Expert: Jo Ann - 6/21/2009

Question
My female Chihuahua is 8 yrs. old and was diagnosed with a trachea problem.  I got her from a shelter when she was 7 yrs. old, and they thought she had Kennel Cough, but later she was diagnosed with a trachea problem.  The Vet gave me Temaril-P tablets, but they don't help the problem.  I bought Robatussin DM, as suggested by the Internet.  They said to give a 10 lb. dog 1/2 teas., which I just did.  She struggled with me and didn't like the cherry flavor.  All she does is sleep all day, but is there anything else you could suggest to give her for her cough, honking and reverse sneezing (her neck gets stiff, and she makes a terrible noise like she is choking, which goes on for a few minutes).  It is scary!  We are taking her on a plane this week and need some kind of home remedy.  Can you suggest something else?  Thanks.

Answer
Hi Renee...

Your dog is right at the age when they're most often diagnosed with a collapsed trachea.  Is that what the vet told you the problem was - a collapsed trachea?  And how did the vet diagnose this?  Did they take a radiograph or do a tracheoscopy?  Was this an experienced vet that is aware of the difference between reverse sneezing and a collapsed trachea?  Often times, vets who have more experience with small breed dogs are better at diagnosing.

Renee, there are no "home remedies" for collapsed trachea or any type of trachea problems that I'm aware of that are safe and effective. There are things you can do to keep a dog from potentially worsening like walking them with a harness, restricting their activity and making sure that they don't become overweight and keeping them from getting overly excited.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend giving over the counter cough medicines to a dog with this condition without first consulting with a veterinarian - the fact that your dog struggled isn't good at all - that type of stress can worsen her condition.  I think you should always check with a vet before giving any over the counter product.  No one on the internet can adequately diagnose your dog and recommend something without knowing her full history. Did you speak to your vet about the Temparil-P tablets and ask for an alternative?  If you did and you're unhappy with the response you got, have you considered seeing a vet who has more experience with this condition? Collapsed trachea is a very serious condition and can lead to heart and lung problems.  As a matter of fact, I have some concerns about her going on a plane next week due to the fact that excitement can exacerbate her condition.  I really think that you need to consult with a vet first.

The fact that she sleeps all day can very well be due to the collapsed trachea.  Often times dogs with this condition aren't getting enough oxygen and they tire easily.  You should discuss this with a qualified veterinarian, too.  You might want to even take a look at her tongue and gums and make sure that they're not even slightly blue - that indicates that she really isn't getting enough oxygen.

I found two websites that I thought were informative that you might want to look at.  Along with the information contained in those, I wanted to add that it's very important that she be on a high quality diet and that she not be over fed (easy to do with the more premium foods & activity restrictions). I believe that one of the following articles mentions giving glucosamine to strengthen the cartilage in the trachea and you might want to discuss that with your vet and possibly pursue it. Please don't fall for hype about certain supplements that will help that are on the internet, etc.  A good diet, possibly some glucosamine and a cough suppressant prescribed by a qualified veterinarian combined with restricted activity are potentially the main things that are needed and you don't want to do her harm with unsubstantiated claims on the internet or advice that's intended to make someone a commission rather than help your dog.  Take a look at these links:

http://www.delraechihuahuas.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout...

http://books.google.com/books?id=49uSlP0gLz4C&pg=PA83&lpg=PA83&dq=collapsed+trac...

Please don't hesitate to write again if you have further questions.

Jo Ann