tracheal collapse in pomeranian

    • Gold Top Dog

    tracheal collapse in pomeranian

    Please, if any of you have information, stories, experience .... share them with me. Godzilla is 12 and is having a hard time. I am wondering about his care. He is on a Hydrocodone type cough med....just trying to keep him from coughing.....just lost my Caitlyn last June....am just so worried.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Have dealt with it in a couple of dogs -- this is one of those places where some vets just seem to give up and not want to treat.  It can be managed usually. 

    This is honestly one of those places where TCVM is **awesome** -- http://www.tcvm.com -- there is a locator on the left hand side of the front page.  But if you want to email me I'd be happy to help you figure out which to pick.

    How is the heart?  There are times when a heart that is a bit enlarged can press on the trachea -- so you want to rule that out. 

    Elevate the food and water bowls.  Even a pillow to lay his chin on when he rests can be a good thing to relieve some of that pressure. 

    Coedine cough syrup isn't going to help a lot -- because it's a physical thing -- so it's better to soothe.  Try just mixing a honey & lemon cough syrup -- you can give as much of it as you want.  You can add other things as you find them helpful.  Try for local unfiltered honey -- and add fresh lemon juice (RealLemon is fine if it's what you've got) -- just enough honey to thin it to syrup consistency.  Use a plastic spoon -- they learn to like it right quick.

    • Gold Top Dog

    I've got no reall advise for you but just wanted to hope the best for Godzilla.  As usual, Callie's advise is rock solid.

    Thoughts and prayers for Godzilla.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Well, Godzilla got a big ole haircut. We had let it grow out over the winter. Since he got that off he has been better. I think it was helping to smother him. The cough syrup did help, but I hate to give it to him all the time. I will try the honey and lemon, Callie. My vet is anything BUT giving up. She confers with me on the phone, and never rushes to comment, always seems to think things out before she makes a recommendation. We had xray and his heart is fine. Collapse is further down in his chest cavity. He hasn't eaten very well past day or so, but I think some of that was the cough syrup. He is on thyroid med...level was 1.1 ON the med last time we checked. She said I could up it one pill a day to make it .6. I did that one or two days but then I think he over exerts himself. No sure what to do about that. He seems just really restful and lazy today. Alert, but just lazy. Kinda like me. I used to go to a holistic vet around here, but for a couple of reasons I quit.

    • Gold Top Dog

    i'd have your vet send a full  blood panel to Dr. Dodds -- she's the bomb *anyway* with thyroid and often she can suggest something else that no one would ever think to look for. http://www.hemopet.org --

    I have heard vets exclaim "Oh, a bent trachea -- we have to put this dog to sleep".  No joke -- and it's just crazy

    Some of it can literally be panic so that's one reason why they haircut helped. 

    Please give me a shout email -- if you can find a TCVM vet to go to they can honestly help you a bunch -- there are chi trigger points for coughing that YOU can do with just your finger (accupressure points).  http://www.tcvm.com -- there's a locator on the left -- and don't limit yourself to close -- this may not be something you'd need to do frequently  I can't emphasize that TCVM is **NOT** just a "holistic" vet -- yes, they are holistic but acupuncture is a whole different thing.

    • Gold Top Dog

     Yo Girl. I did find one pretty close...Reading PA. Actually two of them. Going to call and see if I can get in. I will e-mail you this weekend with more details...we'll talk.

    • Gold Top Dog
    Tiki's trachea is compromised because of her heart - enlarged due to CHF. I know it's not the same situation but she's much more comfortable walking on a harness vs. a collar. I saw a really snazzy harness the other day that didn't put any strain on the neck, at all...I think it was leather. Very nice looking and I remember thinking that I would order one for T if she wasn't so close to the end.

    And, I'm sorry to hear you lost Caitlyn.

    • Gold Top Dog

    How far are you from Kempton, PA?  My wholistic vet is there & I love her!!!  PM me if you want.