CBD for Tracheal Collapse in Dogs – How Cannabis Tincture Can Help
Does your dog have a collapsed trachea that is constantly putting them in pain and suffering? If they do, then you are more than likely looking for some kind of way to get them effective relief from their constant breathing difficulties and coughing. Even more specifically, you may have thought about starting them on a CBD supplement to help them ease their suffering but are not necessarily sure whether or not CBD will be able to help them reduce their symptoms.
The good news is that CBD may be able to help. Here is everything that you will need to know before you start your dog with a CBD supplement to help them with their collapsed trachea. But first, you must understand what a tracheal collapse is and how it can affect your dog.
What is a Tracheal Collapse?
Your dog’s trachea, which is also commonly referred to as their windpipe, is a tube that is made out of cartilage that is housed in their throat. Its main purpose is to help them transport the oxygen that they breath in to get from their nose and mouth and get it into their lungs. What makes the trachea even more special, is the fact that it is actually made up of several different cartilage rings that are going to connect your dog’s lungs with their larynx.
As you can probably guess from the term, tracheal collapse, it is going to be a condition where your dog has their tracheal tube collapse on itself. This is more than likely going to be caused by some type of problems within the smaller rings of the trachea itself, which will in turn cause them to weaken, making it so that the structure is then able to collapse on itself as the rings are no longer able to support the tube.
If this does happen to your dog, it can be very dangerous as your dog’s airway will become blocked and the trachea will start to become inflamed, which is going to make it extremely difficult for them to breathe.
The Main Causes of Tracheal Collapse
The exact cause of a tracheal collapse is unfortunately not always made clear. It can, however, affect any type of dog, no matter what their individual breed may be. But with that being said, it seems as though it is more of a common occurrence to be diagnosed in dos that range between about 6 or 7 years old.
In most cases of tracheal collapse in dogs, it is more than likely going to be caused by some type of birth defect that sees the cartilage that forms the trachea not completely being formed all the way. Another reason for why your dog may encounter tracheal collapse is due to the weakening and/or the degeneration of the cartilage rings within the trachea itself.
Some of the risk factors that can potentially increase your dog’s chance of developing this very serious condition can include being overweight, as well as having some type of other underlying health condition that they are suffering from. These can include:
- Lung and heart disease
- A respiratory infection such as Kennel Cough
- Allergic bronchitis
- Cushing’s disease
Another factor in your dog suffering from tracheal collapse will be their particular breed. While every dog breed can get tracheal collapse, there are some breeds that are going to be more prone to it than others. These dog breeds include Pomeranians, Yorkshire Terriers, Poodles, Chihuahuas, and Maltese.
Another cause of a collapsed trachea in your dog may be due to the use of choke collars. These types of collars can very easily cause damage to their trachea and over the course of time, eventually, cause them to experience tracheal collapse.
Symptoms of Tracheal Collapse
The main telltale sign that your dog has experienced a tracheal collapse is going to be a very distinctive, dry type of cough. As your dog breathes, their windpipe is going to narrow, which in turn will create a tickling sensation in their throat, causing them to produce a cough that is very dry and deep, as well as very distinct in the sense that it almost sounds like the sound of a horn.
If your dog does have this condition, you will notice that they are more likely to cough whenever there is a situation that causes them to breath more rapidly than they normally would, such as when they are out on their walk, while they are exercising or even when they are playing with another animal. On top of those, they may even start to cough whenever they get into a situation that agitates them, such as when they are riding in the car. Some other dogs are even going to cough whenever it is time for them to eat or drink as well. Finally, a collapsed trachea may also make them suffer from random coughing fits as well.
All of this constant coughing is going to eventually start irritating their trachea, which will then cause it to become inflamed, leading your dog to coughing even more than they already were coughing.
Some of the other symptoms of tracheal collapse other than excessive coughing can include:
- Fatigue and lethargy
- Gagging
- Having trouble breathing
- Excessive wheezing
- Randomly fainting
- Trying to avoid any type of play or exercise
- Having blue gums
If your dog is suffering from tracheal collapse, the cough that is associated with it will typically be a very dry one. And while their cough may sound extremely harsh, there is a good chance that their actual coughing is not painful for your dog. However, over the time, this excessive coughing is going to cause your dog to be in even more distress and have an adverse effect on their quality of life overall.
