Introduction

• Cause: failure of cricopharyngeus muscle to relax or a lack of co-ordination between cricopharangeal relaxation and pharangeal contraction → inability to swallow food bolus.
• Associated with neuromuscular disorders.
• Congenital in Cocker/Springer Spaniel +/- toy breeds, acquired in older animals.
• Most frequently seen around weaning.
• Signs: dysphagia, nasal reflux of food, rhinitis, aspiration pneumonia.
• Diagnosis: fluoroscopy.
• Treatment: surgical resection.
• Prognosis: guarded.

Pathogenesis

Etiology

• Congenital (Cocker Spaniel and Springer Spaniel).
• Fibrosis following trauma.

Pathophysiology

• Failure of cricopharyngeus muscle encircling proximal esophagus to relax → obstruction to passage of food into esophagus → repeated attempts to swallow, retching, choking, gagging on swallowing, dysphagia → nasal reflux, rhinitis → aspiration of food → aspiration bronchopneumonia.

Timecourse

• Congenital - usually at the time of weaning.

Diagnosis

Treatment

Outcomes