AFGHANS ARE US -HEALTH

LARYNGEAL PARALYSIS

BENSON'S STORY

Benson's story has been reproduced here with the kind permission of his owner Lyn Gray

Benson was a rescue Afghan Hound who was found tied to a lamppost in Southampton, in a terrible state. At the time I was on good terms with the RSPCA, who phoned me and asked if I would take him home, it was the middle of December, they thought he was getting on, at least 8 or 9 years old.

It was about 18 months later he started the coughing and wheezing, I took him to the vet who referred him to a specialist in Winchester  She listened to his breathing and said it wasn’t bad enough to operate on yet, I had to ring her when it got worse, which I did a few moths later, and she listened to him over the phone and he was booked in for his Tie back. 

In the meantime if it got bad we had to hold his head in the bottom of the fridge to cool him down. Eventually he had his operation done, there were no problems, except keeping him quiet and stop him eating anything he shouldn’t do.

 We even did discover dogs with him for a couple of years after his operation, so I had him nearly 7 years. Specialist said he must be at least 9, but he lived another 5 years, and died eventually of old age when everything else naturally gave up.  We think he must have been at least 15. He had a lovely temperament. 

Sylvia helped me a lot, sending me all the information on this condition, which I had never heard much of before.

Lyn Gray

Footnote: Around 15 years is a very good age for a dog with LP to live so the surgery was very worth while.