So one of the more expensive things about ME dogs, aside from initial vet bills, is the food. At least in our case. We have been soaking 1/2 cup of Dry Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy Food with 1/2 cup of Canned Eukanuba Puppy Chicken and Gravy Food. As you can imagine, canned food for a Lab can get expensive. Plus, the cans seem to run out fast (we can't buy 100 at a time) and we are running to the pet store on a more than regular basis to buy the cans. Then while I'm there we spend more money because we want to buy him toys. So, I go in the store for 12 cans of food and get out with double the cost.
Regardless, now that Sidney is about 11 months old and is 100% house-trained and has better bladder control, we are going to try 1 cup of the Dry Dog Food soaked and eliminate the Canned (we are still adding the Fish Oil, the Instant Oatmeal and the Eukanuba Puppy Weaning Formula). The reason we did the 50/50 mixture at first was because we were having to add so much water to the dry food to get it soft enough to be blended into a milkshake that he was wetting himself in his cage every day after the new ME diet. I think we just were giving our puppy more water than his little bladder could handle.
Now that he's older, I hope that not only will the additional water not affect his bladder, but also help him get more hydration. We do feed him about 4 or 5 Knox Blox with each meal, but I think more is better than less.
My main concern is that his stomach and esophagus will allow this change, but it's worth a shot. He'll get the same nutrition. I know a lot of ME dogs can't do soaked dry kibble, but Sidney has done well with it mixed with canned. Wish us luck!
Our 5 year old german shepherd "Dave" was recently diagnosed with Megaesophagus. I have been looking for some kind of website or anything from someone with actual experience managing the disease for the past two months and I can not tell you how happy I am to have found your blog. Your experience with your best friend Sidney has made me feel not so alone and has made me happy to know that other people are just as concerned about taking care of their dog as we are! I have read most of your posts but I will keep reading and have bookmarked your blog to help on the days where everything feels hopeless and I alone in managing our dog Dave's megaE. Everything on your blog is so helpful - the bailey chair, the food you are trying, the medication Sidney is on and the trial and error that goes along with it. You are an excellent note taker, and the pictures are very, very helpful (even the ones with the regurgitation!). Thank you for posting all of this. It really brings tears to my eyes to have found this. - Michelle
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