Canine megaesophagus.

[Mark Bolam]

Dutchie has had a rough couple of months after being diagnosed with an enlarged oesophagus.

Basically instead of being a tight tube it is now like a baggy sock.

Her grub is only getting to her stomach by gravity.

We can only manage it, it can’t be cured.

She is now eating from a high bowl with her grub mashed up into a gruel. Little and often.

This has only been partially successful.

She still regurgitates everything regularly.

Unless I can get it sorted she will either starve or get pneumonia by inhaling food and bile into her trachea.

Haven’t tried a Bailey chair yet.

 

I would really appreciate any help and advice from anyone who has gone through this.

 

Thanks.

 

 

[Rich Rule]

Sorry to hear that Mark.

 

Dutchie is a cracking dog.  Hope you find something to ease her day to day living.

 

Give her a tickle behind the ear from me.

[htb]

No advice for you on this, but feel for you.

[Mick Dempsey]

Poor Dutchie! No answers but best of luck.

[Ratman]

As above Mark said by others, sorry to hear. Just mentioned it to my Mrs and straight away she suggested the chair. We’ve no experience of Dutchie’s prognosis but have heard of and seen dogs adapt well to the bailey chair with successful results, mainly seen on tv programmes, and on dog forums, but i’d go for it regardless, its an option at the end of the day and if it helps her to survive then its a winner!

[Mark Bolam]

Cheers Ratman.

It is looking more and more like I’ll be breaking out the plywood and skillsaw pretty soon.

[Ratman]

It amazes me how animals adapt to situations, my mates mum rescues dogs and the amount of road accident encountered dogs shes took in that have suffered lost limbs, damaged eyes, ears ripped off etc and they STILL just battle on like theres nowt wrong, still remain loving and attentive at same time! She had one dog, bit like a sausage dog, lost a rear leg but because she was so long in the body, she struggled on walks to keep her back end up. So when on walks she had a little two wheeled cart that she used to get strapped to her back end [emoji23][emoji23] ace to see. Never bothered her at all, then round the house she just used to manage without, brilliant!!!

[Ratman]

Hows Dutchie getting on Mark???

[Mark Bolam]

Sorry Ratman, missed that!

 

Having only had partial success without it I built the Bailey chair on Monday, and this week Dutchie has shown vast improvement!

She doesn’t like it, but I think she’s beginning to understand the good it is doing her.

Yes, it’s a PITA, but it is working.

Need to build a travel version next!

[Mick Dempsey]

Bless her!