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Valkyria
Young Weim
Joined: 09 Jan 2008
Posts: 121
Location: Costa Rica
Fur Kids: Lexx - Weim
Wally - Beagle Mix
Jethro - Rotie Mix |
 Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for all the kind words! You are all so sweet  |
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Valkyria
Young Weim
Joined: 09 Jan 2008
Posts: 121
Location: Costa Rica
Fur Kids: Lexx - Weim
Wally - Beagle Mix
Jethro - Rotie Mix |
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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| AmazingGrayce wrote: | She has not been diagnosed with it..it was just mentioned when I had to take her to the ER vet a little over a year ago. She was regurgitating and it was HORRIBLE. Stuff was just spewing out, no gagging, wretching or anything. It was the worst night of my life.
She also regurgitated (and not vomit) all night another time that she got into a jar of peanut butter.
She also will do it like once a week or so after eatting..no wretching or anything its just like a few little kibbles come back up.
She also does this swallowing thing. She will just swallow and swallow and swallow for no reason like something is caught in her throat. I also always use a harness for taking her on long walks because the slighest pull on her collar makes her start swallowing like that and often do a gagging cough.
So I often wondered since that time I took her and they mentioned megaesophagus if theres any chance she does have some issues w/ her esophagus. Shes really only had 2 major regurgitation incidents and otherwise it hasnt seemed to effect her very much.
I dont know anything about it and what the symtoms really are....thats why when he mentioned his dog having it I was wondering what its like.
Is it common it weims?? |
Wow...those are all symptoms of megaesophagus, however, since you said "She also will do it like once a week or so after eatting" it doesn't sound like Grace's case is too bad (if she in fact has M.E. that is)
It is very very important that you mention this to your vet, they will probably have to take some x-rays to know if her esophagus is larger than usual. I don't understand why (because this is a condition that REALLY needs attention) but vets don't seem to care much about it.
My next post will have lots of information you really need, it will be kinda long, but it's also very important  |
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Valkyria
Young Weim
Joined: 09 Jan 2008
Posts: 121
Location: Costa Rica
Fur Kids: Lexx - Weim
Wally - Beagle Mix
Jethro - Rotie Mix |
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:17 pm Post subject: |
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What is Mega Esophagus?
Mega esophagus is basically an enlarged or stretched esophagus (tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach). The muscles in the esophagus that are responsible for pushing food along do not work properly because the nerves that control them are partially or completely paralyzed. A dog’s esophagus runs parallel to the floor. Because the esophagus muscles are weak or non-functioning, whatever the dog eats or drinks can pool in the esophagus stretching the esophagus further and potentially creating pouches or pockets. These pockets collect food and water, where they will remain until the dog regurgitates them.
What is Regurgitation?
Regurgitation is a passive occurrence. In other words, it tends to be a bit unexpected and often there is no warning that something is about to come out of the mouth. The dog may bark, and you’ll hear the ‘splat’ of something coming out. The dog may burp and something will come up. What comes out of the dog is often undigested food or water. Regurgitation is a symptom of mega esophagus, vomiting is not.
Why is regurgitation a problem?
The pooling of materials in the esophagus may further damage the esophagus, and may even result in painful ulcers or esophagitis. It is important that whatever goes into the dog’s mouth gets to the stomach or it will sit in the esophagus until it comes back out (regurgitation).
What is Aspiration Pneumonia?
When regurgitation occurs there is also an increased risk that the dog will aspirate/inhale materials into the lungs (food, water, stomach acid, saliva, etc.). Aspirating anything into the lungs can cause life-threatening aspiration pneumonia (AP). Though your dog may never develop AP, it is a potential danger for every dog with mega esophagus, and one for which you must be vigilant. Each time a dog has AP, scar tissue may form in the lungs. With recurring bouts of AP, the space available for air may become more limited, making breathing more difficult. Preventing AP is very important; adapting your dog’s daily routine is crucial to prevention. If you suspect your dog has aspirated, immediate medical attention is recommended. Antibiotic administration is strongly encouraged if your dog is showing symptoms of AP because physical symptoms may precede x-ray abnormalities by 48 hours. Recognizing AP early, before the lung/s are weakened, is critical in dogs with mega esophagus. Loss of appetite or lethargy may be the first noticeable symptom.
How did my dog get this? Will it ever go away or be cured?
