Owner-perceived assessment of quality-of-life factors for dogs with megaesophagus may help veterinarians better tailor treatment plans.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life (QoL) of dogs with megaesophagus (ME) and to identify factors that impact QoL as perceived by owners of dogs with ME. METHODS: 262 owners of dogs with ME completed a questionnaire containing 30 ME-specific QoL questions as well as additional questions on demographics, disease characteristics, and management. The survey link was posted through canine ME-associated social media groups and through the authors' institution for 2 weeks from February 21 to March 7, 2023. Items were scored on the impact frequency and perceived importance as they related to QoL for owners participating in the survey. The scores were used to create an item-weighted impact score (IWIS), and an average-weighted impact score was created by averaging the IWIS. RESULTS: The top 5 negative areas impacting QoL included owners not being able to give treats to their pets (mean IWIS ± SD, -5.64 ± 0.41), being concerned about weight loss (-6.7 ± 1.39), needing to adapt their social life (-4.34 ± 1.40), not being able to board their pet (-5 ± 1.44), and having their schedule affected by their pet's ME (-5.11 ± 1.38). The average-weighted impact score was -2.47. CONCLUSIONS: This QoL assessment tool identified factors associated with canine ME that negatively impacted both owner and pet QoL. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This ME QoL assessment tool can assist clinicians' management and treatment plans for dogs with ME and provide standardized methods for assessing the effects of specific interventions on QoL.