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  1. #1
    Senior Dog Nancy0's Avatar
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    Laryngeal Paralysis

    My sweet boy Charlie who is 10 now has been diagnosed with Laryngeal Paralysis. This is where the muscles that open and close the larynx become paralyzed making breathing difficult. Charlie is in the very beginning stages so he is fine for now just breathes heavier at times. My vet noticed it as soon as she came into the exam room. Niner was there too and she compared Niner's breathing to Charlie's. Charlie's was much more labored. Anyhow there isn't really anything that can be done except tie back surgery. This where they permanently open one side of the larynx by tying it back so the dog can breathe. However, my vet doesn't like the tie back surgery as it can cause aspiration. You also need to find a surgeon who has done over 300 hundred of these so they know what they are doing.

    I did a little research and found that a drug called doxepin can work for "some" dogs in slowing the disease. My vet had never heard of it, but when I brought it up she did her own research and was willing to give it a try for Charlie. It only works if it's going to work when started in the early stages which is where Charlie is. Charlie has just started the drug and seems to have no side effects. It can take up to 3 weeks to see if the medication works. They don't know why it works in some cases and there is a clinical trial going on right now.

    Anyhow has anybody dealt with this with their labs? Don't google it - it is a terrible disease and the videos you see are awful. Charlie is nowhere near that and can still happily go on walks with me twice a day. He's doing well.

    Thanks for any info
    Nancy

  2. #2
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    Hudler had it. If he got too excited, he'd do a horrible weezing. I don't think the surgery is really recommended for older dogs. We never put him on medication, we just made sure he stayed cool and didn't over exert himself, which at his age, he didn't. Just be aware that there is a hind end muscle atrophy that can happen that's associated with LP. That's really what got Hudler more in the end, the lack of being able to use his rear legs well.

    Our vet said that you can't officially diagnose LP unless you scope the throat. There is a condition where the esophagus and windpipe just lose some flexibility with old age, so they can have a bit of a raspy breathing and it sounds more labored but really isn't LP. I kept asking our vet about Grace and LP, but that's what she told us. Who knows!

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    Nancy0 (09-11-2018)

  4. #3
    Senior Dog Nancy0's Avatar
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    Thanks Jen. I am tempted to have him scoped, but then I read that most times if they scope the dog and the dog has it they want to immediately do the tie back surgery. Um no. He has had this for a long time so I wonder about what you said about the esophagus and windpipe losing some flexibility. His hind legs are not what they used to be. He doesn't run as much which I attributed to getting older, but I have seen his hind legs, not give out, but appear to be weaker at times. He won't jump in the back of my car, but honestly hasn't in a few years now. Did you have Hudler scoped? I'm going to try the doxepin for about a month and then talk to my vet. I will know in that time if the medication is working. I just had him under to remove a lump back in June - I wish I had known about this then as I would have had my vet scope him. Grrrr


    Nancy

  5. #4
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    Hi Nancy....My Toby also had what we thought was LP, but it was never officially diagnosed. My Vet strongly advised against doing a scope or tieback surgery. He said it is very, very risky and we chose not to do it.

    He also advised against doing a scope, because why put your dog through that if there is not much you can do anyway?

    My Toby did very well though....we kept his walks short (never walked him in hot weather) and we also kept him cool and calm...and tried to keep him from getting overly excited.

    I did notice his hind end getting a little weaker, and we did help him in and out of our vehicle, but he still had a good quality of life.

    Sending good thoughts for Charlie...I think there's a lot you can do to try an diminish the side effects without doing anything drastic.

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    Nancy0 (09-11-2018)

  7. #5
    Senior Dog Nancy0's Avatar
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    Thank you lovemylabby. You were writing about Toby in the past tense. Did something happen? I am so sorry if something happened and I wasn't around to acknowledge it. Please let me know and thanks again for letting me know your experience with laryngeal paralysis.

  8. #6
    Chief Pooper Scooper JenC's Avatar
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    No, we didn't scope. Hudler's hind legs wasted away....but we first started hearing his wierd coughing around age 10 and he lived to 13 1/2.
    It's different from Jack and Jed who just don't trust their legs as much anymore. Jed hasn't been jumping on the bed for a few years now. Jack just started. Jack will still jump on the couch but carefully. Jed walks up on the couch. But they LOOK fine. they are both 10 1/2 now.

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  10. #7
    Senior Dog Berna's Avatar
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    I’ve heard of it and I have the impression it is very common in older Labs. So sorry to hear Charlie has it. Fingers crossed he won’t have any serious symptoms anytime soon.

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  12. #8
    Senior Dog Sue-Ram's Avatar
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    There's this old thread from 2014 where 3muttsketeers mentioned that she had good results from doxepin. She hasn't been here for awhile, maybe FB?

    Laryngeal Paralysis
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  14. #9
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Aw gee whiz. At least you caught this early, when there is more chance of doing something to help it. Sorry Charlie. Did the Vet say WHY Charlie got LP? Is it just old age? For some oand not others, as so many things are? Is use of a collar and leash to restrain the dog involved, as I've beeen told that?
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    Nancy0 (09-12-2018)

  16. #10
    Senior Dog Nancy0's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sue-Ram View Post
    There's this old thread from 2014 where 3muttsketeers mentioned that she had good results from doxepin. She hasn't been here for awhile, maybe FB?

    Laryngeal Paralysis
    Thanks yes I am friends with Ann on FB. I did post on a forum on there and she responded, but I don't remember her mentioning doxepin. I'll have to have another look and thanks for the link to that thread.

    Nancy

 



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