Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Young dogs with swallowing trouble cured by cricopharyngeal muscle
By Niles, J D et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2001·Small Animal Teaching Hospital, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Resolution of dysphagia following cricopharyngeal myectomy in six young dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Six young dogs were brought to the vet because they had trouble swallowing (dysphagia) and were regurgitating food through their noses since they were puppies. After some tests, the vet found that they had a condition called cricopharyngeal achalasia, which affects how the throat muscles work. The dogs underwent surgery to remove part of the muscle, and this treatment worked very well—within a short time, all the dogs no longer had swallowing problems or regurgitation, and they remained healthy for up to eight years after the surgery. There were no complications from the surgery.
People also search for: dog swallowing problems · puppy regurgitation treatment · cricopharyngeal achalasia in dogs
Abstract
Six young dogs were presented with a history of dysphagia and nasal regurgitation since birth. Following cranial nerve examination and assessment of swallowing with fluoroscopy, a diagnosis of cricopharyngeal achalasia was made in each case. In four dogs, concomitant aspiration pneumonia was present. Sectioning and removal of part of the cricopharyngeal muscle resulted in immediate and continued resolution of all signs of dysphagia and nasal regurgitation over follow-up periods of two to eight years. Postoperative complications were not seen in any case. In five of the six dogs, the cricopharyngeal muscle was approached laterally, a technique not previously described.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11219822/