Laryngeal paralysis

[windycanyon]

My 12 yo Gala has started getting a little huffy breathing lately and her bark has become higher pitched-- I know what that means as her mom also did this in her later years-- laryngeal paralysis (LP). My question to folks here-- has anyone found anything that helps delay the onset of worse symptoms? I'm really not interested in tieback surgery. I was on the LP list for quite awhile, and wasn't convinced it was the kindest thing to do in most cases.

I should add that Gala has no other health issues at all, has no arthritis, is still quite active, swims, does our group 3 mile walks several times a week, helps me find the gopher runs in the field, etc. -Anne

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[MicksMom]

Mick was diagnosed with LP when he was 11. We, too, opted not to have the surgery. He lived with it for 4 1/2 years before we had to have him pts last July. My vet & I both think that the ArthriSoothe I was giving Mick helped slow the progression of the LP (he was on it for a year before being diagnosed).
Here's the break down of the supplements I was giving Mick (added one at a time over the years, pretty much in the order listed). Something else I did for the last year of Mick's life was to feed him half puppy food and half adult food to try to help keep what muscle he had left.

ARTHRISOOTHE (I used the horse formula)
(per 1/4 tsp)

Chodroitin sulfate-
guaranteed to contain 90% GAG's (mucopoly saccharides) or better. 189.32 mg
Green Lippid Mussel
(perna canaliculus) 112 mg
Yucca 150.66 mg
Boswellia 150.66 mg
Vitamin C 150.66 mg
Vitamin E 45.32mg

MSM
Methylsulfonylmethane 1,000 mg


CHOLODIN
(per 2 tablets)
Zinc 14.40 mg
Selenium 0.04 mg
DL-Methionine 110 mg
Choline 80 mg
Inositol 80 mg
Niacinamide 10 mg
Vitamin E 10 IU
Riboflavin 3 mg
Thiamine 3 mg
Pantotjenic Acid 2 mg
Vitamin B5 2 mg
Vitamin B12 4.o mcg

BIOTIN
Biotin 5,000 mcg

VITAMIN B COMPLEX
(per 1 tablet)
Vitamin C
(as Ascorbic Acid and Rose Hips) 300 mg
Thiamin (Vitamin B-1)
(as Thiamin Mononitrate) 18 mg
Riboflavin (Vitamin B12) 10 mg
Niacin
(as Niacinamide) 50 mg
Vitamin B-6
(as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) 5 mg
Folic Acid 400 mcg
Vitamin B-12
(as Cyanocobalamin) 10 mcg
Biotin 50 mcg
Pantohenic Acid
(as d-Calcium Pantothenate) 10 mg

[windycanyon]

Thanks-- I do alot of that, but will have to check on the Green Lippid Mussel, Yucca, Boswellia and CHOLODIN (the last 2 are new to me).

Did you ever have to do prednisone or the cough suppressent that contained a bit of pred? Just wondering if the MSM, etc, will be enough for the inflammatory processes going on. I'm wondering if a trip to the holistic vet (though he's 80+ miles away) may not be worthwhile. They sure seem to have a different set of tools to work with. -Anne

[MicksMom]

Thanks-- I do alot of that, but will have to check on the Green Lippid Mussel, Yucca, Boswellia and CHOLODIN (the last 2 are new to me)...

You're very welcome. The first 3 ingredients are in the ArthriSoothe. I showed my vet the ingredient list when I first put Mick on it (before his was diagnosed). My vet told me he heard of a lot of people using Yucca as an anti-inflamitory with very good results. The Cholodin I heard about on another board. It's to help prevent muscle wasting. My experience with is was that, obviously, it won't rebuild the lost muscle, but it definitely slows down the loss of what is there. Here's one place that has it. http://biovets.com/cholodin_canine_90_1691_prd1.htm
I'm pretty sure I bought it from Valley Vet, but it's been awhile, and I can't remember.

...Did you ever have to do prednisone or the cough suppressent that contained a bit of pred? Just wondering if the MSM, etc, will be enough for the inflammatory processes going on....

The only time Mick was on pred (for the LP) was right after his intial visit to the vet for it. My vet likes to start at the bottom and work up instead of doing expensive tests right off the bat for something that could be minor. So, we treated Mick for laryngitis for a week, thus the pred. There was a slight improvement, but the symptoms didn't go away like they would have if he just had laryngitis. After that, all he was ever on were the supplements. I'm not sure the MSM would work on it's own, at least in Mick's case.

Oh, something I forgot to tell you- initially, after the "loading time", Mick's maintenance dose of ArthriSoothe was 1/8 tsp daily. About a year or so before we lost him, I upped it to 1/4 tsp, after talking to our vet, of course.

[windycanyon]

Thanks, I'll look for that! It is bringing back some worries now after going thru this w/ Winnie. Anything I can do to slow it down is worth its weight in gold.

-Anne

[MicksMom]

Thanks, I'll look for that! It is bringing back some worries now after going thru this w/ Winnie. Anything I can do to slow it down is worth its weight in gold.

-Anne

I hear you! It was so painful watching Mick struggling to breath when he had episodes. Good luck!

[windycanyon]

Thankfully we're no where near that point w/ Gala-- just the high pitched woof and the occasional excited panting. Winnie started that way, and then I bought new furniture that had been treated w a fire retardant chem that gave me headaches--- and her an asthmatic type reaction. She never had allergies, so it was totally out of the blue. Very hard on her, and me.... she went "down" (blue) several times that first month after the furniture, and before I made the connection, unfortunately. -Anne