Investigation into diseases and diet in pet dogs

Diet has a significant impact on pet health, just as it does in humans.

Veterinary staff at the University of Melbourne’s U-Vet Hospital have been caring for dogs and trying to understand the basis of the recent rise of megaesophagus cases in Australia.

Megaesophagus is an enlargement of the oesophagus, the muscular tube connecting the throat to the stomach. A ‘megaesophagus’ is like a deflated balloon where the muscles of the oesophagus can’t propel food or water into the stomach. As a result the dog regurgitates frequently and has difficulty in getting enough nutrition.

There is currently no specific treatment for cases of megaesophagus with no known cause (called idiopathic), apart from managing the condition and changing the way food is eaten by the dog.

We are seeking support to understand the potential association of food with megaesophagus, and to develop a range of advanced analytics for these and other diet-related studies. For further information, please contact U-Vet Werribee Animal Hospital.

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