Esophagitis is inflammation of the esophageal mucosa. In dogs the usual cause is gastric acid and pepsin washing back across a weakened gastroesophageal junction, most notoriously while the dog is under general anesthesia. Mild cases are often silent, but deep injury can heal as a fibrous stricture that leaves the dog regurgitating solid food weeks after a routine spay.
Key facts
Esophagitis and esophageal reflux at a glance- Species and system: dog (also cat); esophagus, gastrointestinal system.
- Main causes: gastroesophageal reflux (GER) during anesthesia, chronic vomiting, sliding hiatal hernia, foreign bodies, caustic or irritant drugs such as doxycycline, feeding tubes across the cardia, Spirocerca lupi.
- Classic picture: regurgitation, ptyalism and painful or repeated swallowing; a stricture shows up as progressive regurgitation of solid food 1–3 weeks after an anesthetic.
- Diagnosis: esophagoscopy for esophagitis; fluoroscopic contrast esophagram to map a stricture. Plain radiographs are usually unhelpful for esophagitis itself.
- Treatment: acid suppression (twice-daily PPI), a prokinetic to tighten the lower esophageal sphincter, sucralfate suspension, soft low-fat meals; serial balloon dilation for strictures.
- Not zoonotic or reportable.
What's inside
12 sections in the full guide- Key facts
- How the NAVLE tests this
- Cause and pathophysiology
- Clinical signs
- Diagnosis
- Differential diagnoses
- Treatment and management
- Prevention, control and public health
- Prognosis
- Quick review
- Test yourself
- References
The full guide also has 6 tables, 3 figures, 3 self-test questions and 25 references, available to NAVLE members.
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