Laryngeal paralysis in GSD (Please help!) - Page 1

I have a two-year old, female GSD  (Nickel) that started to have a "horse" voice.  (Prior to that she always had a full, deep bark.) then it got worse.   When she barked it sounded like a wheeze on the inhale. I thought that she might have bronchitis or pneumonia. I brought her to the Vet, results: Heart and lungs are fine, come back if the conditions worsens.

It did not get better.  Then the Vet put her on doxycycline before doing anything invasive. It did not help. She seems to have almost no bark. She makes a high-pitched noise when she tries to bark and you can hear her breathing.

Nickel rarely coughs but she has spit-up saliva that ooks like slush. I brought Nickel back to the Vet with the sample, hoping it was just a cold. However, her heart and lungs are fine and the saliva in not infected (it's white like salia not green/yellow). He suggested that I get a second opinion because he thinks it is laryngeal paralysis! Even if he does the X-Rays or a throat scope, she would need a high-end animal hospital to do the surgery.

I went to a different Vet yesterday to get another opinion. This Vet wanted to try a cortizone injection to reduce inflamation and then give her a treatment amoxicillin for one week. Nickel does not cough, she just sounds terrible when she barks. Although, I think she has "learned" not to bark. Since Nickel is eating, drinking and playing, he said that we could wait and see before we do anything invasive. Although, you can hear her breathing when she is exicied, she does not gasp for air.  Also, when she is resting, there are no symptoms.

However, the second Vet said that if  this treatment does not work the next step is X-Rays and a "scope" of her throat.

Both Vets said that  "laryngeal paralysis'" is a rare condition and it is mostly seen in "toy" dogs with short-snouts or older large-breed dogs.  Neither Vet has seen this is a young GSD.

Could anyone please give me some insight?

Sorry, I have nothing helpful to add, except that a co-worker of mine has been diagnosed will larygeal paralysis, she has only been able to whisper for >3 years now, and all the experts from medical centers across the country haven't been able to help...some feel it's a pyschological thing, since none of her treatments (including surgery), have worked....I have no idea if there's any parallel between dogs and humans in this matter. Good luck. At least your girl isn't suffering. jackie harris

The only time I have seen it is in older labs-I don't know much about it except that the dogs were not allowed to wear collars after the surgery, had to wear harnessess to keep pressure off of their throat.  I had a horse once that had larygial tieback surgery because of that problem and he had really loud breathing when you worked him.   I am sure others here will have good advise for you.