Mega esophagus can affect any breed and size of dog. It may be congenital (inherited, possibly present at birth), or idiopathic (cause unknown). It may also be secondary to another condition. There are a variety of specific health disorders that may cause mega esophagus. Two of the more commonly seen conditions are myasthenia gravis (MG) and hypothyroidism. Having tests to rule underlying conditions in or out is recommended because many can be treated, and with treatment the esophagus may improve (or reverse). Your veterinarian will be able to help evaluate any other symptoms your dog is exhibiting and may suggest other tests as well. While the hope exists that your dog may be one of the lucky ones whose esophagus reverses completely, many dogs that have mega esophagus will have it for the remainder of their lives. Some puppies that are born with mega esophagus or develop it very early in life do outgrow it, but there are no guarantees.
What can I do for my dog?
1) Feed (and water) your dog vertically: We all know this may increase the risk for bloat, you must make sure your dog is not swallowing too much air while eating or drinking in this position.
2) Keep your dog vertical for a minimum of 15-20 minutes after each meal: This will help all the food and water go all the way down to the stomach instead of staying in the esophagus.
3) Find the right food and consistency: Some dogs can only tolerate a very liquid consistency for their food, while others do best with rolled balls of food that are swallowed whole. There are also many dogs that fall somewhere in between. You will have to find what works best for your dog through trial and error.
4) Feed smaller, more frequent meals: This will minimize pooling of materials in your dog’s esophagus and allow the body time for digestion.
6)Try to get your dog to sleep with his/her shoulders and head elevated:Many dogs have more trouble at night, or very early morning. This is because dogs often lay flat with their upper bodies level to their stomachs, which may promote reflux. If you can, get your dog to lay with shoulders and head on a pillow. Or if your dog is crated, put something under one end of the kennel and encourage your dog to sleep with his/her head at the raised end. This will help keep stomach acid, food and water from flowing back into the esophagus.
6) With Lexx, I found that massaging his troath (VERY gently) after he eats or drinks water helps alot:This may sound weird, but I can actually hear food and water going down to his stomach while I do this haha! 
____________________
Hope this helps! If you have any question please let me know! |
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AmazingGrayce
Adult Weim
Joined: 18 May 2008
Posts: 466
Location: Marlton, NJ
Fur Kids: Windy\'s Amazing Grayce (Grace)
Weimaraner
Title: spoiled brat
Nell
Maine coon
Title: dogs pillow
Bella
Long haired cat
Title: dogs toy |
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:33 pm Post subject: |
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| Valkyria wrote: | What is Mega Esophagus?
Mega esophagus is basically an enlarged or stretched esophagus (tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach). The muscles in the esophagus that are responsible for pushing food along do not work properly because the nerves that control them are partially or completely paralyzed. A dog’s esophagus runs parallel to the floor. Because the esophagus muscles are weak or non-functioning, whatever the dog eats or drinks can pool in the esophagus stretching the esophagus further and potentially creating pouches or pockets. These pockets collect food and water, where they will remain until the dog regurgitates them.
What is Regurgitation?
Regurgitation is a passive occurrence. In other words, it tends to be a bit unexpected and often there is no warning that something is about to come out of the mouth. The dog may bark, and you’ll hear the ‘splat’ of something coming out. The dog may burp and something will come up. What comes out of the dog is often undigested food or water. Regurgitation is a symptom of mega esophagus, vomiting is not.
Why is regurgitation a problem?
The pooling of materials in the esophagus may further damage the esophagus, and may even result in painful ulcers or esophagitis. It is important that whatever goes into the dog’s mouth gets to the stomach or it will sit in the esophagus until it comes back out (regurgitation).
What is Aspiration Pneumonia?
When regurgitation occurs there is also an increased risk that the dog will aspirate/inhale materials into the lungs (food, water, stomach acid, saliva, etc.). Aspirating anything into the lungs can cause life-threatening aspiration pneumonia (AP). Though your dog may never develop AP, it is a potential danger for every dog with mega esophagus, and one for which you must be vigilant. Each time a dog has AP, scar tissue may form in the lungs. With recurring bouts of AP, the space available for air may become more limited, making breathing more difficult. Preventing AP is very important; adapting your dog’s daily routine is crucial to prevention. If you suspect your dog has aspirated, immediate medical attention is recommended. Antibiotic administration is strongly encouraged if your dog is showing symptoms of AP because physical symptoms may precede x-ray abnormalities by 48 hours. Recognizing AP early, before the lung/s are weakened, is critical in dogs with mega esophagus. Loss of appetite or lethargy may be the first noticeable symptom.
How did my dog get this? Will it ever go away or be cured?
