Megaesophagus dog death toll rises after Advance Dermocare recall

THE death toll of dogs that ate a potentially tainted batch of premium dry dog food has reportedly risen to 13, sparking urgent calls for concerned pet owners to seek advice.

THE death toll of dogs that ate a potentially tainted batch of premium dry dog food has reportedly risen to 13, sparking urgent calls for concerned pet owners to seek advice.

The increase in fatalities comes after manufacturer Mars Petcare Australia voluntarily recalled Advance Dermocare bags from 500 stores following a sudden spike in potentially deadly megaesophagus cases.

MAJOR RECALL ISSUED FOR ADVANCE DERMOCARE DRY DOG FOOD RANGE

NO CLEAR LINK BETWEEN ADVANCE DERMOCARE AND MEGAESOPHAGUS SYNDROME

A further 34 beloved pets are also “starving to death” allegedly as a result of the syndrome that traumatises an animal’s oesophagus and prevents food from entering the stomach.

It comes as authorities work to find what caused the sudden increase of sick animals including pets and service dogs.

“Animals with megaesophagus can regurgitate their food and can have difficulty or show reluctance to eat,” Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) president Dr Paula Parker said.

“Animals are more likely to aspirate or breathe in food or fluid into their lungs and so may present with coughing or other changes to their breathing pattern.

Dr Parker said there was no proven causal link between the syndrome and the top-shelf dog food that the University of Melbourne is testing.

Advance Dermocare dry dog food

“The treatment for megaesophagus depends on the underlying cause of the dysfunction. This makes thorough investigation of this syndrome so important,” she said.

“As with any pet illness, it’s essential that owners concerned about their pet’s health speak to their veterinarian as soon as possible.

“At this stage, no causative link has been found between the Mars Petcare Advance Dermocare food and this syndrome. However, there has been an association between feeding this food and an unusual incidence of megaesophagus cases.”

Two service dogs have died with a further nine struck down with the syndrome in South Australia and Victoria.

Mars Petcare Australia has temporarily taken its 3kg, 8kg and 15kg dry food bags from shelves as experts work.

“We are deeply concerned to learn that a number of dogs have been affected by megaesophagus,’’ a spokeswoman said.