Calli in her feeding chair

I spent hours researching megaesophagus, learning as much as I could about how to help Calli become healthier. I discovered that megaesophagus was most likely the cause of her compromised immune system as well as the weakness in her hind legs. Her cough was probably due to aspiration and the antibiotics probably prevented pneumonia. The day after her diagnosis, I worked designing and building a chair for her to sit in during and post feeding. I looked at photos of the "Baily Chair"and using scrap plywood, built the first prototype, with the understanding that I would modify and rebuild it as Calli grew and together we figured out what worked best for her.

We found, almost immediately, that the chair helped. I feed her Blue Buffalo dog food that I put through a coffee grinder and then mix with water to create a "gruel." I also add a powdered supplement called Nupro. Although she is still quite thin, she has started to gain weight, and there are fewer incidents of regurgitation. It took a bit of time for her to get used to sitting in the chair, but now she sits in the chair 20 to 30 minutes after eating. To keep her occupied, I use a high calorie gel (Nutra-Cal) and molasses or honey smeared in the bottom of her dish . I also use the time she sits in her chair to brush her teeth and trim her toe nails.