Can My Chihuahua Collapsed Trachea?
A dog owner may be tempted to rush his or her Chihuahua to the emergency room if his or her dog experiences a collapsed trachea. In fact, rushing is never recommended for this condition, which occurs in only one out of every 100 dogs. Not every dog with a collapsed trachea makes a full recovery. Some dogs do well after receiving emergency care and others do not.
If you have a dog that has experienced a collapsed trachea, make sure that your dog receives emergency medical care right away. A small portion of the dog’s trachea may have been injured. It may be necessary for the dog to be anesthetized and admitted for intravenous replenishment of fluids. If you have your dog’s x-ray work performed, it will help your vet evaluate the extent of the injury and recommend the most appropriate trachea treatment for your dog.
For the trachea to return to its normal placement, it will require three to six weeks of antibiotic therapy. Most antibiotics will cause gastrointestinal side effects in dogs, but those that are given intravenously will not. Be sure to tell your veterinarian if your dog has allergies or if you are feeding the dog any special foods.
During the first day or so of treatment, you and your veterinarian should keep a close eye on your dog’s behavior.
Are there any signs of infection or bleeding? Are the sutures starting to fall off? When can you expect the stitches to be removed?
Do not attempt to remove the sutures on your own. The sutures are clamped together and are very fragile. You could tear the thread or puncture the tissue around it causing more pain and an unnecessary delay in treatment. The stitches must be removed by the veterinarian because they are contagious and may cause further problems down the road.
One thing that many people do not realize about dog ear treatment is that some dogs may need additional treatment after receiving their initial dose of antibiotics. If you notice that the antibiotics are not working as well as they did before, another dose may be necessary. Your dog will still probably experience some pain.
This is nothing to worry about. Your vet will probably give you an anti-inflammatory medication, which can be used to manage the pain. After this first round of antibiotics, your dog can usually go home and get adequate rest to heal from the collapsed trachea.
You and your veterinarian may decide that your Chihuahua should stay in the hospital for observation overnight.
This is sometimes a good idea because the dog’s healing process may slow during this time. He may need additional pain medications and pain suppressant medication. Talk with the staff at the hospital to see if you are a good candidate for this. In most cases, the surgery will be performed on an outpatient basis, so you will not have to choose from that.
Once the surgery is completed and your Chihuahua is home, the recovery process will take a few days to a week. After resting, your dog will need to have any necessary treatments, including antibiotics and shots to help protect against infection. You can expect to spend about seven hours in the hospital.
You may be able to go home with your dog on the same day, but you should not try to drive him home. Once he has fully recovered, you will be able to return home with your pet.
During the first 24 hours after surgery, the dog may experience some pain or discomfort. Most of the swelling and infections will be gone within a week. A few exceptions may remain, so your veterinarian will make a note of this. In most cases, the dog will resume normal activities within a month.
If your Chihuahua collapsed trachea, you may find that his appetite has also decreased. You may also notice that your dog is urinating more than usual.
One to two weeks after the surgery, your dog will probably be off his stool. He will also experience cold symptoms for a short period of time. However, don’t allow these problems to discourage you from going ahead with the surgery.
Before deciding to have this operation, you will need to be very careful about which surgeon you choose. Only a highly regarded and reputable veterinary facility should perform this procedure on your dog. Ask the vet about the post-op care, he will provide and if he had any success rate with previous patients.
Make sure that he has all of the necessary equipment to do the procedure. Ask your veterinarian about the expected outcome and how much of a price range you can expect to pay. You should never rush into any decision like this one, but if you feel that you cannot look after your Chihuahua any other way, then this is probably the best option for you.
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