Viagra for Dogs?! You'd Be Surprised How Viagra Helps Dogs

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Does Viagra help dogs cope with this dangerous disease? New research says that could be the case. A rare and potentially fatal disorder in dogs could be treated with sildenafil, better known as Viagra.

Megaesophagus (enlargement of the esophagus) is a condition that dilates a dog’s esophagus and prevents it from delivering food to the stomach.

As a result, dogs develop other problems, such as regurgitation of food that enters the lungs and causes aspiration pneumonia.

Unfortunately, this means that many with such a condition have to be put down because of their significantly lowered life quality.

To limit the effects of this disorder, dogs need to be placed in a Bailey feeding chair.

It is a specially designed chair that allows them to eat and drink vertically. Food and water reach the stomach with the help of gravity, and the esophageal muscles don’t have to push it.

By using sildenafil, the scientists could relax the esophageal muscles and allow them to open, letting the food pass safely.

A study conducted by Washington State University tested the treatment on 10 dogs with the condition for two weeks.

Some dogs received medication for erectile dysfunction, while others received a placebo for two weeks. Then, they gave neither for a week, and then the groups were switched for the next two weeks.

Dog owners were tasked with monitoring regurgitation episodes and reporting them to researchers.

The researchers found minimal side effects of the drug, and when used, the dogs began to gain weight and retain food in their stomachs.

“If you look at the literature, there are no drugs we can use to treat megaesophagus. Sildenafil is the first to target these mechanisms and reduce regurgitation, which is great because that’s what ultimately kills dogs with this problem.”

• said associate Dr. Jillian Haines, in a statement.

"Sildenafil opens the lower esophageal sphincter for 20 minutes to an hour. That is exactly what we are looking for because we only want it to open when they eat."

9 out of 10 owners reported reduced regurgitation during the two weeks when their dogs were taking liquid sildenafil.

"In many cases, the owners were able to figure out which drug was sildenafil and which was placebo because sildenafil worked,"

• explained Dr. Haines.

“Moderately affected dogs, who regurgitated frequently but not excessively, seemed to see the most positive results. In fact, I prescribed sildenafil to several of these patients after the research, and they still use it today.”

As further research is being conducted, this drug could soon begin to make its way to veterinarians who will be able to prescribe it to owners with dogs suffering from megaesophagus.

"Many veterinarians contact us and ask about this medicine and its effects."

• said Dr. Haines.

“I think sildenafil will change, and even save, many dog lives. This research helps support its use, and we hope it will encourage more people to use it.”

World Dog Finder team