POSTSURGICAL NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT OF MEGAESOPHAGUS SECONDARY TO PERSISTENT RIGHT AORTIC-ARCH IN A KITTEN

A 12-week-old female kitten was referred because of regurgitation. On presentation, the kitten was debilitated, in poor body condition, and had aspiration pneumonia. A diagnosis of vascular ring anomaly was mad e based on clinical signs, digital palpation of an enlarged cervical e sophagus, survey radiographs, and a barium esophagram which confirmed esophageal stricture at the heart base. Surgical correction consisted of ligation and transection of the ligamentum arteriosum. A gastrostom y feeding tube was inserted at surgery. The kitten was managed postope ratively with a blended diet administered through the gastrostomy tube for 2 weeks until total oral alimentation was tolerated. This case de monstrates the procedures and benefits of postsurgical dietary managem ent.