Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Liquid sildenafil treatment for megaesophagus in dogs study
By Mehain, Susan O et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2022·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: A randomized crossover study of compounded liquid sildenafil for treatment of generalized megaesophagus in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 10 dogs with megaesophagus (a condition where the esophagus doesn't function properly) were given either a liquid medication called sildenafil or a placebo for two weeks to see if it would help reduce their regurgitation and improve their weight. The results showed that sildenafil did lead to fewer regurgitation episodes and an increase in body weight compared to the placebo, but it didn't significantly improve how well the dogs cleared food from their esophagus or their overall quality of life. While some benefits were noted, the improvements weren't enough to be considered clinically significant.
People also search for: dog megaesophagus treatment · sildenafil for dogs regurgitation · why is my dog regurgitating food
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether delivery of compounded liquid sildenafil directly to the stomach of dogs with megaesophagus (ME) would affect esophageal clearance, regurgitation frequency, body weight, or quality of life. ANIMALS: 10 client-owned otherwise healthy dogs with stable ME. PROCEDURES: A randomized crossover study was performed. Dogs received either sildenafil (1 mg/kg, PO, q 12 h) or a placebo for 14 days, followed by a 7-day washout period, then the opposite treatment for 14 days. Esophageal clearance time was assessed by means of videofluoroscopy prior to treatment and on day 1 of each treatment period. Owners maintained logs of regurgitation episodes and quality of life. RESULTS: Compounded liquid sildenafil moved into the stomach during 21 of 30 (70%) videofluoroscopy sessions. Sildenafil resulted in a significant reduction in the number of regurgitation episodes (median, 3.5 episodes/wk; range, 0 to 14.5 episodes/wk), compared with baseline (median, 6.5 episodes/wk; range, 1.5 to 19.5 episodes/wk) and the placebo (median, 4 episodes/wk; range, 0 to 28 episodes/wk), and a significant increase in body weight (median, 22.05 kg; range, 6 to 26.3 kg), compared with baseline (median, 21.55 kg; range, 5.1 to 26.2 kg) and the placebo (median, 22.9 kg; range, 5.8 to 25.9 kg). There were no differences in esophageal clearance times or quality-of life-scores between sildenafil and placebo. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although significant differences with placebo administration were identified, clinically relevant improvements were not seen with the use of compounded liquid sildenafil in dogs with ME.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35066488/