# Opinion : is this collapsed trachea? (Vidéo)



## jcris (Feb 19, 2015)

Hi
It was difficult to tell from the video. Is it possible she’s eating grass?
Both my standards try to eat grass especially this time of year. I have to go out in the yard and watch them otherwise they will try to eat grass. I asked my vet and she commented this time of year was particularly difficult. She said it’s possible for them to get grass caught in their throat which causes irritation and coughing, especially in the morning. She said if the coughing continues she would have to sedate her to take a closer look. So now I watch them closely and the coughing has stopped. Like you, I have 2 pups and one of them seems much more interested in the grass, not sure why. Please keep and eye on their poo also as grass moving through their system can potentially cut them, according to my vet.
Of course a visit to the vet might be prudent and help put you at ease I hope your pups will be ok


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

We just came back from the vet. She has tracheitis from coughing but it’s not possible to know what causes it.

We did X-rays on both sides of her thoracic cage, high enough to see all of her trachea.

Everything is perfect, no collapsed trachea or abnormalities. She might have a little brochitis (the machine is very precise so it could be nothing also). The vet gave her antibiotics twice a day for 14 days.

Sometimes I think Since I’m with them all day I notice every little thing too much and probably overreact. I probably should have given her Benadryl or something like that and waited a few weeks until it cleared on its own. 

At least tomorrow when she wakes me up at 5, instead of getting up because ai thought she was dying, I’ll go back to sleep, lol !

Now let’s hope Merlin doesn’t catch it...


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

jcris said:


> Hi
> It was difficult to tell from the video. Is it possible she’s eating grass?
> Both my standards try to eat grass especially this time of year. I have to go out in the yard and watch them otherwise they will try to eat grass. I asked my vet and she commented this time of year was particularly difficult. She said it’s possible for them to get grass caught in their throat which causes irritation and coughing, especially in the morning. She said if the coughing continues she would have to sedate her to take a closer look. So now I watch them closely and the coughing has stopped. Like you, I have 2 pups and one of them seems much more interested in the grass, not sure why. Please keep and eye on their poo also as grass moving through their system can potentially cut them, according to my vet.
> Of course a visit to the vet might be prudent and help put you at ease I hope your pups will be ok


Good point but there is hardly any grass here at the moment. We’re still in the «*yellow*» phase.


----------



## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

Good luck that is does not got Merlin, as when one of mine gets a cold it normally goes through all 3 of them eventually. as they drink and eat after each other


----------



## jcris (Feb 19, 2015)

I do the same thing. I’m around them all day and tend to overreact. Many times I’ve gone to the vet only to find out there’s no problem. I guess better safe than sorry


----------



## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

My dogs eat grass ahhhhh and they make a different sound when it gets stuck in their throat. I would have been worried too with the noise Beckie was making. I'm glad she's fine and now you have that peace of mind. Hugs!

And me three--home not all day, but enough to monitor everyone's health thoroughly and notice the slightest changes! A blessing and a curse.


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Hopefully, the inflammation will go down and she'll get over this. I can't tell about the collapsing trachea. I hear a real cough in there besides the gagging thing that I think goes along with collapsing trachea. Did he also take a good listen to her heart? Lots of good wishes coming Becky's way for getting well soon.


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Poodlebeguiled said:


> Hopefully, the inflammation will go down and she'll get over this. I can't tell about the collapsing trachea. I hear a real cough in there besides the gagging thing that I think goes along with collapsing trachea. Did he also take a good listen to her heart? Lots of good wishes coming Becky's way for getting well soon.


Yes, she took a long time to listen to her heart from all angles. (Only women at that clinic. Techs and vets. Always. I think it’s cool).

Thanks for the good wishes. And ZM (or is it FM or MF now, lol) and JCris too. And GB (so many acronyms, you’d think we’re in a sect or something).


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

She's in good hands it sounds like. Well...must be some kind of irritation. Crossing my fingers for the little one.


----------



## MaizieFrosty (Apr 12, 2019)

Dechi said:


> Yes, she took a long time to listen to her heart from all angles. (Only women at that clinic. Techs and vets. Always. I think it’s cool).
> 
> Thanks for the good wishes. And *ZM (or is it FM or MF now, lol)* and JCris too. And GB (so many acronyms, you’d think we’re in a sect or something).



I respond to any of those acronyms


----------



## Skylar (Jul 29, 2016)

I hope poor little Ms Beckie is feeling better soon.


----------



## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

Poor Beckie! I hope she feels better soon x


----------



## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

So good to hear Beckie's going to be ok. It's like they stay up, plotting things to scare us


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Rose n Poos said:


> So good to hear Beckie's going to be ok. It's like they stay up, plotting things to scare us


Ha Ha Ha ! Yes, you would think that.

I think she’s already coughing less. Now it makes me wonder if the antibiotic is necessary.


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

I know it hasn’t been 48 hours since starting her antibiotic but today she is worse. Poor thing has been retching on and off since this morning.

She keeps making this little squeal sound and she doesn’t look comfortable. It’s sad and it breaks my heart. 

I gave her a little bit of honey in water an hour ago, to soothe her throat. I’ll feed her mostly canned food tonight so it helps hydrate her and is softer on her throat.

