mega oesophagus - experiences good and bad please.

[misst]

So further to my thread on Ruby for the last few days my vet has mentioned the dreaded mega oesophagus as a possibility. He cannot do a barium over the weekend but will do on Tuesday if needed. Having read symptoms it seems a big possibility.

I am, having read what is involved, feeding upright and keeping the dog like this in a bailey chair or similar for up to 45 minutes post feed, slurry feeds or meatball feeds, feeding tubes (just NO), and gelatine cubes instead of water, I am unsure this is for my dog or myself.

It seems there are drugs that might help but not cure the problem and if developed as an adult the condition is likely to persist. She is 2 years old and I am awake at 5am just going over the whole scenario.

My immediate instinct is PTS if this is the diagnosis for sure. I am committed to my animals but the sheer work involved with every feed and the fact that OH and myself go away a fair bit and family members look after our dogs when we are away seems unreasonable. This could go on for years and there is a constant need to keep their head higher than their stomach, even when sleeping. Muzzles are suggested on walks to avoid drinking or eating anything. There is lots on the internet about people saving their dogs from being PTS and I feel awful even thinking like this. But this just seems a poor quality of life for my dog and for my family. Regurgitation also continues up to several times a day.

Sorry for the ramble but I'm tired and emotional and feeling a bit crap. I am just trying to get my thinking straight. If anyone has been successful for any length of time with this condition I would be interested. I distrust what I am reading online as the people concerned refer to their (grown up dogs) as their pups or their furbabies and I am looking at what they have written and feeling overwhelmed. She is my little baby in many ways but she is a dog, a terrier, 2 years old and full of energy. The idea of trying to do all the things suggested seems impossible and even cruel.

Can someone sensible please talk some common sense to me. And yes I will discuss with my vet in the morning but he will say wait until we have a diagnosis and I need to get my head straight if possible! Thank you x

 

[Ratface]

I think that an animal's quality of life, now and going forward, is the primary consideration when facing such a decision.
I'm in the "Do not strive to keep alive" camp when faced with deciding what's best for a beloved animal.
The necessary management programme/procedures your vet has spoken of and described, are not, imho, consistent with a good quality of life.
Waiting in such a limbo is horrible. Make a big fuss of your dog and spoil her a little bit whilst you wait for the barium meal and X-ray results.
If the eventual diagnosis indicates a poor quality of life I would, if she was my dog, pts.

 

[misst]

Thanks Ratface that is my feeling. My vet has not suggested any treatment as she does not have an official diagnosis yet but he mentioned it late last night as a possiblity. Being the sort of person I am, and having seen something about it on a TV show at some point I made the mistake of googling it. There are all sorts of societies and groups that go on about hope for these dogs. They say PTS is unnecessary blah blah but I read it and my thoughts are just that this is not what I want for my dog. The idea of the feeding chair, a muzzle, a neck cushion every night, mopping up after her (selfish of me maybe but everyones quality of life would be affected) and her not being able to drink normally seems terrible.

I am not deciding obviously now but I am the sort of person who likes information and time to make decisions. I think if this is the diagnosis my gut reaction would be PTS - but then I feel selfish reading about all these people who do this stuff. I really don't think Ruby would have a nice life doing all that. She is extremely tolerant but she is a young terriorist at heart and needs to be that dog not a sick animal for the rest of her life.

Sorry waffling again.

 

[DabDab]

I have a friend who had a dog with it some years ago. She did try to manage it initially but but ended up PTS after I think a few months. It was the drinking that caused the problem really as it was very difficult to stop him drinking water and he would develop low level pneumonia as a result. It wasn't a nice life for a dog really and having seen it I am fairly certain I would go with a decision to PTS if one of mine had it.

From the description you gave on your other thread though it sounded more like yours was genuinely vomitting rather than regurgitating...?

 

[Clodagh]

I hope it isn’t. But if it is I couldn’t put a dog through that. So no drinking out in walks? Or eating a bit of rabbit poo without being I’ll? It sounds awful.

 

[misst]

Dab dab vet said last night it seems more of a regurgitation. She just sort of opens her mouth and it comes out. No retching etc. She is worse if she is allowed to walk/sniff in their garden and better if quiet in the kennel. I am hoping it's not that but having googled a lot it does seem to fit with everything. Obviously I'm not going to PTS now but my feeling is if it continues I cannot manage her like the websites say. I just feel guilty as of course they all talk about their commitment and love for their pup/furbaby. But she is a 2 yo dog not a pup or a furbaby and loves her active, naughty, poo eating, underwear stealing generally joyful life. I am just overthinking as usual I hope.

 

[misst]

Clodagh I hope it's not. Just feel bad about not being up for all the stuff that needs to manage it for however long. It's just not what I think she'll want either.

