# Anyone have any experience with esophageal problems???



## Mijo's Mom (Apr 19, 2007)

Hi everyone, just wondering if anyone else's little one has ever regurgitated before... its not vomit, but regurgitation. Should I be worried... because I AM!!! Sorry... this is kinda long but here's the full story (it goes back one month.)

Last month on a Friday Mijo regurgitated his food maybe half hour after eating. I didn't see him do it, he was in the hallway. I heard the sound and when I went to check on him he was about to eat it. It looked "feces-like" and tube-shaped but the colour of his food, a lightish brown. I didn't think much of it but then on Sunday it happened again. My husband was home at the time but he didn't hear it (so I don't know if it was vomited or regurgitated). He only saw it in the hallway. The thing that worries me is that it was beige in colour this time! (His treats are this colour but we hadn't given him treats since the day before!) It was again tube-shaped and feces-like! 

Well we brought him to the vet first thing Monday and his vet took blood, a sample of urine and feces, and looked at the beige vomit/reguritation. I brought up the idea that I thought it might have something to do with his esophagus (due to the formed regurg/vomit) but he didn't think it had anything to do with that. 

We got blood and urine test results back saying that he had some crystals in his urine and elevated liver enzymes. The vet thought that this could be caused by his high-protein diet of Orijen at 42% protein. He is now on special food for his kidneys and on medication for his liver. We were to monitor him for a month on the food and pills. The vet seemed to think that the reason for his two episodes of vomiting could be the liver/crystals problem. 

This Monday coming will be one month and he is due to go in to get re-checked this Friday. He has been just fine for the entire time except that this morning he regurgitated upstairs.  When I came home today I noticed it upstairs. 

I was never fully convinced that the liver/kidney thing is really what is wrong with Mijo. Today's regurgitation just reinforces this fear. If it is something serious I'd like to catch it before it becomes worse... 

Don't get me wrong, I am glad we caught the liver/kidney problems in the bud but I still believe that due to the "formed" regurg. he had, that it was food stuck in his esophagus. Especially because treats were not given on the day they "reappeared"!!! Am I worrying for something that doesn't happen very often? Would you be worried???

Please keep Mijo in your thoughts. Thanks in advance for your replies.


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## Judy A (Jan 13, 2007)

I hope someone can help you with this....check back with your vet and if you aren't satisfied, maybe a second opinionn is in order. In any case, I certainly hope that you find out what is wrong and get it corrected. Sending healing vibes and prayers your way....


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

I may be able to relate to this problem.

How old is Milo? How much does he weigh? Do you know th results of his blood tests? Any specific info will help me to respond to you.l


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## Lina (Apr 26, 2007)

I'm sorry to hear about Mijo's problems. I hope they can be resolved soon and I'm sorry I can't be any help.


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## casperkeep (May 16, 2007)

I hope the vet will be able to figure out what is going on with little Mijo. Hugs to you both.


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

How is Milo doing lately? 

I have no experience with regurgitation in dogs, but I think the condition you describe is Megaesophagus. It is conital in a few breeds, but I think that Milo is too old to have a congenital condition. How old is he again?

Megaesophagus can be caused by a nerve problem and needs to be ruled out. It is sometimes caused by Addisons, which should be ruled out as well. The urine chystals and elevated liver enzymes can be related to Addison's. 

BTW--you seem to have a clear concept of the difference between regurgitation and vomiting. A ph test of the regurgitation can usually confirm this, with vomit having a lower ph.

Keep us posted and let us know how Milo is doing. We always love a picture or two, as well.


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## Mijo's Mom (Apr 19, 2007)

Hi everyone! Thanks for your posts, thoughts, and prayers! Upon further review of the most recent "regurgitation" by my hubby, it MAY not have been a regurg!!! (Although being the worry wart that I am, I still think it is!) It is possible that he brought a piece of his soft food upstairs to enjoy on his bed!!! As he is on the vet prescribed food, it does not contain any gravy etc. so the canned food is quite dry and comes out in whatever fashion I spoon it out. The food did not have that "feces look" to it that the past month's regurgitation had but to me, it still looked like it had been chewed and swallowed. In any event, I will continue to keep an eye out for this regurgitation. Today was Mijo's check up, he got blood taken to measure for liver enzymes but this time around we tried and tried for a urine sample and couldn't get one! Boys are tough!  The vet tried aspirating some but he was empty.... We'll try again on Sunday night/Monday morning so we can bring in a fresh sample for testing on Monday! I will keep you posted on Mijo's test results when they arrive. **Keeping my fingers crossed for only good news!**


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Good luck with Mijo's test results. I think his photo is absolutely adorable. What a cutie!


