Medycyna Wet. 63 (11), 1328-1330, 2007
Kubiak K., Nicpoń J., Jankowski M., Sikorska A., Spużak J., Dubińska A.
Evaluation of the expediency of endoscopy in diagnosing tracheal collapse in dogs
The purpose of the study was to present my personal experience in the field of the diagnostics of tracheal collapse in dogs with special emphasis on endoscopic examinations. The study entailed 125 dogs aged 3 months – 16 years, of different breeds and sexes, referred to the endoscopic laboratory with symptoms from the respiratory system, such as chronic cough and dyspnoe for laryngotracheobronchoscopy. On the basis of tracheoscopy, tracheal collapse was diagnosed in 68 dogs: I° – 18 dogs, I°/II° – 9, II°/III° – 13, III° – 6, III°/IV° – 6 and IV° – 3 dogs. The tracheal collapse from I° to II° (slightly and moderately advanced changes) was found in 40 patients, and the tracheal collapse from II°/III° to IV° (substantially advanced) in 28 patients. In 31 cases the result of the radiological examinations of the upper and lower respiratory tract in dogs with tracheal collapse was in accordance with the diagnosis made on the basis of endoscopy. It was observed that tracheal collapse occurs most frequently in dogs of small breeds. Diagnostics of this disease, particularly in the case of negative results of the radiological examinations, should be based on the endoscopic examinations of the trachea, which allows the estimation of the degree of tracheal collapse and the changes of the mucous membrane organ.
Keywords: tracheal collapse, endoscopy, dogs