Some chronic health conditions of dogs are relatively straightforward to manage. Others, however, require pet parents to be patient and willing to frequently try new approaches to help their dog. Megaesophagus is one of those potentially exasperating and devastating chronic conditions.<\/p>\n
Smurf, a French bulldog who was roughly 5 years old at the time of this writing, had been diagnosed with megaesophagus about 15 months before. Since February 2016, Smurf lived with Tanya Laughren of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, a volunteer with the Humane Animal Rescue Team (HART). Smurf is Tanya\u2019s sixth foster case and her first foster dog with significant medical issues.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile at the humane society, Smurf was having issues with \u2018regurg\u2019 and weight loss,\u201d Tanya says. The humane society reached out to HART, which agreed to rescue the sweet Frenchie.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve tried all kinds of different foods, especially those for dogs with a sensitive stomach,\u201d Tanya explains. \u201cSmurf used to regurg after every meal, all night long or if given too much water.<\/p>\n
\u201cDogs with megaesophagus have trouble swallowing their saliva, and this can cause trouble during the night,\u201d she adds. A common concern associated with frequent regurgitation is that a dog may inadvertently inhale fluid and food into their lungs (also known as aspiration), which may lead to pneumonia.<\/p>\n
The movement of food, water and even saliva is something most of us take for granted. The esophagus \u2014 the long, muscular tube that connects the mouth to the stomach \u2014 simply conveys chewed food and water to the stomach. What you may not realize is that the normal, healthy esophagus uses squeezing contractions, known as peristalsis, to push swallowed food into the stomach within seconds of swallowing, leaving the esophagus empty.<\/p>\n
But as with every other body system, organ and tissue, problems can occur with the esophagus and how it works. Megaesophagus is a condition in which the muscles of the esophagus become weak and flabby, essentially \u201closing muscle tone\u201d \u2014 and the ability to move food into the stomach. The esophagus also dilates more than normal, and food and water can stay in the esophagus longer before entering the stomach. Swallowed food, water and saliva may be regurgitated if it doesn\u2019t enter the stomach.<\/p>\n
While the signs and symptoms of megaesophagus vary from dog to dog, the most common is regurgitation. Regurgitation appears similar to vomiting, but it\u2019s actually a passive emptying of food and fluid from the esophagus or back of the mouth with little or no warning. In contrast, vomiting involves forceful ejection of stomach contents and is associated with heaving and retching. Other symptoms of megaesophagus in dogs include:<\/p>\n
To diagnose megaesophagus, a veterinarian will use X-rays or other forms of diagnostic imaging to view the upper gastrointestinal tract. Smurf\u2019s veterinary team performed a barium contrast series of X-rays to visualize what was \u2014 or wasn\u2019t \u2014 occurring during digestion. Not only was the veterinarian able to diagnose megaesophagus but found that Smurf\u2019s esophagus has pockets that allow food to become stuck.<\/p>\n
There is no cure for most cases of megaesophagus. However, changes in feeding and eating habits of dogs like Smurf can help reduce the frequency of regurgitation. Some dogs do best on a liquid diet, while others find solid food to be easier.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely been a matter of trial and error \u2014 what food to feed, the consistency, the amount of water and the amount of time to keep Smurf upright after feeding,\u201d Tanya says. About four months ago, when a bag of Diamond CARE Sensitive Stomach Formula for Adult Dogs<\/a> was donated to HART, Tanya thought she would try feeding it to Smurf. She \u2014 and Smurf \u2014 are thrilled with the results.<\/p>\n \u201cSmurf\u2019s been on Diamond CARE for about four months now,\u201d Tanya reports. \u201cCARE has been a life-changing food for her. She\u2019s regurgitating less, coughing less and doesn\u2019t choke as much.\u201d<\/p>\n Two other changes that Tanya made in how Smurf is fed includes using a Bailey chair and feeding small, frequent meals. Currently, Smurf is fed four times daily in her Bailey chair, which was built especially for her by HART volunteers. The Bailey chair positions Smurf so that she stands on her back legs while eating and drinking from bowls in a tilted tray. She then stays in her chair for about 20 minutes after eating to allow gravity to move food into her stomach.<\/p>\n