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Peer-reviewed veterinary case report

How the dog's stomach and esophagus meet affects reflux disease risk

By Pratschke, K M et al.·Published in Research in veterinary science·2004·Department of Veterinary Surgery·View original on PubMed

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Original publication title: Topography of the gastro-oesophageal junction in the dog revisited: possible clinical implications.

Species:
dog
Stomach & digestionDogs

Plain-English summary

Researchers looked at the anatomy of the area where the esophagus meets the stomach in six Greyhounds and six Beagles. They found that there were big differences in this area between individual dogs, so they couldn't establish a standard layout. Most of the time, the esophagus was located entirely in the chest, rather than extending into the abdomen, which means it wasn't affected by pressure from the abdomen. This information could help veterinarians understand conditions like hiatal hernia and gastro-esophageal reflux disease (where stomach contents flow back into the esophagus) better.

Abstract

The topographical anatomy of the gastro-oesophageal junction was evaluated in six Greyhounds and six Beagles with particular emphasis on the inter-relationship of anatomic structures and landmarks. Significant variation existed between individuals, and a standard topography could not be identified. It was not possible to document the consistent presence of an intra-abdominal oesophagus in either breed examined; in the majority of cases the oesophagus was contained entirely within the thoracic cavity such that no portion of the oesophagus could be subject to abdominal pressures. This has implications for understanding the pathogenesis of hiatal hernia associated gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

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Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15046949/