Site Accessibility Features: Skip to page menus
Site Menus Section Skip to page content
Spring Valley Veterinary Clinic
The trachea (or windpipe) forms the upper portion of the respiratory tract; the lungs form the lower portion. The trachea provides a conduit for airflow into the lungs. Blockage of this pathway (e.g.: from a foreign object) disrupts airflow and requires emergency attention. Within the tracheal tube, there are microscopic hairs within a layer of mucus that trap inhaled particles before they can enter the lungs and cause damage. Particulate matter trapped in the mucus is moved by these hairs back up to the mouth to be swallowed. This clearing mechanism is important in disease prevention. Dogs unable to clear the debris trapped in the trachea (e.g.: collapsing trachea) risk developing infections within the lungs.
Site Sidebar: Skip to end of sidebar
Browse By Species
9973 Campo Road Spring Valley, CA 91977
Phone: (619) 660-1114 Fax: (619) 660-8304
Monday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Tuesday: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm Wednesday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm Thursday: 8:30 am – 6:00 pm Friday: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Closed daily from 12:00 pm- 1:30 pm Closed Saturday & Sunday
If you have an emergency please contact Pet Emergency and Specialty Center in La Mesa at (619) 462-4800
© 2025 Spring Valley Veterinary Clinic. Provided by Patterson | Powered by LifeLearn WebDVM