Mo, a tiny fighter helping to raise awareness

Most people associate terminology that sound like “Megaesophagus” with dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals. Unfortunately, for our four-legged furry friends, Megaesophagus is a very real and present disease that is rarely discussed.

You’re probably wondering what Megaesophagus is – if it’s not a cold-blooded, prehistoric, oversized lizard? Well, Megaesophageal reflux disease is not a single disease. Instead, it is regarded as a combination disorder in which the oesophagus (the tube that transports food and liquid from the mouth to the stomach) dilates (enlarges) and loses motility (its ability to move food into the stomach).

This is a frightening disease with no cure, but it is manageable. Janet Booysen, an animal lover who is passionate about advocating for dogs with Megaesophagus (ME), decided to write a book in the hopes of raising awareness about the implications and experiences she’s had with ME. Janet became aware of the effects and torments of ME after adopting a rescued dog named Mo. Mo was a Dachshund-sized bundle of joy, but Janet noticed he had some concerning symptoms such as regurgitating food and strange odours.

“I knew something was wrong,” Janet continued, “so I took Mo to a local Rant-en-Dal Animal Hospital and the doctor diagnosed him with Megaesophagus.”

This was a heartbreaking moment because undiagnosed dogs face a starvation death. “I didn’t want to put him down, even though managing ME takes time and effort,” Janet added.

During lockdown, Janet began writing her book, a short story called ‘Mo is ME’. “This book is my way of raising awareness and demonstrating that ME is manageable,” Janet explained. “I don’t want to profit from the book; I just want to raise awareness.”

She went on to say that the title is a word play. While the abbreviation MO is British and ME is American, the title is also very fitting because her dog’s name is Mo.

Mo died in early May 2022, just weeks before the book was published. Janet considered the possibility that Mo had given up his mortal life to make way for his immortal life – via the book. “If I can save even one dog by releasing this book, it will be worth it,” Janet explained.

While it took a lot of thought and dedication to write this book, Janet hopes it will open the eyes of dog parents everywhere. “Too often, ME is diagnosed too late and can cost lives,” Janet concluded.

Mo is ME is available on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle edition. Remember, greater awareness equals more lives saved!