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What Happens At A Specialty Consult For Tracheal Collapse

If your dog's cough is not settling, your vet may suggest a visit with a specialist, or you may decide to look for one yourself. A first specialty visit can feel like a big step. Knowing who you will meet, what tests may come up, and what to bring makes the day calmer for you and your dog.

Who You Might Meet

Tracheal collapse can be handled by a few kinds of specialists, sometimes working together.

• Internal medicine specialists. VetSpecialists.com from the ACVIM explains that internal medicine specialists diagnose and treat chronic conditions, including those of the respiratory system. Board-certified internists have the letters DACVIM after their names. The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine says becoming board-certified takes four years of veterinary college, a one-year internship or equivalent, two to three years in a residency program, and a series of exams.
• Surgeons. A board-certified surgeon (DACVS) has completed at least a one-year internship and a three-year residency after veterinary school, published research, and passed board exams, according to the ACVS page on what a veterinary surgeon is. The American College of Veterinary Surgeons says rings around the outside of the trachea are placed by an ACVS board-certified surgeon.
• The wider team. The ACVS notes that a surgical team may also include board-certified radiologists, anesthesiologists, and internal medicine specialists.

A specialist does not replace your regular vet. The ACVS describes you, your primary care vet, and the specialist as a team, with your primary vet taking back ongoing care after surgery and follow-up.

Do You Need Your Vet To Send You?

Often not. VetSpecialists.com from the ACVIM says most specialists will see your pet whether or not you have been to a primary care vet first. It also says it can save time and money to start with your regular vet, who can share exam findings, test results, and past treatments with the specialty hospital. Call the hospital and ask how they prefer to schedule.

What To Bring

• Medical records and the names of every vet your dog has seen. VetSpecialists.com says the specialist will usually request records from your other vets, but having them ready helps.
• Medicines in their original containers, so they can be recorded accurately.
• Pet insurance details, if you have a policy.
• A way to pay. VetSpecialists.com notes that payment is generally due at the time of service, and payment options may be available if you ask.
• A video of a coughing fit. Embrace Pet Insurance points out that the cough often stops the moment a dog walks into the clinic, and a recording helps.
• A short timeline of when the cough started, what sets it off, and what has helped.

VetSpecialists.com also notes that if a procedure or certain tests are planned, you may be asked to withhold food beforehand, but not water. Ask when you book.

Tests That May Come Up

• Exam and blood work. Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine says your vet will likely suggest blood work to check overall health, and that gently pressing the throat often sets off the cough.
• Chest X-rays. Useful for looking at the heart and ruling out other problems, but the American College of Veterinary Surgeons notes that tracheal collapse is not always visible on regular X-rays. Embrace Pet Insurance says X-rays at rest can miss up to 40 percent of collapses. In a 2024 Seoul National University study of 110 small dogs, X-rays confirmed the collapse in only about 64 percent of dogs later diagnosed by fluoroscopy.
• Fluoroscopy. A moving X-ray that shows the trachea as your dog breathes in and out.
• Bronchoscopy. A camera passed into the airway under general anesthesia, as Cornell describes it. ACVS says it gives the most detail and lets the team collect fluid samples to check for infection.
• CT scan. University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center says it may suggest a CT if there is concern about lung disease.

Not every dog needs every test. Ask what each one would change about the plan.

What It May Cost

Costs vary a lot by region and hospital. As one example, University of Missouri Veterinary Health Center listed $2,000 to $3,500 for a stent workup as of June 2023. Ask for a written estimate before tests begin. See Surgery Cost.

Questions To Ask

1. Where is the collapse, and how severe is it?
2. Are the bronchi involved?
3. Is anything else contributing, like heart disease, bronchitis, or larynx problems?
4. What would you change about the current medicine plan?
5. Is my dog a candidate for a stent or rings now, or not yet?
6. How many of these procedures does your team do?
7. Who will send updates to my regular vet?

For more, see Questions For Your Vet. To see listed practices near you that say they treat tracheal collapse, use Find A Practice. We list every practice that meets our listing rule, and you choose.