I took Poquita Diabla to Texas A&M for trachea surgery four years ago, she was three years old and her trachea was 95% collapsed along all but the bottom 1/2 inch. They sutured five plastic rings along the outside of her trachea and she has done really well, she takes extended release aminophyllin twice a day but has never coughed. My rescue group had a stent put in one of our dogs and he only lived a few very miserable months during which he coughed constantly, this was not done at A&M. If you like I can fax or email you Poquita's records. Her survival is alot of luck and a lot the skill of Dr Vinyak, to whom I am thankful every day. Whatever you decide, go to the best teaching or specialty hospital you can .
On Thu, Aug 21, 2008 at 4:18 PM, Patty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > 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 > > > -- "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." --Galileo Galilei Glenda Poquita, Molly, Isabella, Chandler, Joy Joy and all the fosters and angels
