This past week Mater (our 12 year old Lab/Newfie mix (approx 110lbs) ) had an issue while staying at the kennel. He was breathing heavy and working hard to get his breath. It was concerning enough that the kennel brought him to the vet.
The vet sedated him and gave him oxygen. While his condition improved with oxygen and sedation, they noted he has some degree of laryngeal paralysis. My father was staying at the house and brought our dog home from the vet and kept an eye on him until we returned today.
The diagnosis explains the "old man" cough/throat clearing he does, especially after drinking. Now he's home and as long as he stays calm he's alright, but any excitement and he starts wheezing hard.
It looks like most options for treatment are surgical, but the was also mention of anti-anxiety meds as a palliative treatment. Mater's age and mortality/complications from the surgical treatments makes the medication seem like a good choice to my untrained review.
After returning home tonight we gave him a dose of the sedative provided by the vet and he is resting quietly in the living room, and not struggling or wheezing. That give me hope that medication may be a good place to start.
We're heading back to the vet with him tomorrow, but I'm wondering if any advice is available from those that have dealt with it in the past.
Drew122
New Reader
7/7/20 1:24 a.m.
Our black lab had it. When it was feeding time or if she had just come back in to the house from outside she would make a lot of raspy "hoo hoo hoo hoo" noises as she panted. Never seemed to be causing her any troubles or worries, but she was also deaf by then and probably could not hear herself. The vet never mentioned a surgical option or meds to help. Maybe I am just forgetting the conversations we had.
He's definitely doing better since we go home last night. Today's he's hanging with me while I work.
Well, this post brought me out of my weeklong self-imposed hiatus.
Ralph had it in his old age. He was 13 when he passed, a golden. It was ultimately his cause of death (we put him down). It was worst when my wife would come to see him (he was our family dog, so lived with my parents after I moved out) because he got so excited because she was his favorite person. Calming him down helped. Keeping him cool helped. My wife used to rub his neck with ice cubes, it helped. We tried one or two medications, but they did nothing.
I think Milo, the 12-13 year old Great Pyrenees, is starting to get it. We discussed it with our vet, and agreed that we're watching it but not doing anything now.
Paging FloatingDoc to see what he says, I'd listen to him.
Tell Mater he's a good boy for me
Poor Mater...
reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Kramer takes dog medicine for a cough
That sucks. We are having a health issue with our big pupper right now (80 lb pit/lab mix).
Vet believes she tore the "equivalent" of her ACL in left rear leg. Surgical consult yesterday. But when they mentioned the price of an MRI and then surgery to follow.................I feel bad, but we just don't have that type of money to spend on a doggie surgery.
Thanks for the info everyone.
Fingers crossed he continues to recover and we have no more acute episodes.
I love old dogs. Sometimes they will keep going, just because they know you want them to.
