Surgical management of extrathoracic tracheal collapse in two large-breed dogs.

Collapse of the cervical portion of the trachea was diagnosed for 2 young large-breed dogs. Clinical signs included worsening respiratory stridor and coughing exacerbated by exercise. The diagnosis was confirmed by use of conventional radiography and fluoroscopy of the trachea. A polypropylene, spiral ring, extraluminal, tracheal prosthesis was used to successfully treat tracheal collapse in each dog. Although tracheal collapse typically affects middle-aged and old small-breed dogs, tracheal collapse should be considered as a differential diagnosis for large-breed dogs with a honking cough and respiratory stridor.