Some (hard-earned) advice for city dogs [View All]

[Neecy]

My 16 year old Lhasa Apso was recently diagnosed with a collapsed trachea. It's a progressive condition that his vet said was likely caused by years of walking him with a collar instead of a harness.

It's a horrible thing for a dog to go through - difficulty breathing, and a frightening non-productive choking. He's too old for surgery but at least it can be treated somewhat with medication. Still, it's a painful condition and I'm kicking myself for contributing to it by walking him with a collar (he's very active, and he frequently would pull on his leash). It appears to be not an uncommon condition for smaller breeds, so if you're still using a collar for your small dog, save him/her a lot of pain down the road and switch over to a harness.

He's feeling a little better today, and even made a half-hearted effort to chase the cat. While unappreciated (as always) by the cat, it's a good sign. He's been wiped out for days on the medication.