Tracheal collapse in dogs..anyone?!

[Jennifer_57]

Does anyone here have experience with this? I believe my dog has this, he has all the signs and symptoms and its incredibley scary.
I know everything about it, I know the treatment options, I know the risks involved with medications, and both surgery options (which is incredibley scray). Until I can get him to a specialist though, which he WILL be seeing, I obviously can't do anything about it. He does fine except when he gets nervous, excited, or anxious which is alot because he is an extremely paranoid dog due to his past, which I know very little about. I don't know how strong his bloodlines or how healthy they were (he is a yorkie/maltese). I do know that for three years he got beat daily, and he was no where near the pick of the litter to begin with, given to his previous owner by a friend who bred Morkies, his back legs are deformed which I am not certain if that was due to the abuse or bad bloodlines, and when he was taken in to be neutered, one testicle was up three inches from where it should have been, which makes me wonder if he was just the awkward, slightly deformed pup. I guess that information is important because I have no idea if its hereditary or due to being choked or what. I had always thought he had symptoms of it before, but after he inhaled trash while trying to eat food after jumping in the garbage and choked (needing the heimlic four times) he is showing every sign of it now. What can I do to help during the times he gets excited or anxious or nervous? Its hard to carry him around all day to prevent this from happening so he stays calm and I know pet first aid, but not sure how to deal with these episodes?

[mitchiesgirl]

My dog has the beginning stages of tracheal collapse- not the worst of his problems though :( His breed is prone to this though (He is a german spitz)

Get cough medication from the vet until you can see the specialist. My dog is on Torbugesic and I give it to him whenever he starts to have a coughing fit and it seems to help almost immediately. Mine is hyper and gets worked up eaasily so the pills really help. He used to be on Fluoxetine (helps with anxiety- bad seperation anxiety) which worked fantastic but he had to stop being on it because he started having seizures a few months ago (not due to the medication).  ''

Good Luck!

[Jennifer_57]

Thanks! I am so glad someone responded. So far for managing I have switched him to wet food which he eats slower and doesnt choke when he eats anymore, but it makes me horribley nervous, especially the surgery treatment options. I'm hoping the medications for coughing, anxiety, and inflammation work well with him due to how dangerous the surgeries can be.

Quoting mitchiesgirl:

My dog has the beginning stages of tracheal collapse- not the worst of his problems though :( His breed is prone to this though (He is a german spitz)

Get cough medication from the vet until you can see the specialist. My dog is on Torbugesic and I give it to him whenever he starts to have a coughing fit and it seems to help almost immediately. Mine is hyper and gets worked up eaasily so the pills really help. He used to be on Fluoxetine (helps with anxiety- bad seperation anxiety) which worked fantastic but he had to stop being on it because he started having seizures a few months ago (not due to the medication).  ''

Good Luck!

[mitchiesgirl]

No problem :) I work at an animal hospital and may I ask what medications he's on? (And I'd love to see a pic of your little guy :)

Quoting Jennifer_57:

Thanks! I am so glad someone responded. So far for managing I have switched him to wet food which he eats slower and doesnt choke when he eats anymore, but it makes me horribley nervous, especially the surgery treatment options. I'm hoping the medications for coughing, anxiety, and inflammation work well with him due to how dangerous the surgeries can be.

Quoting mitchiesgirl:

My dog has the beginning stages of tracheal collapse- not the worst of his problems though :( His breed is prone to this though (He is a german spitz)

Get cough medication from the vet until you can see the specialist. My dog is on Torbugesic and I give it to him whenever he starts to have a coughing fit and it seems to help almost immediately. Mine is hyper and gets worked up eaasily so the pills really help. He used to be on Fluoxetine (helps with anxiety- bad seperation anxiety) which worked fantastic but he had to stop being on it because he started having seizures a few months ago (not due to the medication).  ''

Good Luck!

[Zamaria]

I don't have any experience at all with this, but I hope your little guy gets better soon! My dog has a bad cough right now due to allergies, and a tablespoon of honey helps her almost immediately, and I drizzle a little in her food so it coats and soothes while she eats. Maybe that'll help your dog?

[Jennifer_57]

He is on no medications right now..he had a few symptoms before but the vet didnt want to refer him because he said it could also be due to excitement when he eats where he eats to fast, but now after a recent choking fit where he had to be given the heimlic he is showing every single symptom of it. When his appt comes up, and I hope that I am completely wrong and I'm crazy or something, but should he be diagnosed with it I want to try the medications before putting him through a surgery. Should medications not work, I am hoping that I would be able to have the surgery with the stents rather than the rings they suture around the trachea based on the success rates of the surgery, the amount of dogs that need temporary or permanent holes placed in their neck for breathing and based on the amount of dogs that die from it. I got my information from the vet association of america or whatever they are called, my mind frazzled lol, so its probably not called that but they are like the ones who make sure vets schools are accredited and what not..so the entire thing is just really uneasy to think about

Quoting mitchiesgirl:

No problem :) I work at an animal hospital and may I ask what medications he's on? (And I'd love to see a pic of your little guy :)

Quoting Jennifer_57:

Thanks! I am so glad someone responded. So far for managing I have switched him to wet food which he eats slower and doesnt choke when he eats anymore, but it makes me horribley nervous, especially the surgery treatment options. I'm hoping the medications for coughing, anxiety, and inflammation work well with him due to how dangerous the surgeries can be.

