My Pom-Poo has been diagnosed with a collasping trachea, he coughs constantly and is taking Predisone….which doesn’t seem to do much except make him eat more and gain weight, which in turn will put more pressure on his windpipe….Is there anything else I can do. I would like to get him off this perscripton.
Thank You
Collapsing tracheas are a frequent problem in the smaller members of the canine population – and your pooch happens to be a cross of two of the most heavily-afflicted breeds. However, in many cases the symptoms associated with this disease can be, at worst, greatly alleviated.
Treatment usually starts with the pup’s environment. Moist air that is low in irritants and allergens offers the best breathing for these trachea dogs.
Cool mist humidification is a great start, especially in the dog’s sleeping areas. Air filters can also help, especially in the spring and fall allergy blooms. If you or anyone in your family is a smoker – now is a good time to quit. Exercise must also be restricted although obesity is a huge risk factor for this disease so activity should not be eliminated – rather limit the intensity and rely more on low-impact walking at classically quiet parts of the day (morning and evening) when the allergens (pollens, etc) are not being blown around so freely.
Some radiologists and/or surgeons can place special stents in the trachea to support small areas of collapse; however, these are fairly expensive and require anesthesia and special imaging to place. Again, the area supported by the stents should be small, otherwise further collapse of non-stented areas of the trachea is a common complication.
Finally – the most common regimens for treating collapsing tracheas usually involves some combination of cough suppressants and/or glucocorticoids (steroids, e.g. prednisone). I prefer to use a drug called Temaril-P which has a small dose of prednisolone combined with an antihistamine. These drugs act in concert with each other to provide anti-inflammatory benefits and anti-allergy benefits while not having to use too great a dose of either. If you’re using straight pred, you might consider asking your vet to switch to Temaril-P so you can cut the pred (while not losing it’s benefits) and gain the benefit of an antihistamine. As always, the particulars of any given case can vary immensely so please do not take my words as gospel as I do not have all of the physical and historical evidence your own veternarian has – please trust them as they know your beloved pet far better than I do.
Have a great day and I hope this gives you a bit of hope!!
Chris Plumley DVM
Whitefield Animal Hospital
Whitefield, New Hampshire.
There are now tracheal implants that can be placed into the trachea using an endoscope. This is a relatively quick and noninvasive procedure, although not inexpensive. These implants make the trachea rigid so it will not collapse any more, and are considered a permanent fix. Although complications are infrequent, they do occur, and may result in removal of the implant. Usually, this procedure must be performed by an internal medicine specialist.
Jon Geller, DVM
Talk to your vet about your concerns. If she doesn’t listen, find a vet who will.
Phillip McHugh, DVM
Park Veterinary Hospital
Durham, NC
For collapsing trachea in a pomeranian, sometimes a little benadryl helps, as sometimes there is an allergic aggravation. up to a tsp of children’s benadryl liquid up to 3 times daily is safe in a 13 pound dog. If smaller pom, use less (1mg/#)
Dr. Rewers, DVM
Ancient Arts Holistic Pet Care
Seattle, WA