Feline esophagitis ... any experiences with it?

[Auggie]

Seeing the vet again today. We've already done x-rays and blood work but neither can explain no appetite and a "throat action" that mimics regurgitation. Google search suggests esophagitis may be the culprit.

Vet says cat may need to to be anesthetized to allow a camera probe of throat.

Very weak from no food, thirsty, and sleepy. Situation is close to dire IMO.

Thanks.

[Sanity Claws]

1. No experience but some thoughts

Could she have a food allergy/ intolerance that is causing her to regurgitate? After a certain amount of regurgitation, she might have lost her appetite because her throat hurts.

I raise this as a possibility because food allergies/intolerance can cause GERD in humans, with resulting injuries to the esophagus.

[Auggie]

3. Good thought

To be clear, the cat does not actually expel food in her throat actions. They just resemble a "partial regurgitation." But a food allergy (or intolerance) does fit the timeline to a change in food manufacturer many months ago. An injury and subsequent pain could explain why our cat is snubbing everything we offer.

Thanks for posting!

[hlthe2b]

2. Veterinarians can perform a temporary jejunostomy (tube placement to allow feeding in

upper small intestine) to allow time for the esophagus to heal. It is not a difficult procedure and may well provide both the nourishment and time needed for whatever has caused the esophageal problems time to develop to heal and respond to medical therapy.

Good luck.

[Auggie]

4. Thank you

I hope she can make another 8 hours.

[SharonClark]

6. Is your vet appointment not for 8 hours?

That's not good.

[SharonClark]

5. Your diagnosis may be correct but trust your vet to figure it out.

I had esophagitis in middle school and it was painful to even swallow. Doc put me on a diet of multiple small meals of soft food, that was low in fat and fiber.

[SharonClark]

7. Not to scare you, but here is an excellent article...

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/cat-owners/digestive-disorders-of-cats/disorders-of-the-esophagus-in-cats

[Auggie]

8. Thanks. Very informative.

[Auggie]

9. Update

First, thanks again to everyone who posted their thoughts and support. I am grateful.

While our cat exhibited some symptoms of esophagitis, the actual ailment was a pulmonary infection caused by an unknown, foreign object. Our regular vet missed this during exams 1 and 2 unfortunately—by their own admission the equipment they use is not as sophisticated as veterinary hospitals. It was the emergency room vets that diagnosed the infection.

There was a significant amount of gelatinous pus which made breathing labored and had enlarged the heart. It was too late to administer antibiotics and septic shock was imminent. Surgery was our only option to remove the pus and search for the foreign object, however the surgeon could not guarantee 100% success, and the cat would be at great risk of perishing.

We decided to euthanize.

We'll never know what the foreign object was, nor the cause that was behind what looked like esophagitis. Maybe they were related. Maybe not.

[SharonClark]

10. A sad ending but thank you for letting us know.

[Auggie]

11. Thanks for your support SharonClark