Laryngeal Swelling

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Andy Elliott — Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:21:36 GMT

Thank you to everyone who took the time to input their thoughts with this case. I'm pleased to report that the swelling did completely resolve with an extended course of antibiotics. Only time will tell if it comes back!

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Stephen Courtney — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 14:20:29 GMT

[quote user="robloxley"]

[quote user="Stephen Courtney"]The advice from the specialists on the one that has already had CT is a long course of antibiotic while waiting for the presumptive foreign material to disintegrate. i think the advice on the second dog will likely be the same.[/quote]

Hmmm, grass seeds seem pretty resistant to disintegration: have dog with a 2012 grass seed (going for repeat surgery post-CT) and one with a 2011 (presumed) grass seed foreign body (both spaniels)

[/quote]

Our specialist felt they would be able to see an intact grass seed on the scan. they couldn't. so feel more likely the dog has some sort of fragment of something in there.

I agree, I have retrieved a seed that had been working its way round a dog for about 8 months before i was lucky enough to find it. In that case I think what swung it was that the dog deteriorated over a bank holiday and by the time Tuesday rolled around there was a lovely temporal abscess with an obvious place to lance, and out with the pus came a fairly substantial, and not in the slightest dissolved, grass seed. I'd been looking for it for months.

Maybe too quick to give antibiotics and not let something come to a proper head?

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Andy Elliott — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 22:15:06 GMT

Thank you to all have contributed to this discussion. I have not seen the dog back yet and have heard that he is continuing to eat and not getting any worse. Unfortunately he is not insured however he is a valuable working dog so that might not be an obstacle for CT scan if necessary.

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Rob Loxley — Mon, 16 Sep 2013 21:54:03 GMT

Hmmm, grass seeds seem pretty resistant to disintegration: have dog with a 2012 grass seed (going for repeat surgery post-CT) and one with a 2011 (presumed) grass seed foreign body (both spaniels)

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Busybee — Sat, 14 Sep 2013 10:35:49 GMT

We have one ongoing case at present (labrador!) which presented as a suspected stick injury in March I think it was, and now, after many courses of antibiotics, one round of imaging and surgery with us and two MRIs and two major surgeries at a referral centre, is only just (we hope) on the final road to recovery! These case be very long cases!

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Stephen Courtney — Sat, 14 Sep 2013 09:33:46 GMT

Me too. but after round three.....

these problems can take a looong time to resolve, and all the while you are worrying you haven't looked hard enough. also both well insured and want to do something.

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 23:51:03 GMT

Think I'd try the £50's worth of Abs before sending off for the CT...........

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Stephen Courtney — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 22:36:00 GMT

Have two similar cases on the boil right now...one has just had a CT and has a presumed Fb induced abscess in the masseter muscle, tracking into the mouth, and the other is probably going for CT on tuesday.

The advice from the specialists on the one that has already had CT is a long course of antibiotic while waiting for the presumptive foreign material to disintegrate. i think the advice on the second dog will likely be the same.

Incidentally they are BOTH labs....!

BTW I believe that CT is better than MRI for looking for possible foreign bodies and sinus tracts, based on snippets i remember from an evening meeting a while back...

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Utlendigur — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 22:22:04 GMT

[quote user="Andy Elliott"] does not throw sticks.[/quote]

But does the dog carry them or chew them? Sometimes the phrasing of the question makes all the difference....

It also might not be a recent injury - sometimes they can flare up weeks or months later. I saw one recently, also labrador - the large swelling that had suddenly appeared in his laryngeal area nudged the owners into bringing him in for a booster. They actually remembered him injuring himself with a stick (yelped , drooled, bleeding from mouth) about 2months beforehand. Got out a thick splinter of wood and several grass blades

It will probably settle with antibiotics - but there's a chance it might recur if there's a FB in there, in which case you could either explore the swelling or refer for imaging if finances allow (MRI?)

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Andy Elliott — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 21:35:20 GMT

Thank you for your reassurance Michael. The dog remains amazing bright and happy, eating and drinking etc.

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 10:42:29 GMT

Andy - you have started antibiotic and NSAID. Let it do its work as that die is now cast.

Seen a couple of labs with similar presentation that have responded well to abs and NSAID.

I'm almost certain you've cured it.

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Andy Elliott — Fri, 13 Sep 2013 08:04:02 GMT

Thanks Gerbil. I have been coming to the same conclusion that there might have been a perforation in the cranial oesophagus. Unfortunately I didn't scope the oesophagus because I don't have an endoscope at my clinic. Do you think there is still value in doing this i.e. will it change how I manage this dog?

Re: Laryngeal Swelling

Gerbil — Thu, 12 Sep 2013 23:54:06 GMT

The xray misses the vital bit but this is gonna be an abscess/cellulitis. have you scoped the oesophagus?