A practical guide to acid reflux and oesophagitis in dogs covering regurgitation, painful swallowing, anaesthesia-related reflux, endoscopy, diet, medicine and stricture risk.

Urgent oesophageal signs

Repeated regurgitation with inability to retain water
Breathing difficulty, cough or fever after regurgitation
Blood from the mouth or in regurgitated material
Severe pain when swallowing
A known bone or foreign object lodged in the throat
Progressive weight loss or sudden inability to swallow solids

How reflux damages the oesophagus

The lower oesophageal sphincter normally limits backward flow from the stomach. Anaesthesia, hiatal hernia, delayed gastric emptying, severe vomiting and some medicines can allow acidic or bile-containing material to contact the oesophageal lining.

The oesophagus has less protection against acid than the stomach. Inflammation can cause pain, reduced motility and, in severe cases, ulceration or scar narrowing.

Symptoms can be subtle

Swallowing behaviour

Repeated swallowing
Lip licking
Neck extension
Drooling

Food-related signs

Regurgitation
Pain when eating
Dropping food
Avoiding dry food

Respiratory complications

Cough
Fever
Rapid breathing
Aspiration pneumonia

Silent disease

Some dogs show only poor appetite or discomfort after anaesthesia.

Reflux, vomiting and megaoesophagus

Feature	Reflux or oesophagitis	Vomiting	Megaoesophagus
Main event	Discomfort and regurgitation	Active expulsion from stomach	Passive retention and regurgitation
Abdominal effort	Usually absent	Usually present	Absent
Timing	Often after meals or anaesthesia	Variable	Often soon after food or water
Important tests	Endoscopy, imaging	Blood tests and abdominal imaging	Chest radiographs and motility evaluation

How veterinarians investigate

History should include anaesthesia, vomiting, foreign-body risk, medicine use and whether material is vomited or regurgitated. Chest radiographs assess the oesophagus and aspiration pneumonia. Contrast studies or fluoroscopy evaluate swallowing and movement.

Endoscopy directly identifies inflammation, ulceration, foreign material and narrowing and allows biopsy when needed. A normal external throat examination does not rule out deep oesophageal disease.

Important: Do not repeatedly give human antacids, soda, milk or herbal syrups. They can delay diagnosis and may not protect the oesophagus from ongoing reflux.

Treatment goals

Reduce gastric acidity when prescribed
Improve lower-sphincter tone or gastric emptying in selected dogs
Protect injured oesophageal lining
Control pain and nausea
Treat aspiration pneumonia when present
Remove foreign bodies promptly
Use temporary feeding-tube support in severe disease

The treatment combination depends on cause and severity. Acid suppression alone will not correct a foreign body, severe motility disorder, hiatal hernia or stricture.

Feeding during recovery

Small, frequent meals of a soft, digestible diet may reduce oesophageal trauma. Fat and fibre may be moderated when delayed gastric emptying is suspected, but the diet must remain complete if used beyond a brief period.

Follow prescribed meal size and texture
Keep the dog calm after eating
Do not force food or water during regurgitation
Avoid hard chews and bones
Record which foods trigger signs
Monitor body weight

Oesophageal stricture

Deep injury can heal with a ring of scar tissue that progressively narrows the oesophagus. The dog may initially tolerate liquid but later regurgitate solid food.

Balloon dilation under endoscopic or fluoroscopic guidance is commonly used, and several procedures may be necessary. Early referral improves the chance of restoring an adequate opening before severe weight loss develops.

Reflux after anaesthesia

Anaesthesia reduces protective reflexes and sphincter tone in some dogs. Regurgitation may be seen during recovery or signs may appear days later. Contact the clinic if a recently anaesthetised dog repeatedly swallows, regurgitates, coughs or refuses food.

Dogsvilla practical tip: After grooming, boarding or surgery, distinguish vomiting from effortless regurgitation in the incident record. A short video and timing relative to meals can materially change the diagnostic plan.