German Shepherd dog

Is Mega-Esophagus more common in a particular bloodline or random? Any bloodines one should avoid? I'm interested in Showline bloodlines please.

Is there possibly a database somewhere on these afflictions and the dogs who suffer from them?

Thanks

It can be hereditary but it can also be caused by stress in the Mother within the first 3.wks of pregnancy.  I believe it quite often happens the same in human babies.

Preston.         NOT    strictly hereditary !!!!.

Mega-esophagus is a byproduct of certain mutant gene sequence combination(s) which result in faulty esophagal structure, lack of proper muscling.  Result is that the esophagus has expanded walls, lack of proper definition,  improper motility, hyper-reactivity.  The classic symptom in young puppies when extreme is exhalation of mother's milk out of the nose.  There are quite a few sub-clinical cases in the GSD breed with softer symptoms, such as mild barfing after eating or drinking, or picky eating habits and sometimes failure to thrive like EPI.  There is no evidence I am aware of that ME is developmental or environmentally induced, and it seems to follow other genetically pased traits.  Justk9s has it right.