautifully on his leash right from the get go, but I think that was because he had Pogo as his role model. Pogo goes right along and Higgins went right along just behind him. This sometimes let to poor Higgins either getting under Pogo's lifted leg, or getting a faceful of dirt when Pogo finished up his job with a healthy back leg digging routine. Now, when they run free out in the yard, it is so much fun to watch Higgins follow Pogo's every move. Reminds me of the Kibbles & Bits ad.

[fasteddie]

Velcro and padded sounds good, does it STAY tho, like if Higgins was going full sprint towards the street and you needed to stop him immediately, would the velcro hold? I know with the cat harnesses, there's no way Yoda will make it to the street in that situation.

[bettyeanne]

Originally Posted by fasteddie

No problem, she just probably needs to get more accustomed to it. We also have a retractable leash thing (maybe 15 feet total length). That helps, as you can make it short if you are near a street, or let it all out when all is safe. I believe Yoda didn't really get used to his harness for at least 3-4 months of constant use. Now he's a pro and drags US everywhere, whereas before he would have a problem walking in front of us...

We are finding that Toto walks better on the leash each time we take her out. Just spoke with the trainer and he said until next week when he gets here to just continue getting her accustomed to it .... much further back on the driveway!! The cat harness we found has those little plastic thingys kinda like a seat belt and it's relatively easy to put on her, however the velcro ones Higgins Mom was talking about sound even easier .... surely it would hold a 3 lb. yorkie!?

[bettyeanne]

Originally Posted by Higgin's Mom

Higgins now uses a regular small cat harness and a Flexi-lead that rolls in and out. He walked beautifully on his leash right from the get go, but I think that was because he had Pogo as his role model. Pogo goes right along and Higgins went right along just behind him. This sometimes let to poor Higgins either getting under Pogo's lifted leg, or getting a faceful of dirt when Pogo finished up his job with a healthy back leg digging routine. Now, when they run free out in the yard, it is so much fun to watch Higgins follow Pogo's every move. Reminds me of the Kibbles & Bits ad.

That's toooo funny! I can just see Pogo ... do you think he maybe "aims" at Higgins just a little?? The little ones are so funny when they first start to learn to hike their little leg!! My Amanda had a cocker puppy that once tipped over into a Spanish Bayonet in the front yard trying to hike and pee!! Poor baby .... could hear him screaming for blocks!! Never hiked there again!! Can't wait to see the web site with the velcro harnesses!! Hustle it up and get unpacked!!!

[nrichards8]

Hi everyone,
I am new here,i went looking for a yorkie forum to help me with my sweet little yorkie Andy.
Andy is almost 6(in october) and he has started to develope the couch and choking,sometimes he throws up a white foamy vomit after he has been coughing.I am worried about hime because i had a little femal yorkie named Annie that i lost 7 years ago,she had the trachael collapse and i save her life menay time by breathing into her mouth and nose when she passed out.One day i was not home when it happened and she died,It KILLED me.I still miss her more than words can say, she was my best friend in this world.
My son's gave ma my little male Andy a year after i lost Annie.He is as different from her in personality as can be.Annie was quiet and hardly barked while ANdy is rambunctious and barks alot.I adore him!
I am worried that he is developing what Annie had and the white foamy vomit concerns me alot because when Annie died it was all over the room.
What can i do ? I don't want to lose him this way too.Please help
Nancy

[fasteddie]

I'm sorry to hear about Annie!

Have you had Andy checked out at the vet? Only thing I can think of is to not use a collar and instead use a harness (like for cats) when he is on a leash, assuming you haven't already done that...

[bettyeanne]

Welcome, Nancy! Sorry your Andy is sick. I must agree that it sounds like trachael problems. I would get to him to the vet as soon as possible! Also, as Fasteddie said, I would never use a collar on a Yorkie but always a harness! We just use a little adjustable cat harness for Toto because she is so small and it works wonderfully! Please keep us posted on his progress!!

[nrichards8]

Thank you for the replies,I will make an appointment with the vet.I hope he can do something to help Andy with his trachea,and choking cough.There wasen't mush he could do for my Annie,he gave me pills to sedate her some when he would get upset(She was afraid of storms) She would over breathe causing her trachea to collapse,Andy has also developed a fear of storms,just recently.he wasen't afraid before,so i have no idea why he is now.I did go looking for aharness but haven't found one yet.

[Higgin's Mom]

Found this site listed at the top of the page earlier:

http://www.petcollarsandmore.com/harnesses.htm

Looks like they have some great stuff......

[Gypsy Rose]

Nancy, let us know re Andy - yorkies are very excitable and it may be no more than that. We had a yorkie with a trachea prob, the love of our lives but he lived beyond age 14 - he was wonderful but his own worst enemy as he got overexcited etc!! Sorry to hear about Annie but glad you now have Andy! We were a year without a yorkie too like you, just had to have another and we are now owned by 1 yr old Gypsy Rose who is having a baby sis in Sept. Going back to Andy - may be worth checking he does not have a throat infection? Gypsy Rose had one a while back and was bringing up white foamy stuff. A course of antibiotics and she was fine. NOT saying that it is what is wrong with Andy but may be worth checking especially if it has only just started? Keep us posted, Luv, Ana xx

[red98vett]

I was so sad to read about little Annie - that really broke my heart and I cannot imagine coming home and finding your little baby like that !

When Chanel gets excited - like everytime I come home - playing in the water...etc...she does this snorting thing also -

Do I need to worry too about Chanel and her snorting ? I cover her nose to make her breath thru her mouth and am with her most of the time - but if one day I wasn't here - and someone knocked on the door or something - she could start and not STOP !!