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

Our fingers and paws are crossed for Mijo also. We'll be thinking of both of you.


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## Gracie's Mom (Sep 7, 2007)

I haven't been keeping up as much as I was with the "latest". So, I just got to your thread. I'm not sure if it has resolved itself or not yet. I had a yorkie that did that and Gracie does that from time to time. We are ruling out liver problems with her right now, but I don't get overly concerned with it because almost always it is because she is upset prior to doing it. ie. If she has had a bath or if a new person comes over to our house, etc. then she is more likely to do it. She is pretty much a one person hav and things upset her more than a usual hav - I would guess. So, I just have to realize that it probably has more to do with who she is rather than what is wrong with her. How often is Mijo doing it though? We are investigating and trying to diagnose Gracie's liver problem. I guess they could be related, but I would doubt it. My understanding is that liver problems cause more bile than "regurgitation". Not sure if this helps or not. I hope you get answers.


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## Mijo's Mom (Apr 19, 2007)

Thanks Karen. Mijo has only ever done it twice (or maybe that third time.. but that could have just been a chunk of canned food and not regurgitation.) Also, Mijo will only vomit bile when he is hungry (or when he's waiting for me to cave and give him wet food rather than the dry that is in his dish!!!) 

UPDATE ON MIJO: Phoned vet to get results of newest blood and urine tests: Liver is fine now, no elevated enzymes anymore. PHEW! However... the vet has found a DIFFERENT type of crystal in his urine this time (despite the vet-prescribed food he is on for that)  So we're not out of the woods yet.. I'm taking him for an x-ray on Tuesday to make sure he doesn't have stones. I will let you know the outcome! *Fingers still crossed for good news*

Connie


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## Me&2Girls (May 11, 2007)

Connie - great news about Mijo's liver tests. I'm so sorry about the crystals - keeping all paws crossed that he doesn't have stones.


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## Cheryl (Mar 17, 2007)

Connie, I am sorry you are still struggling with this. You might want to have the bile acids tested because the crystals could be a sign of a liver shunt or MVD. I don't want to scare you, but you want to get to the bottom of all this.


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## Mijo's Mom (Apr 19, 2007)

Hi everyone, just wanted to keep you updated. The x-rays done show that Mijo does NOT have stones. YAY!!! He's on a different low-protein prescription diet for the new crystals. He seems to be fine now thank goodness. I am hoping that everything is okay. I will bring another sample to my vet in the next few weeks to re-check urine for crystals.

PS. Cheryl, I asked vet if he thought it could be a shunt and although he said he could not rule it out he highly doubted it was because he seems fine otherwise. We'll wait and see after what the next urinalysis says --if he's still got crystals maybe I'll get him to do the bile acids test on Mijo. I'm really really really hoping that its not anything serious! Other than the vomiting, what are the other signs of shunt?

Please keep thinking healthy thoughts for Mijo! Thanks everyone!!! 

Connie


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

Connie, I know how scary this can be. How old is Mijo? How much does he weigh? All paws are crossed here!
Carole


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## Mijo's Mom (Apr 19, 2007)

Hi Carole, Mijo is going to be two this August. He weighs between 10 and 11 lbs.

Thanks for the crossed paws! 

Connie


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## mellowbo (Aug 12, 2007)

I am so glad his latest test came back good! Keep us informed so we will know when we can uncross all these paws. We feel real uncoordinated this way and keep tripping up, LOL.


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## Mijo's Mom (Apr 19, 2007)

I will find out today about Mijo's bile acids test results... although the vet didn't think it was necessary I wanted to do it just the same. (Just keep those paws crossed a little longer Carole! Hopefully we'll be in the clear soon!)


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## mintchip (Apr 19, 2007)

Best wishes Mijo and family!!


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## Judy A (Jan 13, 2007)

Praying for positive results!!!


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## mckennasedona (Feb 20, 2007)

Best wishes to Mijo.


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## Mijo's Mom (Apr 19, 2007)

Please see new thread "Mijo has primary liver disease"


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