Bloat
is a condition in which the stomach becomes distended by excessive
gas content. It is also commonly referred to as torsion, gastric
torsion, and gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) when there is also
stomach torsion i.e. the stomach is twisted, preventing the gas
from escaping. People often use 'bloat' as a general term to describe
excessive gas in the stomach whether or not the stomach is actually
twisted.
Bloat,
is a serious, often fatal condition that happens extremely quickly.
It is more likely to affect older dogs and larger breeds due to
their deep chests. Commonly affected breeds include German Shepherds,
Irish Setters, Great Danes, Mastiffs, Rottweilers, Dobermans,
Weimaraners and St Bernards. This isn’t a breed issue. These
are simply examples of deep-chested breeds. Any deep-chested dog
can be affected.
Bloat
can occur when a dog takes in a lot of air when eating and
gas is produced from fermenting food within the stomach. The
stomach becomes overstretched by excessive gas content. As
the gas accumulates, the dog’s stomach can swell and
then twist. Gas that might otherwise have been belched out
is now trapped. The entrance to the stomach is closed by the
twisting, thereby preventing the animal from relieving the
condition by belching or vomiting.
At this point, letting the gas out of the stomach is |
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the
absolute priority. If the gas continues to build up then the blood
supply to the stomach, spleen and other organs can become damaged
and cut off, resulting in the body going into shock, the release
of bacterial toxins, collapse and death of the dog.
A dog who suffers from bloat once is likely to suffer again and
it is thought that some dogs have a predisposition to it. Sometimes
the dog can be stabilised after an attack of bloat and surgery to
fix the stomach in place has some success, but if bloat does reoccur
then it can get more and more difficult to treat.
Common
Symptoms
- Repeated attempts to vomit or produce a stool without success.
- Distended stomach with abdomen feeling hard
- Evidence of abdominal pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Excessive salivation and drooling
- Anxiety
- Restlessness
- Stiff legged stance with arched back
- Lethargic
- Heavy panting
- Pale/cold lips and gums (indicates the onset of shock)
What can you do?
A dog with bloat will need to see a vet immediately. Gastric Torsion
is an extremely dangerous and urgent situation. All you can do is
get your dog to the vet straight away and try to keep your dog as
warm and comfortable as possible in the mean time.
What can the vet do?
As mentioned, releasing the air from the stomach is the priority.
In emergencies, the dog’s stomach will be decompressed. Large
needles will be inserted into the dog’s side, penetrating
the stomach and letting the gas out directly. Further surgery will
then be performed in an attempt to untwist the stomach. If the stomach
is successfully untwisted and the dog survives the surgery then
the vet is likely to fix the stomach in place in an attempt to stop
it twisting again in the future. Know as gastropexy, this procedure
does not prevent future bloating. The stomach can still fill up
with gas but the idea is that it will be less likely to twist.
Preventative
Measures
The jury is still out with regards exactly what causes Gastric Torsion.
However, a number of preventative measures can be followed:
Feed small frequent meals rather than one or two large meals a day.
A special diet may even be recommended by your vet. Special diets
are more easily digestible and ferment less in the stomach. Medication
might also be suggested that helps the movement of the gut and helps
reduce gas build up.
Avoid overfeeding.
Do
not exercise your dog or play games during the hour before a meal
and especially the hour after a meal. Some even suggest that two
hours should be observed after a meal before activity can commence.
Do
not give water 30 minutes before or after food.
Many dogs have an unhealthy habit of eating too fast.
They love to lap up all the food in a swift, sweeping
motion and gobble down or "inhale" their food
like a vacuum cleaner. This way, they end up swallowing
everything without much chewing.
Encourage the dog to eat their meal slowly by putting
a ball or other toy in their bowl. This will stop them
gulping down their dinner.
The Eat
Better™ ergonomic dog food bowl is specially
designed to make your dogs eating healthier. The wishbone
design in the centre of the bowl has 3 apexes and connecting
ridges which serve as an obstruction to deter your dog
from making a clean sweep of the food. |
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If you have a household of more than one dog then try separating
them at meal times. This cuts down on competition for food and means
that the meal is more likely to be eaten at a leisurely pace.
If
you feed a home cooked diet, avoid potatoes as they are not so easily
digested. All other root vegetables and green leafy vegetables are
fine but some suggest that vegetables should be cooked first as
this makes them easier to digest.
Avoid cereal-based food as it can be particularly bad at causing
fermentation, resulting in excessive gas.
The issue of raised feeding bowls is still one of contention. Research
and theories are ongoing regarding whether raised feeders really
help bloat or may actually aggravate the condition. Via Dogs Today
magazine we asked vet Alison Logan what her view is on the issue
of raised feeders:
"Bloat is one of many conditions where advice varies with
time, reflecting the results of ongoing research. Yes, raising the
feeding bowl was advised at one time and current thinking is that
it is best to feed from the ground once more. That advice may well
change in the future, if it has not already. It may be a matter
of by how much the feeding bowl is raised, so perhaps feeding off
the lowest back-door step rather than raising it by twelve inches,
for example? There are so many factors potentially at play in the
development of bloat that the height of the feeding bowl may be
insignificant or a relatively minor feature in comparison with another
factor, which may not have even been identified yet."
Reproduced with thanks to http://dogstodaythinktank.blogspot.com/ |
