What is tracheal collapse?
Tracheal collapse in dogs is a respiratory disease that is characterized by the trachea collapsing on itself causing it to gradually close, which hinders the normal passage of air during breathing.
Zoom on the trachea
The dog's trachea is a conduit made up of rings of cartilage that allows air to circulate from the larynx to the bronchi of the lungs during inspiration, and in the opposite direction during expiration . It has a cervical portion (in the dog's neck) and a thoracic portion (in its thorax).
The condition is generally linked to a degeneration of the cartilaginous rings that support the trachea and to the abnormal relaxation of the membrane that closes it behind. Small breed dogs like Toy Poodles, Yorkshires, Dwarf Spitz or Lhasa Apso are known to be predisposed to it.
However, other factors can cause the condition - or at least make it worse - such as repeated trauma to the trachea (when the dog pulls on a leash and wears a unsuitable collar, for example), obesity and lack of exercise, the presence of a respiratory or cardiac condition concomitant with the collapse of the trachea or even the inhalation of irritating particles such as, for example, passive inhalation of cigarette smoke.
What are the symptoms of tracheal collapse?
A collapsing trachea is usually manifested by a dry and chronic cough in the dog, accentuated when the dog gets excited or when he pulls on a leash. Sometimes his cough can cause him to vomit.
Dogs with this condition may also exhibit wheezing.
There are actually 4 stages of severity for tracheal collapse:
- stage I for which coughing is observed in dogs mainly when they are excited or when their trachea is palpated which, moreover, appears relatively soft to the touch,
- stage II is characterized by a more frequent and noisy cough (like the cry of a goose) during the day,
- stage III is characterized by an even more frequent daytime cough than in stage II,
- stage IV in which the animal presents with wheezing breath sounds, breathing difficulties (accentuated when lying down), a more or less permanent cough and sometimes, a bluish coloring of the mucous membranes (cyanosis), signs of a poor blood oxygenation. At this stage, tracheal collapse is very likely to reduce the dog's life expectancy.
Diagnosis of collapsed trachea
Faced with an animal that presents symptoms suggestive of tracheal collapse, the veterinarian may use imaging tests to confirm his diagnosis. He can then have recourse to an endoscopy and/or an X-ray of the neck and thorax in order to observe the appearance of the dog's trachea.
What possible treatments for tracheal collapse in dogs?
Medical treatment of tracheal collapse in dogs
The treatment of tracheal collapse is medical in first intention. It is based on the administration of antitussive drugs and bronchodilators.
Corticosteroids can also be used over very short periods and at anti-inflammatory doses to reduce inflammation of the trachea.
Hygieno-dietary measures should also be taken so as not to aggravate the dog's condition such as:
- put obese or overweight dogs on a diet to make them lose weight,
- avoid wearing a collar when walking on a leash but prefer wearing a harness that will not compress the trachea,
- avoid inhaling smoke or irritating particles to the sick dog.
Of course, if the dog suffers from other heart and/or respiratory diseases, they will have to be treated concomitantly.
Surgical treatment of tracheal collapse in dogs
When the dog does not respond to medical treatment, it is sometimes possible to consider surgical treatment. Several techniques coexist among:
- partial chondrotomy, which involves tightening the tracheal membrane,
- folding of the tracheal membrane which aims to make a fold in the tracheal membrane in order to shorten it,
- the installation of an extra-luminal prosthesis. It consists of placing a prosthesis, usually made of polypropylene, around the trachea to prevent it from collapsing, like a stent,
- the placement of an endoluminal prosthesis, also called a tracheal stent. It is a prosthesis that the surgeon places inside the trachea and which, by unfolding, aims to restore a correct opening of the latter.
Complications can sometimes occur following these operations and some symptoms of the disease may nevertheless persist.