Hello, I’m Jude and I’m new to the forum. I have a 13yo black lab called Norman (not purebred). He has had one side of his vocal chords paralysed for about 18 months, but just over the last week this has got a lot worse and I can hear that both sides are now affected, as soon as he does anything remotely physical he is struggling to breathe in. Very noisy and laboured. However, this is not constant, he was really quite bad last night but ok this morning. His back end is noticeably weaker than it used to be also, he is on Metacam and codeine for arthritis. All in all though, he’s not in bad nick, and I’m sure if his larynx issue could be sorted he’d have a good few more years. I know the op is expensive, but I would find the money if I thought it was worth putting him through it. I did read somewhere that there was medication that might help, but I don’t know what that was and wondered if anybody in here might know? Obvs I need to take him to the vet for conclusive advice, but I’ve been putting it off as he gets so stressed there, and I’m worried he’ll have a heart attack or something if he’s stress panting and can’t breathe. Has anybody got any advice please? He’s my world and I can’t bear to see him struggling but I’m sure he has more life to live. Thanks x
Our first Lab, Ginger, had surgery for Larangeal Paralysis when she was 14. She was already diabetic, but otherwise in good health. The surgery was quick and uneventful with pretty quick recovery. Other than not being able to bark she did not seem to have any other bad side effects, and she could breath normally again. They are at a greater risk of aspirating food or water after the surgery,but it was never a problem. She lived to 16, and we were glad we did the surgery. I read something about a medication on this forum a year or so ago, but never saw any more information. It would be an alternative worth researching.
My last 2 boys that were brothers, started with a just a cough and then it was obviously the start of lar par. One night Monty collapsed unable to breath hardly at all, and we dashed him to the vets & eventually his breathing became more normal. Then they both started with muscle wasting & a weak back end. Our local vets had no idea what was happening but did a lot of research and between him and some other vets he consulted they came to a conclusion of distal symmetric polyneuoropathy. Not long after Monty couldn't get up from the floor without help & we knew the end had come. 15 weeks later Simba's breathing was becoming worse & we were told he could collapse the same way Monty had at any moment, so we decided to PTS while he was still able to enjoy his life as it horrendous when this happened to Monty & had we not been there he would've suffered terribly. I don't mean to scare you but think you should have it from both sides & to let you know I'm thinking of you, and you'll know the correct decision for your dog. Monty & simba were both 12
I feel your heartache over what to do in this situation. Our 12 yr old Sadie had the same condition. It came on almost overnight. She struggled so hard to breathe. We sadly opted not to do the surgery because her heart health was not the best. Our Vet said she had about a 40% chance of making it through. We kept her comfortable and quiet at home until the time came that she couldnt walk across the floor without falling down. We then had to put her down. My opinion would be that if Norman is ok to go through the surgery why not do it. He can still live on in happiness afterward. I send good thoughts and love to you and Norman.
As I mentioned we had successful surgery with Ginger when she was 14. Initially I was concerned because of her age, but she did well. I did find the article below which mentions some non surgical options, which I would probably look into first. When we did the surgery on Ginger, we were concerned about how we would get her back in the van after the (day) surgery. She weighed 80# and my wife could not lift her into the car (I was at work or not available). Surprise, she walked out the surgery and jumped into the van entirely on her own, like nothing had happened. She spent the first night in an all night vet hospital, just to be safe and came home to us the next day. Very uneventful. From VCA's Website How is laryngeal paralysis treated? Mild cases of laryngeal paralysis can often be controlled with medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, and sedatives. Anecdotally, a medication called doxepin (brand name Sinequan®) has shown varied success in some cases; however, more studies are needed to determine its effectiveness. Avoid hot environments and strenuous exercise with your pet and do not use collars that will put pressure on your dog’s neck. Harnesses are recommended for affected dogs. In severe or congenital cases, surgery is indicated. Patients with laryngeal paralysis are at slightly increased risk of anesthetic complications. Surgical correction is often very successful at reducing or eliminating clinical signs. What does the surgery involve? There are several surgical techniques available. Surgery will be based on the severity of the patient's condition. A common surgical procedure involves arytenoid lateralization by tie-back. This involves tying the collapsed cartilage to the side of the larynx to prevent it from creating an obstruction to breathing. Surgery will often dramatically improve an affected dog's quality of life but does not restore laryngeal function. Your veterinarian will discuss the anesthetic concerns and the specific surgical technique with you prior to surgery. Patients with laryngeal paralysis are at slightly increased risk of anesthetic complications. Surgical correction is often very successful at reducing or eliminating clinical signs.
