Astrid, another guest at Dogs Country Club, eating in her Bailey Chair Megaesophagus is a condition in dogs that is caused when the muscles of the oesophagus fail and are unable to moved food or water into the stomach like normal. This is another condition that Hermie suffers. The condition has also been reported with humans, cats and other animals too.
In dogs, Megaesophagus can occur in both puppies and adult dogs. For puppies it is usually a genetic condition but can also be a surgically repairable condition. If it isn’t passed on from a parent it is then considered ‘idiopathic’ which means the cause is unknown.
For adult dogs is can be a secondary condition from another diseases such a Thyroid issues, Addisons or other Neurologic disorders. For Hermie, this is a secondary condition from his Addisons.
If not addressed ingested food sits in the oesophagus within the chest cavity and never makes it to the stomach. This can cause vomiting, choking and can lead to more serious conditions such a pneumonia.
Dogs with Megaesophagus are required to be fed in a Bailey Chair. This chair forces them into an upright position which helps the food to move down the throat into the stomach. Meals need to be moistened and they should be fed multiple smaller meals throughout the day instead of one large meal. They should be encouraged to drink whilst in the upright position also. They need to remain in the chair for a period of time after they finish eating to ensure all their food passes into their stomach. For older dogs, such as Hermie, feeding in a Bailey Chair can be difficult as they may be unable to hold their body weight comfortably and safely in the upright position. In this case the dog should be fed sitting up (you can rest their paws on something at shoulder height also) and they should be hand fed smaller amounts of food and supervised at all times.
Signs that your dog may have Megaesophagus are;
If you have any health concerns for your dog you should ALWAYS contact your vet.
This information sourced from http://www.caninemegaesophagus.org/
In dogs, Megaesophagus can occur in both puppies and adult dogs. For puppies it is usually a genetic condition but can also be a surgically repairable condition. If it isn’t passed on from a parent it is then considered ‘idiopathic’ which means the cause is unknown.
For adult dogs is can be a secondary condition from another diseases such a Thyroid issues, Addisons or other Neurologic disorders. For Hermie, this is a secondary condition from his Addisons.
If not addressed ingested food sits in the oesophagus within the chest cavity and never makes it to the stomach. This can cause vomiting, choking and can lead to more serious conditions such a pneumonia.
Dogs with Megaesophagus are required to be fed in a Bailey Chair. This chair forces them into an upright position which helps the food to move down the throat into the stomach. Meals need to be moistened and they should be fed multiple smaller meals throughout the day instead of one large meal. They should be encouraged to drink whilst in the upright position also. They need to remain in the chair for a period of time after they finish eating to ensure all their food passes into their stomach. For older dogs, such as Hermie, feeding in a Bailey Chair can be difficult as they may be unable to hold their body weight comfortably and safely in the upright position. In this case the dog should be fed sitting up (you can rest their paws on something at shoulder height also) and they should be hand fed smaller amounts of food and supervised at all times.
Signs that your dog may have Megaesophagus are;
- Vomiting up food, water or mucous.
- Refusing to eat
- ‘Hacking’ / trying to clear their throat
- Bad breath
- Sudden weight loss
- Coughing/choking when trying to eat
- Suffering pneumonia on a regular basis
If you have any health concerns for your dog you should ALWAYS contact your vet.
This information sourced from http://www.caninemegaesophagus.org/
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