Toby was five years old when he started having coughing fits and trouble breathing. When the problem continued, Sharon Smith brought the Teacup Yorkshire Terrier in for examination.

“He couldn’t breathe well,” said Smith. “If he got stressed or if he played hard, he would pant. It was the most horrible sound. It sounded like he was grasping for air.”

Toby’s veterinarian at Mayfair Veterinary Clinic in Flint, Michigan, diagnosed Toby with an elongated cleft palate and treated the cough. But when Toby’s symptoms worsened, they referred him to the MSU Veterinary Medical Center.

“I didn’t think he was even going to live to get into the emergency clinic,” Smith said.

Toby was diagnosed with a degenerative collapsed trachea along with the cleft palate that extended into his throat. Terriers are prone to tracheal collapse, a degenerative condition.

Toby was stabilized in the ER and then seen by the interventional radiology team, led by Dr. Matt Beal. They found that Toby would need a metal stent placed in his trachea to keep it from collapsing. They also found that Toby’s trachea was large for the breed, and ordered a custom-made stent for the surgery.

When Toby returned for surgery, he underwent two procedures. First, his cleft palate was corrected by Dr. Joe Hauptman. The interventional radiation team then placed the stent using real-time imaging with a fluoroscopy machine, which enables placement of the stent without incisions. The minimally invasive surgery promotes fast recovery, minimizes surgery risk, and helps improve overall health outcomes.

“He’s doing so much better,” said Smith. “The stent helped his breathing a whole lot. When he was having such a hard time breathing I thought that he was going to die. It would have been like losing a family member.”

Toby did well following surgery. His energy levels are excellent and he is happy to be playing again with his pals at doggy day care. Due to the nature of a degenerative trachea, he will always have minor cough. But no one expects that to dampen his boisterous character.