Obstructive lesions and traumatic injuries of the canine and feline tracheas

Tracheal obstruction and tracheal injury can be life-threatening conditions in dogs and cats. Early identification of associated clinical signs and the use of appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic techniques are important to patient survival. Common causes of tracheal obstruction reported in the veterinary literature include tracheal foreign bodies and tracheal tumors. Tracheal injury has been associated with endotracheal intubation and external trauma. Radiography and tracheoscopy are effective diagnostic modalities, and tracheal repair or resection and anastomosis are the most common treatments.