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Treatment

• Dogs with a tracheal perforation should be hospitalized for oxygen therapy
• It should be kept in a low-stress environment with as little stimuli as is possible
• In cases of iatrogenic perforation, healing is spontaneous as long as medical and supportive therapy are provided
• If pneumothorax develops, thoracocentesis and even thoracostomy tubes may be indicated
• Surgery is indicated if the patient does not stabilize or decompensates (the heart is unable to maintain adequate blood circulation), or if the tracheal rupture is secondary to a blunt trauma or penetrating wound
• Tracheal cutting and rejoining to another uninjured part of the trachea is indicated in cases of severe tracheal damage or tracheal avulsion

Living and Management

Your veterinarian will schedule follow-up appointments to monitor healing of the surgical incisions if surgery was indicated.  Dogs that suffer from an avulsed trachea (one that has been torn away) and do not receive surgery may suffer sudden death. In fact, even with surgery, an animal with a repaired avulsed trachea have a guarded prognosis.

Call your veterinarian immediately if signs of redness, oozing or swelling are noted at the surgical incision site. The veterinarian should also be called immediately, on an emergency basis, if your dog begins to have difficulty breathing.