Taking care of a dog with dysphasia
Disclaimer: You should always consult your veterinarian prior to starting your dog on any treatments. This information is in no way intended as a substitute for a veterinarian and their advice.
Look at this most adorable puppy (Flag) rolling around here! He is so cute and precious—I adore him. While Flag has a lot of happy energy, unfortunately, his dysphasia (difficulty swallowing water and continuously spitting it up after drinking it) has become increasingly severe over the past few years. It has been challenging to watch him struggle to drink water so much.
I have had to get very creative with finding ways to make it easier for him to swallow water. Flag still regurgitates water after drinking it, but I want to share some things I have tried that have helped lessen how much he does so. Maybe something on this list can help you if your dog is struggling with a similar condition (but note while these things may have made swallowing water easier, I do not believe there is any cure to his dysphasia. I was told surgery to give him PEG tubes is unlikely to be successful. If you suspect your dog is struggling with a condition like dysphasia, I always recommend consulting a veterinarian to get a proper diagnosis when you think it is necessary.
Elevating the dog bowls: By elevating Flag’s dog bowls, I make it easier for Flag to drink water by eliminating any unnecessary strain. I use this set of elevated dog bowls to keep his water and food on the same plane.
Thick-It: Thick-It is a food and beverage thickener for dogs. I must admit that using the Thick-It solution has not always been my first defense because Flag still tends to drink and then regurgitate water, even when mixed with Thick-It. I will still put a bit of Thick-It in an elevated water bowl for Flag so that he has the option to drink water that way, as opposed to from his water fountain. He is going to struggle with drinking water regardless of what I do, so the most I thought I could do was to give him a choice of which way to go about the process, depending on how he feels at the moment.
Water Fountains: I have tried at least three different variations of pet water fountains made for cats and dogs, hoping to keep Flag from regurgitating water after drinking it or at least reducing the amount of water he spits up. The best one I have found (the one currently plugged in next to the other elevated dog bowls in my apartment) is Here.
Electrolytes: As Flag’s condition worsens, I fear he is not getting enough electrolytes. As a solution to this, I purchased this Electrolyte Supplement. I distribute one packet over his food daily (since he is not struggling with eating at the moment), and he loves it! He gets three walks a day and has not had any accidents from the powder, so I recommend it. I cannot know if Flag’s electrolyte levels are where they need to be without blood tests, but giving him this supplement gives me peace of mind as his dog mom!
Spoon Feeding: Flag’s spitting up has become more frequent and intense, so I now give him little sips of water from a cooking spoon every so often. He still drinks as much as he can from both of his dog bowls, but I give him sips from the spoon to supplement that.
Water additive: I recently began occasionally spoon-feeding my pup water with this additive. This baking soda formula is starting to improve his dry mouth, bad breath, and swallowing.
Area Rugs: This is not a solution to Flag’s problem, but it is a solution to a dog owner’s problem: having a dog who spits up everywhere. I have hardwood floors, so when Flag was spitting up so much, it was pretty dangerous—I slipped and fell on his spit (ew, I know, but what can you do) a couple of times. So I purchased area rugs from Here and Here. Since I have passed out before, putting area rugs all over my apartment most certainly eased my anxiety and made it easier to care for Flag.
Canned Wet Food: Wet canned foods have a high moisture content, and since Flag's dysphasia does not apply to food, giving him canned wet food instead of dry food or alongside it can be a way to make him more hydrated. Here is Flag's favorite wet dog food. Flag loves this stuff so much that he finishes it in just a few gulps. 😮 Since those cans are often out of stock because they are so popular, my second choice for canned dog food is here.
Awwww my sweet little angel 🐾
Annabel Monsky