Bloat

With the recent Facebook post that told of one lady’s experience with her dog and the dangers of bloat, there have been many misconceptions about the topic. How does it happen? Why does it happen? How can it be prevented? The real question is, what is the reality of this condition that could potential threaten your dog’s life? The medical condition “Bloat” actually refers to, two different conditions that could potentially occur. The first is “volvulus,” which is when the stomach distends and then rotates on the long axis. The second is “gastric dilation,” where the stomach distends with gas and fluid. Gastric dilation can occur with or without volvulus. If volvulus does occur, it causes a gastric obstruction that will prevent the dog from being able to vomit or burp. If gas is unable to escape then it will begin to ferment within the dog’s stomach, eventually causing necrosis of the stomach wall. This can lead to a number of serious problems including bacterial septicemia, cardiac arrhythmias, peritonitis, shock, and even death.

Bloat can occur in any dog, at any age. There does seem to be a correlation with Large-breed dogs that have deep chests. Those breeds include Great Dane, German Shepard, Labrador Retriever, Great Pyrenees, Boxer, Collie, and the Standard Poodle. Smaller dogs are rarely affected, with the exception of Dachshunds or others that are deep-chested. Now, the article that has been circulating claimed that the bloat was due to the dog drinking ice cold water. This can cause bloat, but it is not the only reason for it to occur. The dog may have just had a large meal; then may have drunk a large amount of water. Water of any temperature before or after a lot of activity can trigger bloat. The typical signs of bloat include salivation, retching, dry-heaving, and enlarged abdomen, restlessness, and pacing. The abdomen may also be tender to the touch. Unfortunately, not all cases of bloat will present with these “typical” symptoms. One early sign of bloat is that the abdomen may begin to feel tight, while your dog appears to be lethargic and uncomfortable. Early on it can be difficult to distinguish between dilatation and volvulus. The signs of impending shock include pale gums and tongue, a rapid heartbeat, weak pulse, labored breath, and collapse. If your dog is able to vomit or burp, then the problem is more than likely not due to volvulus. If you think that there is a chance that your dog has the early symptoms of bloat, you need to get them to the vet as soon as possible. If the problem is gastric dilatation, then it can be relieved by passing a long rubber tube into the stomach, which will allow that built up gas to be released. If it turns out to be volvulus, then emergency surgery will be needed. The stomach and the spleen will need to be repositioned, or the spleen may need to be removed. Either way, bloat needs to be caught in the early stages, since it should be treatable.

Preventing Bloat

Dogs that experience a mild form of bloat that is able to resolve itself without surgical treatment can have a very high chance of having another episode. Here are a few tips to help prevent that a reoccurrence.

• Do not feed your dog from a raised bowl

• Avoid foods that have fat as one of the first four ingredients

• Avoid foods that contain citric acid

• Divide the daily food into three equal/smaller meals

• Restrict access to water before and after a meal

• Don’t let them drink large amounts of water at once

• Don’t exercise your dogs on a full stomach