Quoting mitchiesgirl:

My dog has the beginning stages of tracheal collapse- not the worst of his problems though :( His breed is prone to this though (He is a german spitz)

Get cough medication from the vet until you can see the specialist. My dog is on Torbugesic and I give it to him whenever he starts to have a coughing fit and it seems to help almost immediately. Mine is hyper and gets worked up eaasily so the pills really help. He used to be on Fluoxetine (helps with anxiety- bad seperation anxiety) which worked fantastic but he had to stop being on it because he started having seizures a few months ago (not due to the medication).  ''

Good Luck!

[Jennifer_57]

This is Orbit

[Jennifer_57]

We switched to wet food which has helped :) and thanks

Quoting Zamaria:

I don't have any experience at all with this, but I hope your little guy gets better soon! My dog has a bad cough right now due to allergies, and a tablespoon of honey helps her almost immediately, and I drizzle a little in her food so it coats and soothes while she eats. Maybe that'll help your dog?

[mitchiesgirl]

Cute! :)))

Quoting Jennifer_57:

This is Orbit

[mitchiesgirl]

Its ok I understand what you are saying. And I would definately choose stents-too risky with the rings causing damage to the blood supply- also the stents surgery is much faster.

Quoting Jennifer_57:

He is on no medications right now..he had a few symptoms before but the vet didnt want to refer him because he said it could also be due to excitement when he eats where he eats to fast, but now after a recent choking fit where he had to be given the heimlic he is showing every single symptom of it. When his appt comes up, and I hope that I am completely wrong and I'm crazy or something, but should he be diagnosed with it I want to try the medications before putting him through a surgery. Should medications not work, I am hoping that I would be able to have the surgery with the stents rather than the rings they suture around the trachea based on the success rates of the surgery, the amount of dogs that need temporary or permanent holes placed in their neck for breathing and based on the amount of dogs that die from it. I got my information from the vet association of america or whatever they are called, my mind frazzled lol, so its probably not called that but they are like the ones who make sure vets schools are accredited and what not..so the entire thing is just really uneasy to think about

Quoting mitchiesgirl:

No problem :) I work at an animal hospital and may I ask what medications he's on? (And I'd love to see a pic of your little guy :)

Quoting Jennifer_57:

Thanks! I am so glad someone responded. So far for managing I have switched him to wet food which he eats slower and doesnt choke when he eats anymore, but it makes me horribley nervous, especially the surgery treatment options. I'm hoping the medications for coughing, anxiety, and inflammation work well with him due to how dangerous the surgeries can be.

Quoting mitchiesgirl:

My dog has the beginning stages of tracheal collapse- not the worst of his problems though :( His breed is prone to this though (He is a german spitz)

Get cough medication from the vet until you can see the specialist. My dog is on Torbugesic and I give it to him whenever he starts to have a coughing fit and it seems to help almost immediately. Mine is hyper and gets worked up eaasily so the pills really help. He used to be on Fluoxetine (helps with anxiety- bad seperation anxiety) which worked fantastic but he had to stop being on it because he started having seizures a few months ago (not due to the medication).  ''

Good Luck!

[Jennifer_57]

I feel so bad for him, out of four years of his little life, only one has been free of abuse, where he is fed and loved and cared for properly..after a year he is finally free of fear around my bf and dad and a few of my bfs friends who stay with us frequently. It is just so sad how much stress he is always going through

Quoting mitchiesgirl:

Its ok I understand what you are saying. And I would definately choose stents-too risky with the rings causing damage to the blood supply- also the stents surgery is much faster.

Quoting Jennifer_57:

He is on no medications right now..he had a few symptoms before but the vet didnt want to refer him because he said it could also be due to excitement when he eats where he eats to fast, but now after a recent choking fit where he had to be given the heimlic he is showing every single symptom of it. When his appt comes up, and I hope that I am completely wrong and I'm crazy or something, but should he be diagnosed with it I want to try the medications before putting him through a surgery. Should medications not work, I am hoping that I would be able to have the surgery with the stents rather than the rings they suture around the trachea based on the success rates of the surgery, the amount of dogs that need temporary or permanent holes placed in their neck for breathing and based on the amount of dogs that die from it. I got my information from the vet association of america or whatever they are called, my mind frazzled lol, so its probably not called that but they are like the ones who make sure vets schools are accredited and what not..so the entire thing is just really uneasy to think about

Quoting mitchiesgirl:

No problem :) I work at an animal hospital and may I ask what medications he's on? (And I'd love to see a pic of your little guy :)

Quoting Jennifer_57:

Thanks! I am so glad someone responded. So far for managing I have switched him to wet food which he eats slower and doesnt choke when he eats anymore, but it makes me horribley nervous, especially the surgery treatment options. I'm hoping the medications for coughing, anxiety, and inflammation work well with him due to how dangerous the surgeries can be.

Quoting mitchiesgirl:

My dog has the beginning stages of tracheal collapse- not the worst of his problems though :( His breed is prone to this though (He is a german spitz)

Get cough medication from the vet until you can see the specialist. My dog is on Torbugesic and I give it to him whenever he starts to have a coughing fit and it seems to help almost immediately. Mine is hyper and gets worked up eaasily so the pills really help. He used to be on Fluoxetine (helps with anxiety- bad seperation anxiety) which worked fantastic but he had to stop being on it because he started having seizures a few months ago (not due to the medication).  ''

Good Luck!