Mega esophagus can affect any breed and size of dog. It may be congenital (inherited, possibly present at birth), or idiopathic (cause unknown). It may also be secondary to another condition. There are a variety of specific health disorders that may cause mega esophagus. Two of the more commonly seen conditions are myasthenia gravis (MG) and hypothyroidism. Having tests to rule underlying conditions in or out is recommended because many can be treated, and with treatment the esophagus may improve (or reverse). Your veterinarian will be able to help evaluate any other symptoms your dog is exhibiting and may suggest other tests as well. While the hope exists that your dog may be one of the lucky ones whose esophagus reverses completely, many dogs that have mega esophagus will have it for the remainder of their lives. Some puppies that are born with mega esophagus or develop it very early in life do outgrow it, but there are no guarantees.
What can I do for my dog?
1) Feed (and water) your dog vertically: We all know this may increase the risk for bloat, you must make sure your dog is not swallowing too much air while eating or drinking in this position.
2) Keep your dog vertical for a minimum of 15-20 minutes after each meal: This will help all the food and water go all the way down to the stomach instead of staying in the esophagus.
3) Find the right food and consistency: Some dogs can only tolerate a very liquid consistency for their food, while others do best with rolled balls of food that are swallowed whole. There are also many dogs that fall somewhere in between. You will have to find what works best for your dog through trial and error.
4) Feed smaller, more frequent meals: This will minimize pooling of materials in your dog’s esophagus and allow the body time for digestion.
6)Try to get your dog to sleep with his/her shoulders and head elevated:Many dogs have more trouble at night, or very early morning. This is because dogs often lay flat with their upper bodies level to their stomachs, which may promote reflux. If you can, get your dog to lay with shoulders and head on a pillow. Or if your dog is crated, put something under one end of the kennel and encourage your dog to sleep with his/her head at the raised end. This will help keep stomach acid, food and water from flowing back into the esophagus.
6) With Lexx, I found that massaging his troath (VERY gently) after he eats or drinks water helps alot:This may sound weird, but I can actually hear food and water going down to his stomach while I do this haha!
____________________
Hope this helps! If you have any question please let me know! |
ughhhhh this totally describes what happens. WOW i really think she has this or at least a mild case of it.
The swallowing thing she almost always does when shes eatting her food...she takes a moutful and swallows swallows swalows...the best way to describe it is like someone whos trying to swallow a pill without water.
Ive mentioned it to the vet and he looks at me like Im nuts. I think I need to mention it again w/ a complete history of whats been going on (I moved from Illinois to NJ so her vet has changed..the current vet didnt deal w/ any of the major regurgitation issues I had). Another thing she does it when I come hoem from her being in the crate...she always has a big kong with treats and peanut butter in it. She gets really worked up in her crate as she suffers from SA...but she does still take some time to eat her kong. Often when I come home she runs out of the crate and will regurgitate (again not vomit) peanut butter from the kong. Peanut butter seems to be common cause for her doing this...Im assuming maybe bc its sticky and hard to swallow to begin with.
Man..I totally think she has this!
Is there medication? Or is it just treated by adjusting food and taking the precautionary measures you listed?
I wish I asked more questions when it was mentioned hte first time. |
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AmazingGrayce
Adult Weim
Joined: 18 May 2008
Posts: 466
Location: Marlton, NJ
Fur Kids: Windy\'s Amazing Grayce (Grace)
Weimaraner
Title: spoiled brat
Nell
Maine coon
Title: dogs pillow
Bella
Long haired cat
Title: dogs toy |
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:35 pm Post subject: |
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| IF she has this is this something I should inform her breeder. |
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Valkyria
Young Weim
Joined: 09 Jan 2008
Posts: 121
Location: Costa Rica
Fur Kids: Lexx - Weim
Wally - Beagle Mix
Jethro - Rotie Mix |
| Posted: Fri Jun 27, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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| AmazingGrayce wrote: |
ughhhhh this totally describes what happens. WOW i really think she has this or at least a mild case of it.
The swallowing thing she almost always does when shes eatting her food...she takes a moutful and swallows swallows swalows...the best way to describe it is like someone whos trying to swallow a pill without water.
Ive mentioned it to the vet and he looks at me like Im nuts. I think I need to mention it again w/ a complete history of whats been going on (I moved from Illinois to NJ so her vet has changed..the current vet didnt deal w/ any of the major regurgitation issues I had). Another thing she does it when I come hoem from her being in the crate...she always has a big kong with treats and peanut butter in it. She gets really worked up in her crate as she suffers from SA...but she does still take some time to eat her kong. Often when I come home she runs out of the crate and will regurgitate (again not vomit) peanut butter from the kong. Peanut butter seems to be common cause for her doing this...Im assuming maybe bc its sticky and hard to swallow to begin with.
