Ronnie stands in his one-dog soup line.
Ronnie is a feisty 7-month-old cross between a Labrador retriever and a rottweiler, so he’s definitely going to be a big fellow. He’s also a pup with some special care needs. Ronnie the dog has a medical condition called megaoesophagus which causes him difficulty eating; he cannot swallow food and will regurgitate it if he eats standing like a normal dog. Because of his megaoesophagus, Ronnie the dog has to eat standing up or he will starve.
“If Ronnie did not eat in an elevated position he would regurgitate his food and he could starve,” said Amanda Sands of Leeds Dogs Trust. “We’ve fed Ronnie standing up since he came to the center with his litter mates aged seven weeks but now that he is bigger we can’t support and feed him at the same time. We designed the feeding station so he can support himself while we spoon-feed him. We’re going to decorate it so it will look nice in his home when he hopefully gets one.”
The custom-made feeding station on which Ronnie leans while taking his meals is made of wood; Ronnie is fed with a spoon and his meals are made into jelly form so as to make them easier for the pup to swallow. Ronnie’s meals take in excess of 20 minutes and he will need to use the feeding station to feed for the rest of his life.
Tags: Ronnie, unusual animals, medical conditions, dog has to eat standing up, Ronnie the dog can only eat standing up, Ronnie has to eat standing up, unusual medical problems, unusual medical conditions, dog has to eat standing up, Leeds, England, Amanda Sands, Leeds Dog Trust, megaoesophagus
