Accepted Answer

Hi again,

Yes, he would be able to eat and drink, with a collapsed trachea; his airway is still open, it's just that the rings of cartilage which encircle the trachea get flattened out, usually from trauma, in a younger dog, and from a wearing out process in an older dog.

"The trachea, also known as the windpipe, is an important structure, which connects the throat to the lungs. It serves the purpose of directing air into the respiratory tract.

The normal trachea is tubular. It maintains its shape because of a series of rings made of cartilage. These rings do not completely encircle the trachea. Instead, they go from the 2 o'clock to 10 o'clock positions. The remainder of the trachea is composed of a flexible membrane that joins the ends of the cartilage rings.

When the cartilage rings are flattened from the top to the bottom, the trachea is said to be collapsed. Rapid inhalation of air can cause the trachea to flatten and make it difficult for air to enter the lungs.

Why does it happen?

Veterinarians do not completely understand how this condition develops. They do know that these dogs have an abnormality in the chemical makeup of their tracheal rings. The rings lose their stiffness so they are not able to retain their circular shape. They also know that it occurs in certain breeds of dogs, notably Chihuahuas, Pomeranians, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Toy Poodles, and Yorkshire Terriers. Because of that, vets suspect that there is a genetic factor involved.

What are the clinical signs?

The most common clinical sign is a chronic cough. It is often described as dry and harsh and can become quite pronounced. The term "goose honk" is often used to describe it. Coughing is often worse in the daytime and much less at night. The cough may also begin due to excitement, pressure on the trachea (from a leash), or from drinking water or eating." (source:
http://www.sniksnak.com/doghealth/col-trachea.html )

A cardiac condition can also cause coughing in a dog, so an x-ray of the chest and neck will also show the size and condition of the heart.

You can see more causes for coughing in dogs, here:

http://www.2ndchance.info/cough.htm

Cher

Expert:	Cher
Pos. Feedback:	99.5 %
Accepts:
Answered:	6/7/2009

Dog Caregiver--Extensive Experience

Extensive Experience Caring for Canines; Specializing in behavior and health concerns.