


The sound of the cough can be quite distinctive and is often described as a goose honk.ĭogs develop other clinical signs that vary with the severity of the collapsing trachea-in other words, how narrow (or even completely closed) the airway becomes. Symptoms of Tracheal Collapse in DogsĪ dog with a collapsing trachea experiences chronic, intermittent bouts of coughing that tend to get worse with exercise, heat/humidity, excitement, stress, eating, drinking, or when pressure is applied to the trachea. If your dog is having any trouble breathing, this is a medical emergency, and your pet should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. However, in severe situations, tracheal collapse can cause respiratory distress and significant trouble breathing. You may notice some clinical signs, but the dog is able to live a normal life. As a result, many dogs with tracheal collapse will make a dry, goose-like honking cough sound. This flattening, called “tracheal collapse,” can make it harder to get air into the lungs and breathe normally. If the cartilage rings become weakened or the membrane become stretched out or floppy, the shape of the trachea flattens. In both people and pets, the trachea is the tube that carries air from the nose and mouth through the neck and into the lungs, often referred to as the “windpipe.” The trachea is made up of C-shaped cartilage rings with a thin membrane across the top to complete the circle to form the tube.
