If an animal has difficulty prehending food, creating a food bolus, and forming a food bolus that falls from the mouth, where is the dysphagia localized?

• A. Oropharyngeal dysphagia
• B. Cricopharyngeal dysphagia
• C. Esophageal dysphagia
• D. Gastric dysphagia

Answer: (A)

The signs point to a problem in the oral phase of swallowing. Difficulty prehending food and forming a bolus means the animal can’t adequately grasp, chew, and mold the food in the mouth, and a bolus that falls from the mouth shows poor propulsion into the oropharynx. This combination is characteristic of oropharyngeal dysphagia, where the issue lies with the lips, tongue, and soft palate coordination during the oral prep and oral transit.

Cricopharyngeal dysphagia would involve trouble at the upper esophageal sphincter, often with regurgitation or trouble after swallowing. Esophageal dysphagia refers to difficulty moving the bolus through the esophagus itself, not the mouth or initial swallow. Gastric dysphagia involves the stomach, not the mouth or pharynx.