lab with esophageal paralysis

clynch

New member
Our 11 year old lab has been diagnosed with esophageal paralysis and the vet is recommended surgery. any one have experience with the surgery and quality of life afterwards? This condition restricts the ability of the dog to breathe adequately when under stress.
 
If it involves removing his /her esophageaus that would be very hard on a dog at that age.I had my esophageaus removed 2 years ago as I was diagnoised with esophageal Cancer and I still am having issues with my breathing and energy level. I wouldn't do it .
just my .02.
 
I have a buddy that his 3 year old lab has been diagnosed with the same. There is a grad. student in the Vet program at Michigan State doing research on the disease. My buddies dog was diagnosed with 1/2 paralyzation in the left flap and 3/4 in the right; not a very good prognosis for a 3 year old Qualified All Age dog with a couple of Ameture Jams. He's taking it to Michigan State to have the Grad Student evaluate it for a couple of different options. You might want to get in contact w/Michigan State's Vet Program and see what all your options might be.
 
Clynch,

I had a dog that had it done. In fact , he got written up in the vet medical journals. It was because he was so young. Usually they see it in older dogs. The only reason we noticed it was because he did competition and on long swims he did what in horses they call "roaring" , a labored breathing. If he was going to just be a pet you would never have seen it. The surgery amounted to the vet sewing back one one of the flaps to keep the airway open if I remember correctly.He went on to have no health issues and competed at a top level . The only concerns I remember is that you had to be careful if the dog was the type who "Inhaled" his food becuz you had to worry about the food getting into the lungs. Not a bid deal if he eats normally.The other one was swimming since the flap was always in the "open" position. But as I said, he competed where he had to swim hundreds of yards and had no problem. I had mine done at the vet school at UW Madison.

good luck,

baumy
 
I'm assuming larygeal paralysis? They can "tie-back" or sometimes do lasor surgery. Would not be an average vet. (like me) doing it! Consider a specialist or university. I would want to know how many they have done and what the expected prognosis is before mine had surgery.

Good luck,
Brian
 
I would also assume larygeal paralysis not esophageal paralysis. A tie-back surgy would be the treatment of choice, I have a friend who is a DVM and well know in field trial arena that referred his FC to Auburn and is very pleased with the results and expects to be hunting her in SoDak on pheasants this fall.
 
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