Content
- What is tracheal collapse?
- Symptoms of tracheal collapse
- How is the diagnosis made?
- What is the treatment?
- Recommendations
Your puppy is your best friend, wants to accompany you wherever you go and give you affection, love and fun, so your life will never be the same after adopting one. Therefore, at PeritoAnimal we know that the most important thing is not only to give you all the care, affection and food you need, but also your health should be the only priority for you.
The dog is an animal resistant to most diseases, but at some point it can suffer some disease, so you should be aware of the signs. That's why we want to talk to you about tracheal collapse in dogs, yours symptoms and treatment, in order to detect this disease in time.
What is tracheal collapse?
It is a congenital condition that small breed puppies usually suffer, especially the Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier, Chihuahua, Pomeranian, Maltese and Pekingese, among others.
Consists of a tracheal deformation, an organ that connects the upper part of the respiratory system with the lower part, and whose obstruction prevents enough air from circulating. The trachea is made up of cartilage that deforms, which makes the space for air to pass smaller, causing the trachea to collapse.
the disease is progressive and degenerative, so the treatments, although notably improving the puppy's quality of life, are not able to cure it. It is usually diagnosed between 6 and 7 years of the dog, and when it appears before 12 months, it indicates a more serious condition of evolution.
Depending on the phase or level of severity in which the collapse is found, it can be divided into four different degrees, in which 1 is a minor deformation and 4 is that in which a minimal amount of air enters the airways.
Symptoms of tracheal collapse
- Dry cough
- Nausea
- dyspnea
- pant
- Asphyxia
- noise when breathing
THE cough it usually manifests itself sporadically when tracheal collapse is minimal, usually in situations of stress or strong emotions, and becomes constant when the condition worsens. Due to its characteristics, it is possible to confuse it with kennel cough, although when accompanied by other symptoms it can be easily ruled out.
How the trachea collapse gets worse with time, which prevents the animal from receiving the amount of oxygen it needs, it is common to develop other diseases, such as bronchitis, tracheitis, or even pulmonary hypertension, which in the long term can lead to heart failure.
How is the diagnosis made?
Only your veterinarian is able to determine if your dog suffers from tracheal collapse or if it is one of the most common respiratory ailments in puppies. The most common is to perform a radiography, in which the status of the trachea and the rest of the respiratory system can be examined.
In addition, this can be complemented with a fluoroscopic analysis that allows to study the behavior of the pathways during the breathing process. It is also possible for the specialist to recommend a tracheobronchoscopy, in order to better observe the state in which the cartilages are.
What is the treatment?
When it comes to the first three degrees of tracheal collapse, treatment with drugs is chosen, while in degree 4 only surgical intervention is useful:
- In relation to medicines, bronchodilators are recommended to promote breathing, in addition to antibiotics, if there is any infection, as well as the use of corticosteroids and, if necessary, a sedative to reduce anxiety, as nervousness only stimulates coughing even more and makes it difficult the breath.All these medications, as well as their doses, must be prescribed by a veterinarian. The purpose of medications is to reduce the effect of symptoms and improve the dog's quality of life, although they are not able to cure the condition.
- THE surgery it is only recommended when the dog reaches grade 4 of the disease, considered the worst. However, not all patients can be sent for surgery, it depends on each case whether or not this is a valid option. The surgical intervention seeks to reconstruct the shape of the trachea, and it is even possible to resort to the placement of a prosthesis or endotracheal implants to improve respiratory function.
Recommendations
In addition to strictly following the treatment indicated by the specialist, we give you some advice that will help you provide a better quality of life for your furry friend:
- Protect your dog from temperatures too high or too cold, as well as contaminated spaces that can affect your lungs, such as those in which there is smoke, dust, strong odors, among others.
- control your diet to keep him at a healthy weight, as an obese dog has more difficulty breathing.
- Avoid putting the typical collars for puppies, as they just press on your neck when you want to pull it. Wear a harness, it will be much more comfortable and healthier for him.
- keep yours vaccines up to date to avoid canine cough.
- Don't make big changes in the routine of the dog, as they could stress him and this would affect his breathing.
- don't try to make him perform Exercises sudden, as it is very common that dogs with tracheal collapse prefer to be calm.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.