What is Tracheal Perforation?
A tear or hole in the trachea is known more commonly as tracheal perforation or tracheal tear. This condition, at its worst, allows for air to get trapped in pockets under the skin, in the chest cavity and abdominal cavity, between the lungs, and in the sac around the heart. In those instances, surgery is more likely to occur. In more benign cases, small punctures and tears require very little attention from your dog’s medical staff, though it’s always a good idea to have your animal companion checked by a medical profession.
A hole in the trachea in dogs is a condition caused by trauma or injury. It is, in some cases, self-healing. More serious cases may require surgical intervention.Symptoms of Tracheal Perforation in Dogs
Since tracheal perforation is caused by injury, any of the following symptoms may become apparent immediately following trauma and up to 14 days later:
- Pockets of palpable air under the skin
- Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing or wheezing
- Signs of external trauma or holes in the neck region
- Malaise
- Vomiting
- Anorexia (lack of appetite)
- Gagging
- Unusual salivation
- Coughing
- Shock
Types
- Penetration or puncture wound
- Perforation
Causes of Tracheal Perforation in Dogs
There are a number of things that can cause a hole in the trachea in dogs, including:
- Punctures from bite wounds, hunting accidents, sticks, etc. These type of punctures will appear as small or medium-sized holes in the neck of the dog.
- Accidental perforation can occur during medical procedures. The most common causes include perforation during intubation, transtracheal saline washes, during the administration of anesthesia, and during dental procedures. In these cases, you will not notice any physical signs of damage to your dog’s neck, though you may see small pockets of air forming in your dogs skin.
- Blunt trauma, such as being struck by a car or object., falling down the stairs or from a point of high elevation. There are obvious signs of injury and distress here, and this is considered a medical emergency.
Diagnosis of Tracheal Perforation in Dogs
The path to diagnosis begins with a physical examination during which your veterinarian will look for tenderness in the neck region of your dog and any visible wounds. Your doctor will also listen to your dog’s lungs and heart, and check for air pockets under your dog’s coat if a hole in the trachea is suspected.
A variety of medical tests are used to confirm diagnosis, such as:
- Complete blood count (CBC) to rule out inflammation and infection
- Biochemistry profile to check kidney, liver and pancreas function
- Urinalysis to gauge kidney function and look for signs of dehydration
- Arterial blood gas analysis to measure blood oxygenation
- Pulse oximetry to check for low oxygen saturation
- X-rays of neck and chest to confirm air pockets under the skin, free air in the chest cavity and/or air in the area around the heart
- Abdominal X-rays may be used to see air that has been trapped in the abdominal cavity
- Tracheoscopy, a procedure that allows doctors to view the inside of the trachea and lower airways, may be performed to confirm tracheal tears, rips or holes.
A positive diagnosis is generally confirmed with a combination of X-rays and, if needed, tracheoscopy, though the latter is less common as it can cause further injury and inflammation to the trachea.
Treatment of Tracheal Perforation in Dogs
Treatment varies widely, of course, depending on the extent of the injury and general health of the dog. Possible treatments include:
- Tracheal perforation with signs of oxygen deficiency generally requires hospitalization, during which your dog may receive oxygen therapy and rest.
- Small tears and perforations caused by medical procedures usually heal on their own and rarely require hospitalization or treatment, with the exception of mild painkillers.
- Blunt force trauma injuries will need to be evaluated extensively. Dogs that are physically unstable, have difficulty breathing, or are leaking large amounts of air under their skin rapidly will require immediate surgery to close deep wounds, repair tracheal damage, and remove air pockets.
Most dogs will be given a prescription strength pain medication and, if an infection is present, a course of antibiotics. Most trapped air under the skin will be reabsorbed without intervention though large pockets of air or those that do not heal on their own may require a tubal drain system to be implanted under the skin.
Recovery of Tracheal Perforation in Dogs
Follow-up appointments are a requirement for this type of injury if your dog has had a surgical procedure performed. Your doctor will want to see your dog several times post-surgery to watch for signs of infection and monitor healing.
Dogs with minor injuries that heal on their own may require one follow-up visit though your veterinarian will decide that your dog’s course of treatment.
