Acid Reflux in Dogs

Acid reflux is an uncomfortable and potentially dangerous condition caused by the contents of the stomach repeatedly entering the esophagus and returning to the stomach. This can cause erosion of the tissues in the esophagus in addition to increasing risk of esophageal ulcers. It can be difficult to observe this condition in dogs, as it is an internal sensation not easily visualized by behavior. Clues to determining if your pet might have gastric reflux involve peripheral symptoms, like persistent bad breath, burping or burbling after meals, and occasional weak vomiting.

If your pet exhibits these symptoms, schedule a veterinarian visit as soon as possible. While acid reflux on its own may not be serious, the intrusion of acid can irritate the esophagus, leading to narrowing, thinning or even necrosis. Additionally, passive regurgitation can cause vomit to enter the lungs, where it can cause severe damage.

• Gurgling or burping sounds after eating
• Persistent bad breath
• Weak vomiting or coughing accompanied by small amounts of vomit.
• Whining while eating
• Eating a bit, demonstrating discomfort, then resuming eating.
• Wheezing
• Excessive salivation

• Excessive production of acid in the stomach
• Hiatal hernia
• Eating inappropriate food (i.e. spicy human food)
• Obesity
• High blood calcium

If you notice your pet struggling to eat meals, exhibiting pain or discomfort during and after eating, having persistent bad breath or gurgling, see the veterinarian right away. If left untreated, acid reflux can cause many additional complaints.

A veterinarian may want to listen to your dog’s chest after a feeding to identify whether acid reflux might be occurring. If acid reflux is suspected, an endoscopy may be done. Endoscopy involves sedating the dog and viewing the esophagus with a camera on a long, flexible scope. This allows any ulcers, inflammation or tumors to be visualized and identified. A hiatal hernia is often the culprit in cases of acid reflux in dogs, and is a structural defect characterized by the top of stomach protruding through the diaphragm where the esophagus alone is meant to go. This can weaken the ability of the esophagus to close and allow acid to invade the esophagus.

Obesity can also be a major culprit- the increased fat masses can constrict the gastroesophogeal space and force acid up the esophagus. High blood calcium, detectable with a small blood sample, may also be contributing to excessive production of stomach acid.

The most widely employed treatment is to feed your pet several small meals throughout the day of easily-digestible food like plain boiled chicken, rice, and blanched broccoli. Kibble can induce acid reflux if given dry, so making a “cereal” out of kibble by adding a cup of water can help, but if the condition persists, switching to more hydrated food like chicken and broccoli is often helpful.

In rare cases surgical intervention may be required to correct serious hernias or ulcers. This will depend on the nature of the underlying condition and the severity of the presentation. It may be possible to perform the surgery endoscopically, which is minimally invasive and usually holds a swift recovery. Any anomalous growths should be biopsied and tested for cancer.

Feeding your pet less food more frequently, managing weight in the case of obesity, and varying your pet’s diet with healthy alternatives is often curative. In the case of an ulcer or tumor, outlooks will vary based on the specific condition and treatment regimen. In general, acid reflux is a manageable, if occasionally uncomfortable condition. Your veterinarian may prescribe medication to supplement these efforts.

Treating acid reflux can be as simple as changing your dog’s food, or as major as surgery. Most veterinarians will recommend changing your dog’s diet to boiled chicken, rice, and/or blanched broccoli in order to sufficiently reduce the acid reflux. These meals should be given in small amounts throughout the day. The cost of these items will vary depending on your local grocery store prices.  If your veterinarian allows you to continue feeding normal kibble, adding water to make a “cereal” would make things easier. In this case there is no additional cost to the normal price of the kibble you already buy. There are cases where surgery is necessary. In these cases, the veterinarian can usually fix the problem endoscopically to check for hernias or ulcers. This surgery can cost $2,200 to $3,300. If there are any abnormal growths found then the veterinarian will biopsy them and test them for cancer. This can cost between $160 and $250. If cancer is found, the veterinarian will need to proceed with the appropriate cancer treatment which will vary in cost.