The Prognosis of Canine Tracheal Collapse
Tracheal collapse is going to be a chronic, progressive, and irreversible condition that your dog is going to have to go through. In most cases however, it is fairly easy to manage with the use of supplements, medications, certain lifestyle changes, and in some of the more severe conditions, even surgery.
- Lifestyle Changes
While little lifestyle changes can sound like they are very trivial, you would be surprised how effective they can be for your dog if they are suffering from a collapsed trachea. For example, if your dog is somewhat overweight, when you help them lose those excess pounds, it will help them to breath much easier.
Another thing you can do is to stop using neck collars immediately. Neck collars are going to put excess pressure onto their through, aggravating the symptoms that your dog is already showing. On top of that, you are going to want to try and limit or even eliminate your dog’s exposure to any kind of irritants, such as dust, pollen, or cigarette smoke. Plus, you may even discover that there are a lot of chemicals around the house that may cause your dog to become irritated, some of which are going to be found in certain cleaning agents or deodorizers. These are all able to aggravate the symptoms that your dog is displaying.
If you notice that this is the case, be sure that you stop using those particular products immediately and replace them with similar agents that don’t contain any of the harsh chemicals. If you do smoke cigarettes, be sure that you are doing your best to avoid smoking inside the home or around your dog as this is a sure-fire way that you will further aggravate the symptoms that they are displaying.
If your dog is suffering from tracheal collapse, they are also going to suffer in any type of situation that causes them to breath more rapidly than they normally do. This means that you are going to have to try to keep them away from doing any kind of intense form of exercise, some of which includes going running or even on longer walks. With that in mind, you are still going to want to make sure that your dog stays active, but through a much lighter type of exercise. This can include going on walks much slower and that are not as long.
Also, you are going to want to keep your dog nice and cool during the hotter summer days. The excess heat will get them panting more, which will eventually lead them to coughing more. Another thing you can do to help your dog out is to keep their water and food elevated, as it can help them in the sense that they will no longer need to bend their necks down in order to get to their food and water. Which speaking of food, if you have only been feeding your dog dry food, you may want to consider switching over to a diet that consists of more moist food.
- Medications
Dogs who have suffered from a collapsed trachea are more than likely going to require some type of medication to help them make breathing easier for them, as well as to reduce the amount of inflammation on their trachea. Some of the more common types of medications that are used in these situations will include:
- Cough Suppressants: If the tracheal collapse is not yet very advanced, this is going to be your dog’s first line of defense.
- Corticosteroids: These will help to relieve any of the inflammation on the trachea that is causing excessive coughing.
- Bronchodilators: These are what is used in order to help dilate your dog’s bronchi and bronchioles, which will aid to increase the amount of airflow that they get to the lungs. On top of that, it will also aid in decreasing the amount of resistance that the respiratory tract is having to deal with. Ultimately, this whole process is going to help ease some of the difficulties of breathing for your dog.
- Antibiotics: These are to prevent any type of respiratory infection from occurring.
- Anabolic Steroids: This helps soothe any inflammation and can even help to strengthen the cartilage that is in your dog’s windpipe.
- Sedatives: This will help keep your dog from getting to agitated or stressed out.
Supplements
Your vet may recommend that you start your dog on a supplement regimen to help slow down how fast their symptoms progress. These can include things such as joint supplements such as chondroitin and glucosamine, which can aid in the prevention of cartilage breakdown. They can even help with the inflammation. With that being said, there is one other natural supplement that you may want to consider for your dog in the case of a tracheal collapse.
CBD and Tracheal Collapse
CBD works great when it comes to helping ease the symptoms of tracheal collapse and will even help to slow the progression of it as well. CBD has outstanding anti-inflammatory effects that will help reduce your dog’s symptoms. And what makes it even better is the fact that CBD is an all-natural supplement that does not have any negative side-effects that you will need to worry about, like some of the other prescription medicines available on the market.
Besides CBD’s anti-inflammatory reducing effects, it will also help your dog to eliminate any anxiety that they may have or get, as well as help them with the pain that they are in. When your dog’s symptoms start acting up, it can be very painful. With the help of a CBD supplement, their pain will be reduced, and they will not have to suffer as much. And as mentioned previously, since CBD has not adverse side-effects like many of the prescription medicines that your veterinarian will recommend, you will actually be causing much less stress on your dog.
No matter which direction you decide to go in the treatment and prevention of tracheal collapse in your dog, be sure that you consult with your veterinarian prior to starting any type of new medicine or supplement. This will help keep your dog safe and prevent any other problems from occurring.
