Coco Bollu, a 6 year old Yorkshire terrier, first came to DWR at the beginning of 2016 because he had breathing difficulties on exercise. He was diagnosed with mild tracheal collapse which was managed very well medically for about 18 months. Recently however, the condition worsened significantly, to the point that his trachea was becoming obstructed and airflow was restricted. He therefore returned to DWR and was under the care of our Head of Internal Medicine, Simon Tappin, who is experienced in interventional radiology. This is a sophisticated technique which use advanced imaging methods to guide instruments around the body.
Using this technique, a flexible metallic tube (a stent) was placed within the trachea. The stents used for such cases are made from a titanium/nickel alloy and were designed specifically for dogs. This is a complicated procedure which requires a high degree of training and expertise.
Coco’s stent was placed without complications and he made a very good recovery. He is now finding it much easier to breathe and able to enjoy normal levels of exercise again.