What Is Pyloric Stenosis in Dogs?

Pyloric stenosis is a digestive disorder focused around the pyloric sphincter muscle, which serves to pass food from the lower stomach into the small intestine. When the pyloric sphincter begins contracting or spasming leading to abnormal narrowing, this is called stenosis. Pyloric stenosis can affect humans as well as animals, such as cats and dogs.

  1. Breeds Affected

    • Pyloric stenosis is most frequent in short-faced breeds such as bulldogs, Boston terriers and boxers. Within these breeds, usually young males are at the highest risk for it. Small, nervous breeds, such as Lhasa apsos, Shih Tzus and Maltese, can also contract it more readily than other breeds. In these cases, it is most often middle-aged or older dogs that present cases of it.

    Symptoms

    • One of the most noticeable symptoms of pyloric stenosis in dogs is regurgitation of meals within a couple of hours of eating. Because food has not had time to digest properly, when it is regurgitated, it often appears still in its original, whole form. Other symptoms of this disorder include true vomiting, dehydration, weight loss and depression.

    Treatments

    • The only way to cure pyloric stenosis in dogs is through surgery. Once a diagnosis has been made through a thorough medical history, blood work, x-rays and possibly gastroscopy procedures, the dog needs to have a veterinarian surgically alter the pyloric sphincter. They may widen the area of stomach outflow or sever the pyloric sphincter itself to accomplish this.

    Warnings

    • Though pyloric stenosis can be a chronic problem, it is not usually a fatal one except in very severe cases. If the affected animal is constantly vomiting meals, the acids from their stomach can cause serious damage to their throats. They may also begin to lose weight, and possibly become so malnourished that their condition leads to death.