Man..I totally think she has this!
Is there medication? Or is it just treated by adjusting food and taking the precautionary measures you listed?
I wish I asked more questions when it was mentioned hte first time. |
I definately think you should let the breeder know if Grace has M.E. because it might be a congenital (inherited) condition, so, her siblings might have the same disease.
I gave Lexx some peanut butter once and it was a complete disaster! He regurgitated 6 times in 10 minutes...no more peanut butter for Lexx!
Vets can be real jerks some times, my vet would say "maybe the food is coming back up because Lexx is such a playful dog". I KNOW he wouldn't have tested Lexx for M.E if hubby and I hadn't insisted in knowing what was wrong..."too much energy" was definately NOT an answer to having to clean our floors 5 times a day!
You should insist as much as you can, even if he looks at you like you are nuts because Grace's case sounds a little too familiar to me  M.E. is very dangerous if you don't take the proper precautions.
About Medication:
Discuss this with your veterinarian. While there is no drug that cures megaesophagus, many dogs do take some sort of medication. Your veterinarian may suggest a drug called Carafate/Sucralfate to prevent damage to the esophagus by coating it with a protective barrier. It will also ‘bandage’ existing ulcers and erosions in the esophagus and stomach to help them heal. It must be given an hour before or two hours after any other medication or food as it can bind with other medications preventing them from working properly or bind with food potentially causing a blockage. Acid inhibitors may also be helpful. Acid inhibitors suppress or block the production of stomach acid helping to prevent acid reflux which can burn the esophagus, create ulcers or be aspirated into the lungs. Acid inhibitors are not the same thing as antacids (such as Tums or Maalox). There are a variety of acid inhibitors and some work best given twice daily. Your veterinarian can help you decide if acid inhibitors are appropriate for your dog and which one is best. If your veterinarian feels an acid inhibitor may benefit your dog, regular testing for B-12 levels may be recommended. B vitamins require an acid environment for absorption. Long term use of acid inhibitors can alter the stomach chemistry potentially leading to a B vitamin deficiency. Motility drugs may help some dogs by moving the food out of the stomach more quickly, further minimizing reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Be aware that many medications can have side effects or interact negatively with other medications. It is imperative that you always talk to your veterinarian before giving your dog any medication. |
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EvasMums
Puppy
Joined: 28 Jun 2008
Posts: 1
Location: Houston TX
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| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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Valkyria-- Re. What is Mega Esophagus - that was all very, very well written. I just popped in to ask if this is something that you wrote or if not, where/who the originating source is.
Thanks,
Peg M. |
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Valkyria
Young Weim
Joined: 09 Jan 2008
Posts: 121
Location: Costa Rica
Fur Kids: Lexx - Weim
Wally - Beagle Mix
Jethro - Rotie Mix |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:13 pm Post subject: |
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| EvasMums wrote: | Valkyria-- Re. What is Mega Esophagus - that was all very, very well written. I just popped in to ask if this is something that you wrote or if not, where/who the originating source is.
Thanks,
Peg M. |
Oh no I did not write it Peg, it's all from the Megaesophagus Group at Yahoo! Groups. Once you join, they send you a Brochure full of great information. I only posted a portion of it because it's too long 
This is the URL to the group:
 http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/megaesophagus/ |
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AmazingGrayce
Adult Weim
Joined: 18 May 2008
Posts: 466
Location: Marlton, NJ
Fur Kids: Windy\'s Amazing Grayce (Grace)
Weimaraner
Title: spoiled brat
Nell
Maine coon
Title: dogs pillow
Bella
Long haired cat
Title: dogs toy |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Valkyria wrote: | | EvasMums wrote: | Valkyria-- Re. What is Mega Esophagus - that was all very, very well written. I just popped in to ask if this is something that you wrote or if not, where/who the originating source is.
Thanks,
Peg M. |
Oh no I did not write it Peg, it's all from the Megaesophagus Group at Yahoo! Groups. Once you join, they send you a Brochure full of great information. I only posted a portion of it because it's too long
This is the URL to the group:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/megaesophagus/ |
I just joined that group and am posting @ Grace to get some opinions.
Thanks for sharing all the info! |
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Valkyria
Young Weim
Joined: 09 Jan 2008
Posts: 121
Location: Costa Rica
Fur Kids: Lexx - Weim
Wally - Beagle Mix
Jethro - Rotie Mix |
| Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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| AmazingGrayce wrote: | I just joined that group and am posting @ Grace to get some opinions.
Thanks for sharing all the info! |
You are very welcome! |
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