ZELDA VENTER
A six-year-old Yorkshire Terrier named Mia has made a successful recovery after receiving a tracheal stent at the University of Pretoria’s (UP) Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital.
Mia had been suffering from a severe case of tracheal collapse, which occurs when the trachea (windpipe) becomes flattened, obstructing airflow and leading to symptoms like coughing, cyanosis (blue gums), and syncope (fainting).
“Typically, tracheal collapse is managed with medication, but Mia’s severe condition, which caused cyanosis during car rides, led the team to consider a tracheal stent,” said Dr Adriaan Kitshoff from Onderstepoort’s Small Animal Surgery team, who led the procedure.
He explained that a stent is a spring-like device designed to hold the trachea open, preventing collapse and improving airflow to the lungs.
Mia’s owners first sought help at the hospital’s outpatients department in September last year, when she was having difficulty breathing.
After extensive testing, including blood work, X-rays, heart scans, and a bronchoscopy, Onderstepoort’s veterinarians diagnosed her with grade IV tracheal collapse (more than 75% collapse of the trachea).
Mia’s episodes, as is common in affected dogs, are often triggered by excitement, stress, or pressure on the trachea.
Under general anaesthesia, Mia’s trachea was carefully measured using X-rays, under the lead of Kitshoff. The appropriate stent size was ordered from the USA, as these specialised devices are not kept on hand at Onderstepoort due to their cost and infrequent use. When the stent arrived in November, small animal internal medicine resident Dr Liana Coetzee re-evaluated Mia.
The procedure, led by Kitshoff with assistance from Coetzee, involved carefully placing the stent via an endotracheal tube into Mia’s trachea. The anaesthesiology team, under the watchful eye of veterinary specialist anaesthesiologist Dr Chris Blignaut, closely monitored the patient throughout the procedure. Precision was paramount, as the stent cannot be repositioned after it is deployed beyond 50%.
The procedure was successful, and Mia recovered quickly. She was monitored overnight in the Intensive Care Unit and discharged the following day for ongoing care.
Tracheal stents are typically considered only when other treatment options have failed, with the goal of improving airflow and quality of life.
While the procedure carries risks, including respiratory infections, stent displacement, stent fracture, and the potential need for additional stents, Mia’s successful recovery offers hope for other dogs with severe tracheal collapse.
“This procedure was a collaborative effort between several of the hospital’s departments, including small animal medicine, small animal surgery, anaesthesiology, and diagnostic imaging,” Dr Coetzee said.
She added that it is a prime example of the teamwork and dedication that make such complex procedures possible. “We wish Mia many more happy years with her family,” Coetzee said.