My dog has a narrow trachea. Can it cause aspiration pneumonia?

Prevent aspiration of food or water by using an elevated feeder. Avoid using collars or leashes around the neck. Discuss cough medications and bronchodilators with your veterinarian. Keep your dog lean. Obese dogs have more complications related to tracheal collapse than slim dogs.

Yes, it's very possible that Norah may have been born with a slightly narrowed trachea. This is called a hypoplastic trachea - it's most common in English bulldogs and other short-nosed breeds, but can occur in any breed. Many dogs never have any symptoms or problems at all, and the tracheal size sometimes increases a bit as the puppy grows. Dogs with this problem can sometimes have trouble tolerating heat or intense exercise because they can't pant as effectively, so it would be a good idea to keep an eye on her when it's hot out to make sure she isn't distressed. Obesity can also make this problem worse, so make sure that Norah stays nice and slim. Otherwise, if she's not showing any symptoms of a problem, there's no reason that she can't have a perfectly normal life with no issues at all.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that Cassie was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, but I'm glad to hear that she is getting treated with antibiotics. Your idea of trying to feed small amounts at a time may help her, especially if you can try to form the food into little meatballs (if it is wet food). If she normally eats dry food, you can moisten the dry food and form it into little meatball-shaped pieces. This make be easier for her to swallow and cause her to cough less afterwards. That being said, coughing is not a bad thing when dogs have aspiration pneumonia. Coughing means their body is trying to cough up the mucus and phlegm that is down in their airways, and bring it up and out so they can breathe better. Her historical collapsing trachea should not make it difficult for her to swallow fluids, although it may contribute to her coughing. As long as Cassie still has a good appetite, is drinking, and is able to keep fluids and food down (ie not vomiting), she may just require more time to get back to normal. Antibiotics can take several days before we see a clinical response. If she does not improve or you are ever concerned about her coughing or breathing, I recommend having her seen by your veterinarian, as a different therapy may be needed. I hope this is helpful - wishing you the best with Cassie!

Based on the symptoms you've provided, it is very possible Mimi has a collapsing trachea. This is when a portion of the trachea (the wind pipe) is too narrow for one reason or another. This is can be due to structural abnormalities, inflammation in or around the trachea, and can also be a secondary result of cardiac disease. As the heart gets bigger, the trachea can get pushed up until it has no place to go. If your dog isn't having any active distress from these episodes, it isn't an emergency. However, since it is something abnormal that is happening with great frequency, I would recommend having your regular vet check your pup from head to toe. Getting a chest xray will confirm or rule out if this is the issue. Hope this makes sense.

Pneumonia isn't guaranteed if milk is aspirated once, but it can happen and it would take a few days for it to develop. I would continue to monitor him, and should his breathing become raspy, his appetite decreases, or he become lethargic, I would take him into the vet right away.

This presentation associated with pneumonia is quite concerning as it could be the result of an aspiration pneumonia. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Has your dog ever had an xray of his throat (windpipe)? If not I highly recommend that you talk to your veterinarian about such an x-ray. Small dogs often suffer from a collapsed trachea (wind pipe) and this can be diagnosed easily with radiographs. Here is some information: https://www.petcoach.co/article/collapsed-trachea-in-dogs/ I hope that helps.