 

[Sandstone1]

I would just wait and see what the diagnosis is, you are doing what I probably would do if it were me and worrying about what has not happened yet. If it is what you are thinking the good thing is that she is a small dog who would be a lot easier to cope with than a big one for feeding etc.

 

[skinnydipper]

No personal experience but a long time ago I used to meet a Dalmation when out walking with mine.

You wouldn't have known anything was wrong with him, sniffing, running, playing but it was huge commitment for his owners. They were constantly vigilant when he was out, no drinking, no treats from anyone. He ate his meals in a Bailey chair. I remember he had an episode of aspiration pneumonia. I met him over a period of a few years.

Looking after a dog with a serious chronic illness isn't easy and I think the quality of life of the owners should also be taken into account when making a decision about the dog.

I don't know how I would manage the big girl if she was diagnosed with it, or if I would want to.

It is a decision only you and OH can make, misst, but I think everyone on here would fully understand and sympathise if you made the decision that PTS was the kindest option for you all.

 

[DabDab]

Dab dab vet said last night it seems more of a regurgitation. She just sort of opens her mouth and it comes out. No retching etc. She is worse if she is allowed to walk/sniff in their garden and better if quiet in the kennel. I am hoping it's not that but having googled a lot it does seem to fit with everything. Obviously I'm not going to PTS now but my feeling is if it continues I cannot manage her like the websites say. I just feel guilty as of course they all talk about their commitment and love for their pup/furbaby. But she is a 2 yo dog not a pup or a furbaby and loves her active, naughty, poo eating, underwear stealing generally joyful life. I am just overthinking as usual I hope.

Oh ?, well will keep fingers firmly crossed that she is just a strange vomitter ?

 

[Tiddlypom]

Gosh, I hope that it isn't mega oesophagus but if it is, you could try managing her initially and see how it goes.

Don't listen to the 'fur baby' brigade who will brag about keeping their frankly miserable dogs alive. You seem like a very sensible owner who will do the best by your dog.

 

[misst]

Gosh, I hope that it isn't mega oesophagus but if it is, you could try managing her initially and see how it goes.

Don't listen to the 'fur baby' brigade who will brag about keeping their frankly miserable dogs alive. You seem like a very sensible owner who will do the best by your dog.

One of my horses was suspected of having mega oesophagus once, but it proved not be, and she's been fine for many years.

Thank you. I am a pragmatic person and I don't even have a diagnosis yet so might be getting ahead of myself. It's just easy to read all this stuff with the words there is always hope never give up on your pup. I wish I hadn't looked. I will follow my vets advice and look at what Ruby is actually doing and stop reading these websites at 5am when I'm stressed?

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I do hope it isn't that but , as you asked, I would find it very difficult to put a dog through that kind of life. I want my dogs to enjoy their lives to the full. I'm afraid I wouldn't want to try to manage the condition, not because I couldn't do it but because it sounds like no life for a dog. So if one of mine was given the diagnosis unequivocally, I would pts sooner rather than later. I would be very sad about it but sure that it was in the dog's best interests.

 

[tiggipop]

my boy had it .... fed raised but not in the chair - soaked kibble only. will reply in more detail later but one little thing suggested on one site i visited was slippery elm powder in water and on feeds, this worked well for my boy and it was noticeable if i had run low and was not giving enough. my boy could bring back food (no retching ) 4 or 5 hours after eating if he stood up quickly, we believed the food had not got to his stomach and was sitting in wrong place. he did get aspiration pneumonia and at this point looking back i should have PTS as it weakened him x x

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

My little rescue Patterdale arrived with us under a year old emaciated, riddled with worms and imminently due to have pups. She had three, two were rehomed via a rescue over here and we kept the little bitch. Clone of her mother and a feisty little tyke.

Sadly at just 9weeks she developed all the symptoms and after just a few days developed pneumonia. Curiously her mother had rapidly gone from adoring this little pup to not wanting it anywhere near her, even snarling at it if it tried to snuggle up with her. She was very poorly and we agreed with our vet that her quality of life would have been abysmal and she was PTS.

I think Poppy her mum had already deemed the pup as a sick outsider and was showing nature's cruel way of rejecting the weak and feeble. Very harsh but I do wonder if sometimes we need to be a bit tougher for the sake of our pet's quality of life

I really hope and pray it isn't this but personally if it is confirmed I would definitely PTS. ?

