My dog regurgitates dry food but holds down wet. Is it megaesophagus?

Question

My dog is close to 2 and fully vaccinated. She is 1/2 austrailian shepherd & 1/2 anatolian shepherd & weighs 55-60lbs. 6 days ago she vomitted her dry food and hrs later vommited white foam. Since then she immediately regurgitates dry food but holds down canned food & her water. Stools are normal & no weight loss or other signs of illness. Shes on claritan twice day for mild exercise induced cough/gag episodes vet thinks could be allergy but im thinking megaesophagus. Any thoughts? Thank you

Justin Plunk, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Shepherd dogs of any breed tend to have sensitive stomachs and/or intestinal tracts, but I do share your concern that your dog could have something like megaesophagus. Differentiating between vomiting and regurgitation is often difficult, and it is possible she does both. Sometimes, chest x-rays are enough to determine if megaesophagus is present, though the absence of seeing such changes on plain film radiography does not rule-out megaesophagus completely. Sometimes, a barium swallow test with fluoroscopy is required for a definitive diagnosis. Then, if she does have megaesophagus, an underlying cause should be sought out and addressed if possible to achieve best possible management of her condition. Whether she has megaesophagus or not, abdominal x-rays would be a good idea of the vomiting and/or regurgitation persist. An abdominal ultrasound may be necessary as well to achieve a more refined diagnosis. In the meantime, I would recommend elevating her food as high as you can where she can still eat it, probably around 8-12 inches off the floor for a dog her size. Also, you can soften her dry food by applying water to it and see if she is able to keep it down. Hope this helps!

My dog regurgitates dry food but holds down wet. Is it megaesophagus?

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