Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Risk factors for adult-onset megaesophagus in Australian dogs
By Renwick, M et al.·Published in BMC veterinary research·2020·Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, Australia·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A case-control study to identify risk factors for adult-onset idiopathic megaoesophagus in Australian dogs, 2017-2018.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of Australian dogs, particularly those in the Victorian Police, experienced a significant outbreak of megaoesophagus, a condition where the esophagus becomes enlarged and can lead to swallowing difficulties. Researchers found that the incidence of this condition increased seven-fold from 2014 to 2018, with more cases appearing during warmer months. The study indicated that feeding dogs a specific food called Mars Petcare Advance Dermocare was linked to a higher risk of developing megaoesophagus. Pet owners should be cautious about this food, especially if their dog shows signs of swallowing problems or regurgitation.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Epidemiological investigations were carried out following detection of an outbreak of megaoesophagus in Victorian Police working dogs in early 2018 and an increase in the number of canine megaoesophagus cases reported by companion animal veterinarians in Eastern Australia starting in late 2017. VetCompass Australia data were used to quantify the incidence of canine megaoesophagus for the period January 2012 to February 2018 and a matched case-control study carried out to identify individual animal risk factors for canine megaoesophagus in 2017-2018. RESULTS: There was a 7-fold increase in the incidence rate of canine megaoesophagus from 2014 (0.11 [95% CI 0.02 to 0.58] cases per 100,000 dogs per day) to 2018 (0.82 [95% CI 0.19 to 4.2] cases per 100,000 dogs per day). Since 2013, the incidence of megaoesophagus in Australia has shown a seasonal pattern, with greater numbers of cases diagnosed during the warmer months of the year. In the case-control study, use of Mars Petcare Advance Dermocare as a source of food was 325 (95% CI 64 to 1644) times greater for cases, compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses provide evidence that the feeding of Advance Dermocare was responsible for the majority of cases in the outbreak of megaoesophagus in Eastern Australia in 2017-2018. The increase in the incidence rate of megaoesophagus in Australia since 2014-2015 warrants further investigation.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32448348/