Abby has been adopted!
Sponsoring in memory of Abby, my baby girl and Save Me alum.
Abby is a sweet little girl who came into foster care diagnosed with Mega Esophagus. Abby cannot eat or drink with her dish on the floor like “regular” dogs. She needs to be in what is called, a Bailey Chair. In the Bailey chair the food and liquid are pushed into her stomach by gravity. Abby willingly goes into her chair, but is always in a hurry to get out. Through trial and error, her foster parents have found that Abby needs to stay in the chair at least 10 minutes after eating to ensure everything is out of her esophagus and in her stomach. Even though she eats in her chair, Abby will still regurgitate sometimes. Abby’s adopters will need to be willing to clean up after this little girl. They have also found out that the more Abby drinks, the more she will regurgitate. Her vet has said that with only eating moist dog food, she is getting enough liquids. At first, her foster parents were feeding Abby 4-5 small meals a day. Now, she has 3 meals a day, four if her foster parents are home. Since in foster care, Abby has put on weight! Abby’s adopters will have to be diligent in ensuring there are no food, treats or toys on the floor small enough for her to eat. Eating or drinking when not in her chair, could cause Abby to aspirate. This could lead to respiratory issues such as pneumonia so all precautions must be taken to try and avoid regurgitation as much as possible. Abby is on a medication which has been found to help dogs with Mega Esophagus and she has improved while on it. Abby’s adopter will need to continue her on the medication, most likely throughout her life. At this time Abby is on a canned diet (Royal Canine Gastro) and is doing well on it. It is possible that she may be able to transition to kibble at some point. Abby’s veterinarian believes, that with proper care, Abby can live a long and happy life.
Despite her diagnosis, Abby is a sweet, snuggly, little girl. She loves everyone she meets and is good with her four legged foster brothers and sisters. Abby sleeps with her foster parents as she likes to be warm at night. She LOVES toys, they are spread all over the house at the end of every day. Abby also enjoys going for car rides. When going for a walk, Abby should wear a harness that does not put any pressure on her throat. Abby should never wear a collar. When Abby came to her foster home, she was afraid to go outside, but she has since learned that being outside is not so scary. When her foster parents leave the house, they ensure there are lots of toys around to keep Abby busy. She will sometimes rip apart a stuffy toy, but is not destructive with anything that does not “belong” to her. Abby is not caged at all during the day or night.
Abby is going to need a special home that is willing to “dog” proof their home and spend some extra time with her during meals. Do you think you could provide a loving home that Abby so deserves?
