Starship, the dog who eats on a high chair is afflcted with Megaeophagus | CNN
Many of us may have recalled a time in our lives as infants when we sat on a high chair for our meals. We were fed by spoon and wore a bib to prevent our clothes from being soiled. But what if you had to sit on a high chair all your life for every meal, but you happened to be a DOG?
Starship perched on a high-char atGreenville County Animal Care
A lovable Australian Cattle dog-Shepherd mix from South Carolina name Starship happens to be that dog. “She has a condition call Megaeophagus, which is where she has an enlarged esophagus that doesn’t allow her food to move down to her stomach like it’s supposed to,” Kayla Sield, an adoption counselor at Greenville County Animal Care, told ABC News.
Starship gets massaged after a meal
“She has to sit upright to eat, drink water, have treats, anything that’s going in her mouth, she has to be in an upright position,” said Sield. Starship, like many dogs diagnosed with this condition sits on a Bailey Chair, a special high chair built for dogs. Dr. Worl, the shelter's vet, had her husband who is a contractor and happens to be an animal lover. He is the person who built this chair for Starship.
STARVED FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF HER LIFE “We took her in on the 30th of June and at that time I did not age her. But she was an active puppy, at least four weeks old. She’s at least four months old now, but because of her nutritional deficit, her growth has been severely stunted,” Worl said. “And because of her stunted growth, none of her adult teeth have come in. So at this point I can’t age her by her teeth.”
Starship gets a new home after spending time at Greenville County
If Starship ate without sitting upright, her food will be regurgitated immediately. “She doesn't have a problem, it's just who she is... “Just like someone who's handicapped they figure a way to live their life happily.”
Since Sept. when this story initially hit headlines across the nation, the Greenville County Animal Care was looking for a home for Starship.
UPDATE ON STARSHIP
We wish Starship all the best to her new home and family and would to to thank Greenville County Animal Care for sharing with us the great news! To learn more about Megaesophagus in dogs you can to the website:http://www.caninemegaesophagus.org/
To learn more about the Greenville County Animal Care you can go to their website at: http://www.greenvillecounty.org/acs/Watch footage of Starship and her amazing courage:
Source: ABC News | CNN | Greenville County Animal Care