I hate when my dogs are sick. :-(


----------



## jcris (Feb 19, 2015)

Is she used to canned food? I’ve been down a similar road and found it related to stomach upset. My girls were given Flagyl as the antibiotic and I stopped that after only two days. Didn’t seem to be helping at all.


----------



## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

I'm sorry to hear Beckie's not improving as hoped. Maybe the antibiotics will kick in by tomorrow and she'll be feeling better then.


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

jcris said:


> Is she used to canned food? I’ve been down a similar road and found it related to stomach upset. My girls were given Flagyl as the antibiotic and I stopped that after only two days. Didn’t seem to be helping at all.


Yes, my other dog is medicated for life so I use canned food to make him take his pills. Since she’s a little piglet, she gets some as well. She is eating her usual canned food.

I don’t know the name of the antibiotic, I’ll have to check. If she’s still coughing in 48 hours, I might stop it. She’s on it for 14 days.


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Rose n Poos said:


> I'm sorry to hear Beckie's not improving as hoped. Maybe the antibiotics will kick in by tomorrow and she'll be feeling better then.


Thank you. I got her some vanilla ice cream to help her throat. Hopefully it will help.


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

If you've started the antibiotic, I highly recommend you do not stop. IF there's a bacterial thing or even if there's not, but the vet thinks there's a likelihood of the potential for a secondary bacterial infection, not finishing the mediation can cause these bacteria to develop into super bugs. This is why people die from bacterial infections more and more these days...because people feel better so they stop their anti-biotics, don't finish the bottle and the bugs evolve in even one generation to be stronger and not die from these drugs. So even when you think she didn't need it, and she's taken more than maybe one dose, I wouldn't stop using that. If it is a bacterial thing, those bacteria don't die...just get a little "wounded" and then it can come back again, even stronger to get her and then you may not be able to get rid of it. 

You could also get a second opinion from another vet after a little more time. That coughing and irritation could certainly invite a bacterial infection down the road if she doesn't already have one. It's probably a virus or some allergy thing but those things can sometimes scratch up the soft tissues, make them raw and then something else comes on the scene. Hoping in another week or two, she'll get over this. You could also get some glycerin (it comes in a small bottle) and let her lick some off your finger. (not too much or it can cause diarrhea, just a few licks...I'd say no more than 1/8th tsp) That will coat her throat for a little while and be soothing. Although it's not a bad taste at all, ice cream is probably tastier. :tongue1: But the glycerin might stay on the throat longer.

I can tell you...any time Matisse drinks water...after he finishes his drink or plays extremely exuberantly...running fast and furious like a maniac in the yard with Maurice, he'll stop (time-out) and gag, sputter but not cough. It triggers something. I don't know if it's a collapsing trachea or what but he gets right over it in a few seconds and then is fine. And it only happens with those triggers.


----------



## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

Poodlebeguiled said:


> If you've started the antibiotic, I highly recommend you do not stop. IF there's a bacterial thing or even if there's not, but the vet thinks there's a likelihood of the potential for a secondary bacterial infection, not finishing the mediation can cause these bacteria to develop into super bugs. This is why people die from bacterial infections more and more these days...because people feel better so they stop their anti-biotics, don't finish the bottle and the bugs evolve in even one generation to be stronger and not die from these drugs. So even when you think she didn't need it, and she's taken more than maybe one dose, I wouldn't stop using that. If it is a bacterial thing, those bacteria don't die...just get a little "wounded" and then it can come back again, even stronger to get her and then you may not be able to get rid of it.
> 
> You could also get a second opinion from another vet after a little more time. That coughing and irritation could certainly invite a bacterial infection down the road if she doesn't already have one. It's probably a virus or some allergy thing but those things can sometimes scratch up the soft tissues, make them raw and then something else comes on the scene. Hoping in another week or two, she'll get over this. You could also get some glycerin (it comes in a small bottle) and let her lick some off your finger. (not too much or it can cause diarrhea, just a few licks...I'd say no more than 1/8th tsp) That will coat her throat for a little while and be soothing. Although it's not a bad taste at all, ice cream is probably tastier. :tongue1: But the glycerin might stay on the throat longer.
> 
> I can tell you...any time Matisse drinks water...after he finishes his drink or plays extremely exuberantly...running fast and furious like a maniac in the yard with Maurice, he'll stop (time-out) and gag, sputter but not cough. It triggers something. I don't know if it's a collapsing trachea or what but he gets right over it in a few seconds and then is fine. And it only happens with those triggers.


Yes, you’re right. I should have specified I would never do it without my vet’s consent. My fear is regarding antibiotic resistance and I like to avoid giving it to my dogs or taking it myself whenever possible. 

If there is even a remote possibility she needs it, I would never take her off.


----------



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I agree. This is a real problem...this over use of anti-biotics. I just meant now that you've started, I'm inclined to think it might be better to finish it. But that's a good idea to see what your vet thinks. Some vets and human doctors are so quick to administer them. On the hand, maybe your vet had good reason to worry about a bacterial infection. Whatever it is, I just hope Becky gets well and that it doesn't take long. Lots of good wishes coming her way. And yours!


----------