 

[misst]

Thank you everyone ?
I suspect if this is the diagnosis we will PTS as she needs to lead the life she enjoys.
My practice does not like to use an OOH vet but do occasionally. Poor senior chap has been single handed for Friday night yesterday and last night. I was desperate to get her home to see if she perked up so he's made sure she's fully hydrated and got meds with her and I've brought her home to be quietly with us for a while. He is calling this afternoon to see how she is but at least he can leave the surgery for a while and I can have Ruby cuddles. She's quiet but ok. Regurged once on arrival but can be car sick anyway. Having a snooze on her bed now

 

[Christmascinnamoncookie]

My parents in law’s springer had this or something similar. He was fed raised up and given ground up kibble. He wasn’t a scavenger, which helped. Looking at my 2, who make use of the ‘drinking tree’ in the woods and love scavenging a handful of kibble thrown on the lawn, I’m not sure I would want the bailey chair route. As you said, who is it for?

 

[splashgirl45]

Quality of life is the most important thing for our dogs. You are thinking the way I would, if one of mine couldn’t have a good quality of life the I would PTS, no living without being able to eat comfortably or drink when they want to . I certainly wouldn’t criticise you if PTS was your decision. Really hope you get a better diagnosis?

 

[misst]

Here she is on her big pile of blankets. Quieter than usual but licking ice cubes and declining food?

 

[AmyMay]

Here she is on her big pile of blankets. Quieter than usual but licking ice cubes and declining food?

I’m glad she’s home with you xx

 

[misst]

It didn't work ? I'll try later.

 

[Boulty]

The ones I've come across are fed wet food in balls in a special chair & stay in there for 15-20 mins post feed. (I knew of one little dog who was trained to get in there, stay unsupervised for his alloted time & then take himself out again afterwards... he was awesome!) It's advised to have a raised water bowl but ones I've come across haven't needed to sit in a chair/ be held up after drinking. Some do still regurgitate several times a day, some only do so rarely when appropriate management is followed. If quite an active dog would probably be advised to wait until several hours after a meal to exercise/ exercise first then meal later but yes can imagine the stopping them picking things up on walks etc if off lead would be very difficult

 

[Equi]

My story is not a nice one. My friends parents rescued a lurched with this. He was skin and bone because he never kept any food down, but did get slightly better under their care. They had to do the hand fed meat balls of science plan type food with literally nothing in it and he would stand his front paws on the wall/table etc but he suddenly passed away leaving a fairly horrific scene I won’t go into detail about.

 

[misst]

Equi I can't like that but thank you x
Boulty I think long term it wouldn't be a good way for her to live.

 

[misst]

So an update ... Sorry to be so long but didn't want to jinx anything.

Yesterday she had several tea spoons of food and ice cubes to lick - no regurgitation!!!

This morning at 7am I gave her a quarter of her normal breakfast and let her drink from the bowl of water. It's almost 10am and so far so good.
She is not right - very quiet and looks a bit sad but she has a huge laparotomy scar and is having regular meds which she dislikes so not unexpected. She turned up in the kitchen when we made our breakfast which is a good sign.

She is going to stay home today unless she gets worse in which case my lovely vet, who phoned x 3 yesterday and has already phoned this morning will go in to look after her. I can call him anytime.

All being well review tomorrow. She may well need further investigations and we are waiting for a poo!
But those HHO vibes are working so thank you and keep them coming x

 

[MyBoyChe]

Lovely to read your update this morning and Im firmly crossing lots of bits of me that things are still going well.
I just wanted to say that I agree with the others who have said quality of life is what counts, shes a young terrierist, she needs to live that life and if she cant, then Pts, in my opinion, is the kindest and right thing to do for Ruby. Awful for you, but right for her. Hoping though, for a positive outcome and more good news later x

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I'm so pleased that things seem to be going in the right direction. Everything still crossed.

 

[splashgirl45]

Sounding more hopeful , fingers crossed for more good news

 

[misst]

Thank you so much everyone. Yesterday morning I was convinced we would lose her soon. When she came home I actually said to OH well we can have her for 24 or 48 hours and then that might be it but at least we will get to cuddle her again.

She has so far not regurgitated or vomited anything back. She is tired and sleepy but when we got Moti's collar out late morning she actually bounced a bit and was very keen to come for a spin round the woods. We did 20 minutes very gentle walking on the lead and she was bright and interested as usual and met a couple of dog friends who she interacted with gently. She currently back in her bed sleeping but has done a couple of wees and had a small meal again which seems to be staying down.

Vet is very happy for her to stay home for now but will review her in the morning and I will message him if I have any more concerns. I wonder if just coming home has helped her relax which would help the vomiting.

It seems my worst fears are unlikely now but I know she's not out of the woods yet as we don't know why everything just stopped. But today is good day .

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

So happy to read this much more hopeful update misst. Hang in there little Ruby, you've got this you little rascal frightening everybody like this. ??