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A 10-month-old, neutered female Yorkshire terrier was presented with a 6-month history of inspiratory dyspnoea, coughing and exercise intolerance. Tracheoscopy revealed marked lateral-to-lateral fixed collapse of the cervical trachea and mild collapse of the thoracic trachea. Surgical exploration revealed a marked reduction in lateral tracheal width and multiple malformed tracheal rings. Placement of extraluminal ring prostheses around the cervical trachea resulted in widening of the tracheal diameter and an immediate improvement in clinical signs. 6 years postoperatively the patient was reported to have an excellent quality of life with complete resolution of clinical signs.

Tracheal collapse occurs most commonly in middle-aged, small breed dogs. Clinical signs are usually proportional to the degree of collapse, ranging from mild airway irritation and paroxysmal coughing to respiratory distress and dyspnoea. Diagnosis is made by documenting dynamic airway collapse with radiographs, bronchoscopy or fluoroscopy. Most dogs respond well to medical management and treatment of any concurrent comorbidities. Surgical intervention may need to be considered in dogs that do not respond or have respiratory compromise. A variety of surgical techniques have been reported although extraluminal ring prostheses or intraluminal stenting are the most commonly used. Both techniques have numerous potential complications and require specialised training and experience but are associated with good short- and long-term outcomes.

This case report describes an unusual presentation of histiocytic sarcoma in a domestic shorthair cat. Initial investigation revealed a haemodynamically insignificant hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, bronchitis and a mild irregularity of the cervical trachea. The cat's disease progressed over a two-week period. Repeat radiography and tracheoscopy revealed a marked dynamic tracheal collapse associated with a raised plaque-like lesion within the cervical trachea. Subsequent post-mortem examination and histopathology revealed disseminated histiocytic sarcoma involving the trachea and kidneys. This is the first reported case of a histiocytic sarcoma involving the trachea in either dogs or cats.

Ultrasonographic imaging of the cervical trachea was performed with the neck in both a neutral and a hyperextended position in 10 dogs with tracheal collapse. Tracheoscopy was used to confirm a diagnosis of tracheal collapse. The ultrasound investigation was repeated in 10 dogs of similar size but without tracheal abnormality. The ultrasonographic findings of the affected dogs were compared with those of the normal group and showed an alteration in the shape of the tracheal lumen in the ventrodorsal projection. This study highlights the possibility of identifying changes in the shape of the tracheal lumen during ultrasound investigations as an aid to the diagnosis of tracheal collapse.

One hundred dogs with clinical signs associated with tracheal collapse were examined over a four-year period. The symptomatic state of tracheal collapse was found to have a multifactorial aetiology. Factors linked with the onset of clinical signs included cardiomegaly, pulmonary oedema, respiratory infection, endotracheal intubation, the presence of a smoker in the household, allergic respiratory disease and obesity. Medical or conservative management resulted in long term resolution of signs (greater than 12 months) in 71 per cent of cases while a further 4 per cent were successfully managed by upper airway surgery. Tracheal reconstruction was performed for the minority of non-responsive cases (11 per cent) in which no other medical condition could be identified. Only half of these dogs (5 per cent) remained asymptomatic long term. The importance of identifying and eliminating the factors implicated in initiating the symptomatic state of tracheal collapse is emphasised. Suppression of these exciting causes should be considered as the therapeutic priority and surgery should be reserved only for those dogs which do not respond to conservative management.

A 2 cm long necrotic segment was resected from the left half of the proximal cervical trachea in a 7–year–old Dachshund. Tracheal reconstruction was provided by an onlay graft of knitted polypropylene mesh. The only sequel noted was an exercise–induced cough for the first 2 post–operative weeks. To date (3 months after surgery) there is no evidence of tracheal stenosis, graft rejection or tracheal collapse at the surgical site and normal appearing epithelium is covering the entire graft. Resume. On a reseque un segment necrotique de 2 cms de la moitie gauche de la trachee proxirnale cervicale, chez un Dachshund de 7 ans. Une greffe appliquee de tricot de poly-propylene a fourni la reconstruction tracheale. Les seules sequelles notees ont ete une toux induite par exercise pendant les deux premieres semaines postoperatoires. Jusqu'ici (3 mois apres chirurgie) il n'y a aucune evidence de stenose tracheale, de rejection de la greffe ou de collapsus tracheal a l'endrout chirurgique et l'epithelium normal qui apparait couvre la greffe entiere. Zusammenfassung. Ein 2 cm langes abgestorbenes Segmentum von der linken Halfte der proximalen zervikalen Trachea in einem 7 jahrigen Dachshund wurde reseziert. Tracheale Rekonstruktion wurde durch ein aufgelegtes Transplantat von gestricktem Polypropylen-Netzgewebe beschaffen. Die einzige Folgeerscheinung die man feststellte, war ein Husten in den ersten zwei postoperativen Wochen, der durch Ubung und Auslauf veranlasst war. Bis jetzt (3 Monate nach der Operation) sind keine Anzeichen von trachealer Verengung, Transplantatab-weisung oder trachealem Kollaps an der operierten Stelle bemerkt worden und normal erscheinendes Epithelium uberdeckt das ganze Transplantat.