Bloat in the Canine

Larger breed dogs are prone to developing a condition called "bloat." This is a condition in which your dog can die from if not taken care of. Bloat can occur if your dog eats too fast, exercises prior to eating, is in a stressful situation, size of the dog, etc. What happens with bloat is that there is an accumulation of air in the stomach and intestines. This can occur with or without twisting of the stomach, which is extremely dangerous if that happens. If the stomach twists, it traps food and air and cuts off circulation around the stomach. This in turn can affect internal organs adversely and can even lead to a quick death if not addressed.

So how do you prevent this condition from ever happening to your dog? Well, depending on what would cause your dog to bloat, you would need to address. If you have a large breed dog, for example a Great Dane, there are prophylactic methods to preventing a bloat. There is a procedure called a Prophylactic Gastropexy. What this procedure does is it tacks the stomach to the abdominal wall so that twisting is impossible in the future. This is a procedure that can be doen laparoscopically. The surgeon basically grabs the stomach and sutures it to the abdominal wall. The stomach will self-adhere to the abdominal wall and will remain there.

Many veterinarians are recommending that you have this procedure done at the time of the spay/neuter to prevent bloats from occurring in the future. If surgical prevention is not what you want to do, then there is a huge list of preventative tips. Here are some tips, to name a few; avoid a highly stressful situation, avoid elevated food bowls, always allow access to water before and after a meal, prevent your dog from eating too much food at once (use large rocks in the bowl so your dog has to work around them), feed several meals throughout the day rather than just one, keep simethicone on hand to relieve gas symptoms, etc.Remember that this is a situation in which your dog could go down hill fast if not seen and treated quickly. There are a multitude of symptoms related with bloat, such as panting, painful abdomen, excessive drinking, pacing back and forth, refusing to sit down, struggle to defecate, whining, vomiting foamy mucous, blue gums, coughing, licking the air, extreme lethargy, etc. If you suspect that bloat has occured, you should see your veterinarian immediately.