My dog has labored breathing. Is tracheal surgery common? What causes mineralization?

Hello, sorry to hear about Blue. Laryngeal paralysis is a disease in which the arterytinoid cartilages of the larynx have a decreased function or completely stop moving. These cartilages are moved via contraction of the muscles that are innarvated by the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Several reasons may cause this nerve to stop working and thus lead to laryngeal paralysis. Causes include trauma, a neck mass, hypothyroidism, or most commonly we cannot determine a cause and it’s termed idiopathic. Complications from having laryngeal paralysis include coughing, voice tone changes, and respiratory obstruction that could lead to death. The tie back procedure permanently tacks one of these aretynoid cartilages in an open position. The surgery relieve respiratory distress and most often decreases or stops the coughing all together. The surgery itself is very successful, however you pet permanently had an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia. Any signs of coughing warrant an evaluation by a veterinarian and chest x-rays. Your dog will not be allowed to swim and should be kept in a low stress, low exercise environment to avoid him getting worked up or inhaling water while swimming as his air way will be permanently partially open. Hope this helps and I wish Blue a speedy recovery

This sounds like Dino may have a collapsing trachea. It is very common in small breed dogs. I suggest you take Dino back to the vet, show them the video and talk about the possibility of a collapsing trachea. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/tracheal-collapse-in-dogs

Poor girl. Collapsing trachea is easily diagnosed with a chest radiograph (x-ray). I would request this test to be done. The vet can also assess Princess's heart to make sure she doesn't have underlying heart disease. If she does have collapsing trachea as the underlying cause, then she should be started on medicaitons (cough suppressants, potential steroids, bronchodilators, etc) to take at home to possibly help with this. However these will only provide some relief. The only way to provide a more effective treatment for this condition is surgical correction of the section of collapsed trachea. Here is more information on tracheal collapse in pets. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1527 I hope that you are able to get Princess some relief soon. Best wishes and take care.

Hello and thank you for your question. I hate it that the medications are not providing cough relief for your dog. In my experience, if these two medications are not stopping the cost of a tracheal collapse patient, then surgery should be considered. there are so many great surgical methods and treatments now for collapsing trachea. One of them being a mesh wire coil that can be placed in the trachea to keep it dilated without the possibility of collapse. These are usually performed by surgical specialists and your general veterinarian may have to refer you to one of them. I urge you to make an appointment with your local veterinarian to discuss possible surgical options for your dogs condition. I hope I have helped.

I would recommend videoing the episodes and scheduling an assessment with your vet. Although definitive surgery is not usually carried out until more mature, further options may be recommended to reduce symptoms

Yes, it's very possible that Norah may have been born with a slightly narrowed trachea. This is called a hypoplastic trachea - it's most common in English bulldogs and other short-nosed breeds, but can occur in any breed. Many dogs never have any symptoms or problems at all, and the tracheal size sometimes increases a bit as the puppy grows. Dogs with this problem can sometimes have trouble tolerating heat or intense exercise because they can't pant as effectively, so it would be a good idea to keep an eye on her when it's hot out to make sure she isn't distressed. Obesity can also make this problem worse, so make sure that Norah stays nice and slim. Otherwise, if she's not showing any symptoms of a problem, there's no reason that she can't have a perfectly normal life with no issues at all.

Hello there! Collapsing trachea is a condition where the cartilaginous rings that surround the trachea and keep it an open tube are weakened, and sometimes, when excited or breathing hard, the trachea will flatten or collapse. This causes a harsh, loud "honking" sound when breathing, and sometimes coughing. This condition is more common in small breeds as a genetic abnormality, but it could also be seen in other dog breeds as a result of respiratory infection, obesity, or damage/disease of the trachea. The treatment for collapsing trachea depends on its cause and severity. Most dogs with collapsing trachea are managed by keeping them calm and in good body condition, and sometimes with the use of cough suppressants and steroids for inflammation caused by coughing. Some dogs do require surgery if their coughing and honking doesn't abate with regularity, or if they have trouble breathing. Surgical implantation of plastic rings around the trachea is currently the surgical treatment of choice. It really is quite uncommon in larger, young dogs, so I highly recommend that Bruno has a full work-up by the vet before considering his symptoms to be caused by collapsing trachea. Kennel cough, for example, can produce very similar symptoms. Good luck, and I hope Bruno gets well soon!