Dogs should be prohibited from exercising for at least 7 to 10 days following treatment.
Cost of Tracheal Perforation in Dogs
Tracheal Perforation Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
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My dog suddenly started chasing something and came to an abrupt stop at the end of his lead, now he has a deep cough on occasion. What can I do to soothe it? I am worried
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I took my dog to the 24 hour emergency hospital due to air pockets under her skin. I am told its a suspected trachea tear. we are monitoring and timing her breathing to ensure the pressure does not affect her heart and lungs. I was tole the tear would heal itself but this morning I see that there is more air accumulated in different parts of her body - still not effecting her breathing at this point. Please advise what would be my next move.
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My 10 week old lab puppy was playing at a dog park and was running around the obstacle courses and he ran into the pole and yelled and started coughing but only a little bit. He seems fine now. Drinking water and eating and playing. Should we be concern or get him checked out?
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My female pit bull has not been eating and barely drinking water and I wonder if she has trcheal damage. there is a ring shape bone/s if you will sticking out the front of her neck that I never noticed about the area where a humans "adams apple" would be. He gums are very pale.
I stuck my fingers down her throat thinking something is caught and I feel something but I don;t know if that is normal. Something is up her throat, thats all i know right now. Please reply soon
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My dog Gracie was in a serious fight where her neck was torn open and the trachea was torn. The veterinarian did surgery to fix the trachea but later the skin and trachea opened back up. I took her to the vet again and his best advice was to do nothing and see if it can heal on its own. Is it possible for a trachea that is completely torn to reattach itself? Is there anything I can do to protect that hole in her neck? Obviously I can't cover it or because she cannot breathe.
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My dog, 3 yr old Aussie, was pulling on his leash (attached to his collar) during a walk, and his breathing became very noisy with his snout pointed up. I noticed that the tendons along side of his throat were very tense feeling. I very gently massaged his throat, and after about a minute, he was ok. It happened again the other day when he was just running and playing with another dog. I did the same maneuver, and he quickly recovered. Just curious, did he get some sort of injury to his neck on the walk?
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My momma dog bit one of her puppies and now the puppy has a hole in her trachea. What do I do
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Tracheal perforation can be a life threatening problem, especially if breathing is affected. Small injuries may resolve themselves, it is always best for your Veterinarian to check the wound and severity to make sure that there aren’t any other problems. If you notice that the puppy has blue mucous membranes, breathing difficulties or any other symptoms it should be treated as an immediate emergency. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
My dog got bit also. I didn't realize he had a punchure. He had about 6-8 wounds that looked like scratches. So I put pressure on all his wounds to stop the bleeding. I didn't realize he was having problems breathing, he was panting quite a bit and I just thought it was from trauma. He died 2 hours later. That's when it went to the internet and found out about the Trachea.
My dog got bit and there's a hole in his trachea ,now he has breathing problems and he has to raise his neck so he can breathe ,and all I'm asking is ......will he survive tonight
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My 7lb puppy was bitten by our old grumpy dog and now she is quite literally "full of air" from her head to the middle of her torso. The vet sent her home with some antibiotics and said that the air under her skin will go away, but, since we saw him, its gotten a lot worse. I don't know what to do😭
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I was walking my 70lb dog when she got scared and started pulling on her collar so hard I thought she might choke out. I tried to stop to no avail. By the time we got home she was drooling excessively. It's been 4 days and now she drools, vomits when she eats or drinks anything, gulps constantly. I took her to the vet who did an xray of her stomach? And blood work w/pancreatic test. Showed elevated WBC. Sent home with 2 antibiotics and anti nausea. Never said anything about her throat. Could she have a tear in her trachea or some other throat damage? Please help. So worried.
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Hello. My baby girl was attacked 2 days ago by another dog. Thankfully she escaped his grip on her throat with no open wounds to her skin. However, since then she has a cough, as well as some mucus tinged with blood. After the initial shock, she has now mostly returned to normal behavior and will eat the soft foods I've been offering her as well as drinking water. If I touch her throat, she coughs and pulls away. Her throat does feel swollen to me and her neck skin there seems a bit droopy, but that is my take on it.
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