Stent Treatment for
Laryngeal Paralysis in Dogs
The 21st Century Solution
for Senior Lar Par Dogs
Our 13-year-old Labrador was suffocating when they closed the door. When we came in five minutes later she was awake and breathing normally — without surgery. So why are people saying surgery is the only way to treat laryngeal paralysis in dogs?
What they’re not talking about is the laryngeal stent — the future of laryngeal paralysis treatment in the 21st century.
The Laryngeal Stent Procedure
The laryngeal stent procedure for laryngeal paralysis in dogs is quick and affordable. There’s no surgery, no stitches, no incision, no penetration of tissue at all and therefore no chance for post-surgical infection. It takes as little as five minutes, which means only five minutes of anesthesia. Normal breathing is restored immediately, the recovery period is short, and post-procedure medications are minimal.
What’s a laryngeal stent?
Cost/Benefit of Laryngeal Stents
Weighing the cost vs. benefit of a stent procedure means not just the financial aspect, but also the toll the procedure might have on your dog’s quality of life in the short- and long-term.
Is prolonging life with a laryngeal stent the best thing for my dog?
Risk Assessment
Laryngeal stent placement isn’t surgery, so many of the risk factors associated with surgery don’t apply. But the stent procedure isn’t risk‑free. Just like with surgery, it can be helpful to view risk factors in terms of likelihood of occurrence and severity of outcome.
Is the laryngeal stent procedure risky?
Risk Factors
- Stent migration — After placement, the stent can shift out of position. In this case, a corrective procedure is required to reposition it.
How dangerous is it if the stent migrates?
- Anesthesia intolerance — A small percentage of dogs can have adverse reactions to anesthesia ranging from vomiting to stroke and cardiac arrest. Older dogs are at greater risk for anesthesia intolerance.
How dangerous is anesthesia in larygeal stent placement?
- Aspiration pneumonia — When foreign substances, that is, anything that’s not air, enters the lungs, the lungs are likely to become infected. As with surgery, this is the most serious risk factor post-procedure with with laryngeal stents.
How dangerous is aspiration pneumonia?
- Coexisting conditions — Coexisting conditions (comorbidities) can complicate laryngeal paralysis treatment by stent or surgery, in particular by increasing the likelihood and severity of aspiration pneumonia.
How do coexisting conditions affect a laryngeal stent?
More Info About Stents for Lar Par
Silicone Stent — To read abut the research studies that started the stenting revolution for laryngeal paralysis in dogs, visit the Stent Studies.
Nitinol Stent — We can’t point you to any studies on the Nitinol stent because none have been released. The only information available about the Nitinol laryngeal stent product for laryngeal paralysis in dogs is on the manufacturer’s website. We’ll be releasing all the information we’ve been able to gather about this product in an upcoming blog post.