Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Puppy with drooling and swallowing trouble helped by phenobarbital
By Gibbon, Kristi J et al.·Published in Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association·2004·Department of Medical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Phenobarbital-responsive ptyalism, dysphagia, and apparent esophageal spasm in a German shepherd puppy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-week-old male German shepherd puppy was brought to the vet because he was drooling excessively, having trouble swallowing, and vomiting. Tests showed that his esophagus was spasming, which was causing these symptoms. The vet started him on phenobarbital, a medication often used for seizures, and the puppy responded very well, with all his symptoms disappearing. While the exact cause of his condition is not fully understood, the treatment was effective and helped him recover completely.
People also search for: German shepherd puppy drooling treatment · puppy vomiting and trouble swallowing · phenobarbital for dog esophageal spasm
Abstract
A 10-week-old, male German shepherd dog was presented with a primary complaint of episodic ptyalism, dysphagia, vomiting, and mandibular salivary gland enlargement. An esophagram with fluoroscopy showed normal pharyngeal and esophageal function; however, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and cervical ultrasonography revealed a focal circumferential thickening of the midcervical esophageal muscular wall, consistent with esophageal spasm. The puppy responded dramatically and completely to phenobarbital treatment. An unusual syndrome of phenobarbital-responsive hypersialosis was consistent with this dog's clinical presentation and the finding of apparent esophageal spasm. The pathogenesis of this syndrome is unclear, but it may represent a form of limbic epilepsy or peripheral autonomic dysfunction.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15131105/