Atom Animal Hospital
Animal Respiratory Center
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Respiratory
Thoracic surgery
HOME > Respiratory
Coughing, sneezing, choking, snoring
Haha, it looks like it's going to be painful, gash and goose breathing
There are many types of respiratory diseases and it is not uncommon for them to be life-threatening.
Before it's too late, because it's a non-verbal animal
to that signalplease notice
Tracheal collapse
Challenge to this incurable disease! Tracheal collapse is not an incurable disease!
Only one in Japan, only in the world. This remedy.
Tracheal collapse is a disease in which the trachea, which carries air in and out of the lungs, collapses, making it impossible to breathe. It is said that the incidence is high in middle-aged and elderly small dogs, but it is seen in almost all dog breeds, including Japanese medium-sized dogs and large dogs such as Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers.
Symptoms begin with a mild cough at first, progressing to a choking cough, regurgitation, pig-like breathing, goose-like breathing, etc., and in the final stage, cyanosis and dyspnea. increase. Currently, this disease is positioned as an intractable disease, and the current situation is that there is no active treatment. Our hospital has been actively treating this disease for a long time. In particular, the orthodontic appliance with a completely new shape developed in 2000.Parallel Loop Line Prostheses (PLLP)has achieved excellent treatment results (currently about 1000 cases). Instead of giving up on tracheal collapse as an incurable disease, we should not wait until it becomes irreparable, and we should take a “positive view” from the early stages, including medical treatment, such as mild coughing. I suggest something.
Only one in Japan and only in the world.
At our hospital, we aim for a radical cure through surgical treatment for tracheal collapse.
Brachycephalic airway syndrome
The disease is most common in brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, English Bulldogs, and Shih Tzus. It is sometimes seen in cats with stuffy noses such as chinchillas and Himalayans. In addition, it is surprisingly not known that toy breeds such as Chihuahuas, Maltese, and Yorkshire terriers are also classified as brachycephalic breeds, so be careful if you experience similar symptoms.
Brachycephalic airway syndrome is a general term for obstructive airway disorders caused by the anatomy of the head and neck, including the flat face, round head, and short, thick neck typical of brachycephalic animals. Many are complicated by multiple diseases such as constricted nostrils (1), soft palate elongation (2), laryngeal valgus (3) and laryngeal collapse (4), tracheal hypoplasia (5) or tracheal collapse (6). To do. In addition to the above-mentioned diseases with clear disease names, there are complex associations such as a thick tongue, an enlarged soft palate at the end, pharyngeal mucosa that protrudes into the oral cavity, and enlarged tonsils.
In a typical example, it develops soon after birth (genetic predisposition) and worsens in a chain reaction with a chronic course.
Symptoms include severe panting (ha ha ha, rapid breathing), hyperthermia, and especially when breathing in a clear and violent wheezing sound (a whistling sound of air passing through a narrow space similar to asthma), which can become severe. As a result, dyspnea, exercise intolerance, lethargy, difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, and even fainting may occur. In addition to respiratory symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea are often present.
Long soft palate
"Dogs and cats do not have a uvula like humans." The soft palate sits above the pharynx in an arc because there is no pendulous uvula. With an overlong soft palate, it becomes too long and blocks the larynx, which is the entrance to the trachea. Think of snoring as a disease.
Brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, English Bulldogs, and Shih Tzu are overwhelmingly common, and can also be seen in Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas, and even Chinchilla Scottish Holds. It can also be seen in large dogs such as Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers.
Laryngeal paralysis
Similar to laryngeal collapse, laryngeal paralysis results from damage to the nerves or muscles that move the larynx. The larynx, which is the entrance to the trachea, is composed of many cartilages and connective tissue and muscles that connect them. In particular, the arytenoid cartilage affects the opening and closing of the laryngeal inlet. It is located above the vocal cords and expands to the left and right during inspiration to widen the larynx into a circular shape. The underlying vocal cords also expand at the same time to maximize air intake. In laryngeal paralysis, the arytenoid cartilage does not open and close, making it difficult to breathe air.
Congenital laryngeal paralysis has been reported in Bouvier des Flanders and Huskies. However, the occurrence of congenital laryngeal paralysis is extremely rare, and most are idiopathic laryngeal paralysis seen in medium to large dogs. Golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers are especially common. Although it is rare in small breed dogs, it may be associated with tracheal collapse or brachycephalic airway syndrome, often with a poor prognosis.
Laryngeal valgus
The depression next to the vocal cords is called the laryngeal chamber, and laryngeal chamber valgus is a disease in which the mucous membrane of the laryngeal chamber causes edema (like a blister) due to inflammation, and the swelling narrows the airway.
The larynx expands in a circular shape when air is inhaled, but with laryngeal valgus, the laryngeal inlet can only expand halfway, making breathing difficult.
It is a disease that often accompanies brachycephalic airway syndrome, but it occurs after prolonged barking or severe coughing. Therefore, although it is more common in brachycephalic breeds, it can occur in any breed.
Diagnosis is by endoscopy. Differential diagnosis is also important as it may be associated with other diseases. In particular, there is a report that it is stage 1 of laryngeal collapse, which will be described later, so it is necessary to pay attention to the strength and movement of laryngeal cartilage.
The main symptom is dyspnea, and wheezing can be heard in the larynx on auscultation.
treatment
In the case of acute edema, inflammation may subside with injection of ultrashort-acting corticosteroids. However, in cases with a chronic course, surgical excision is required.
Laryngeal collapse
The larynx is a device that expands the airway to suck in air during respiration and closes to prevent water and food from entering the trachea when drinking or eating. Laryngeal collapse is a disease in which the cartilage called arytenoid cartilage, which is essential for this movement, loses its strength and enters the trachea during inspiration.
Some research groups classify the stages into three stages and claim that the aforementioned laryngeal chamber valgus is stage 1 of laryngeal collapse. In stages 2 and 3, the wedge-shaped process and small horn process of the arytenoid cartilage are displaced inward.
Brachycephalic breeds such as pugs, French bulls, English bulls, and cavaliers are the most common breeds. Diagnosis is by endoscopy under anesthesia. Differentiation from laryngeal paralysis and other respiratory diseases is also important.
treatment
Stage 1 laryngeal valgus is surgically resected to remove the edematous and everted laryngeal mucosa. However, the stage 2 and 3 arytenoid cartilages become brittle (brittle and weak) and turn inward during inspiration, preventing air from being drawn in. If the weakening is severe, there is no surgical option.
However, in 2014, I devised a new surgical method.
With the new method, surgery can be performed using an intraoral approach, and it is possible to widen the larynx relatively easily, especially as a countermeasure in emergencies. The strength of the cartilage to be sutured is important, and the larger the dog than the smaller one, the more likely it is that the cartilage will dehiscence (cut by the suture). For long-term maintenance, surgery called arytenoid cartilage lateralization performed for laryngeal paralysis may be indicated, but in the case of small dogs, due to the narrow surgical field and the strength of the arytenoid cartilage. Not suitable.
Kennel cough (canine infectious trachea and bronchitis)
It is a respiratory infection, also known as dog flu. Symptoms are limited to the respiratory tract and are characterized by a brief, dry cough. Appetite is nearly normal and the person remains energetic, but may have a slight fever. It spreads easily among dogs kept in high density, such as in pet shops, and can be prevented by vaccination with mixed vaccines.
Cat asthma
Feline asthma is recurrent attacks of dyspnea caused by narrowing of the lumen of the small bronchi and bronchioles, characterized by wheezing during attacks.