>From what I know, the surgery is effective in dogs. My sister's cat had the surgery and they warned her that cat's don't do so well. Tyler never came home. I think a second opinion is a good idea. Does it happen really often. I have a little guy that it happens to when he gets excited, I try to keep him calm and massage his neck. It goes away fairly quickly. I would stay away from any type of collar that may cause it to go in, even if just a little bit. I would put tags on a harness that just goes around the shoulders and chest. I pray every thing goes well for little Dexter. - em :-)
_____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Patty Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2008 5:18 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [Chihuahuas] Tracheal Collapse Hi everyone, I had posted previously about my 5 yr old chi, Dexter. He was coughing/gagging when he drank, played, or just got excited. I took him to the vet and after xrays was diagnosed with tracheal collapse. This is common in small dogs and can be genetic. My choices for treatment are not good. It will continue to worsen and someday the trachea may not open and he will die from no air. Since it is structural, medicine wont help. My only option is surgery and there is no guarantee that once the area is fixed, there won't be another collapse in another part of the trachea. Surgery will be very expensive and would have to be done in a larger city than I live in. The money is'nt the issue though. I just don't know what to do for him. I am going to consult with a surgeon and get a second opinion. I can't stop crying, it seems hopeless right now. Has anyone else had this problem with their dog? Has anyone had the surgery? This group is great and I enjoy reading the posts. Dexter's mommy, Patty
