This 16 year old FS Yorkshire Terrier presented for increased frequency of goose-honk coughing.
Physical exam: moderate crackles/wheezing bilateral, slight cough with tracheal palpation, increased bronchiovesicular sounds.
This 16 year old FS Yorkshire Terrier presented for increased frequency of goose-honk coughing.
Physical exam: moderate crackles/wheezing bilateral, slight cough with tracheal palpation, increased bronchiovesicular sounds.
Rads of the neck and thorax – The dorsoventral diameter of the trachea is 1.1 cm in the cranial and mid-cervical area and is followed by a dorsoventral narrowing of the tracheal lumen involving the caudal cervical trachea, the region of the thoracic inlet and the entire thoracic trachea. The dorsoventral dimension is reduced to 0,15 cm minimal dorsoventral diameter. The dorsoventral flattening is continuous over a total length of more than 4 cm. The mainstem bronchi height is 0.18 cm immediately caudal to the bifurcation followed by abrupt narrowing approximately 1 cm caudal to the carina. The lung presents a moderate generalized bronchial pattern with mild peribronchial cuffing (doughnuts and tram lines) and mild cylindrical bronchiectasis.
Severe tracheal collapse of the caudal cervical and thoracic trachea
• Possible bronchial collapse
• Possible chronic airway disease – likely inactive
• Mild generalized cardiomegaly without evidence of congestive heart failure
• Mild aerophagia – likely a consequence of respiratory distress
Mild chronic/intermittent lower airway disease is a common sequelae to tracheal and
bronchial collapse due to viral or bacterial superinfection. The mild cardiomegaly may be due to anemia, bradycardia or fever. However, mild
atrioventricular regurgitation is a possibility as well. A full cardiac echo may be
considered in case of a systolic heart murmur (negative based on the current clinical
history). Depending on the severity of the clinical signs tracheal stenting appears to be
indicated. Further definition with tracheobronchoscopy is recommended as bronchial
collapse corrupts the prognosis for the technical success and clinical outcome after
tracheal stenting.
Brronchoalveolar lavage may be performed at the same time to rule out superinfection.
Lateral radiographs during tidal in- and exspiration may help to differentiate dynamic
from stationary tracheal collapse. However, this is of minor importance in most cases
and may be assessed during tracheoscopy as well.
