Information All Dog Owners Should Know

A couple days ago I lost my best friend, a purebred Japanese Akita named King, to complications of canine bloat. He suffered on and off for over a week until he finally died of an apparent heart attack against the front of his house.

I know a ton of people who own dogs and I'd say all but one knew about canine bloat. The only reason the one person knew was because they too suffered the loss of a dog because of it.

Canine bloat is a fatal, medical emergency in dogs, and though there is no known cause or cure for it-- if you own a large dog or even a small one(I have read about it occurring in poodles as well), you need to know about bloat.

Canine bloat usually occurs after a dog eats, and it usually occurs late at night. Certain breeds like Akitas, Great Danes, Bull Mastiffs, and German Shepherds are prone to it, but there are many stories of it knowing no bounds. Bloat can occur in a dog of any age but the chance of it occurring increases as does the age.

After the dog eats, it will appear discomforted as if unable to expel gas forming in its belly. The belly then begins to bloat, looking distended and sounding and feeling much like a basketball inside its ribcage. The dog may whine, vomit, dry heave, continually pace in discomfort, and be inclined to continuous water drinking. The dog is in fact suffering from unrelievable gas forming in its stomach which will eventually lead to gastric torsion, or the stomach turning, until blood flow to its internal organs are cut off. Any moisture in the stomach is usurped by the gas which may lead to bacteria forming or parts of the stomach dying from lack of blood. The main warning signs are the discomfort displayed by whining, the dry heaving or vomiting, and a dog's impaired ability to walk. The gastric torsion of the belly will eventually lead to heart attack or death, and this may occur in as little as 45 minutes. Dog owners who've succeeded through bouts of bloat say a substantial dose of Simethicone(found in products like Gas-X or Mylaanta) will help alleviate the pain temporarily, but the only course of action is to call an emergency veterinarian clinic and let them know you're bringing in a dog with bloat. At-home emergency procedures may include placing a wooden block inside the dog's mouth(to keep it open), and inserting a tube(like a cut hose) down the dog's throat to help expel the gas.

A vet may use this procedure once a dog is brought in, or they may elect to perform emergency surgery on the dog. The type of emergency surgery depends on how well-trained the vet is in treating bloat/gastric torsion, but usually includes making an incision on the dog's stomach to release the gas. Every bit of information you read on canine bloat will state that time is of the essence, but you always want to remain calm so as to not increase tension in your dog.

The survival rate for a dog's post-bloat-surgery is not good either. Some information states it at a 50% survival rate, some state it at 30%. When you add in the fact that the emergency surgery costs anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000, all-around it is not a good situation. Many dog owners' stories say that their dogs did well for a few days post-surgery, but eventually succumbed to weakened systems. There are a few stories of dogs recovering to full ability but those are rare.

The only known ways to combat bloat are through preventative measures, but even those aren't a guarantee. First off, feed your dog several small meals a day. Feeding large dogs(or even small ones) one large, dry meal a day has been studied as a bloat factor. Giving dogs several smaller meals throughout the day and limiting the amount of water they drink after eating is a preventative measure. Dogs gulping down huge amounts of water after eating may increase the amount of air they swallow, further raising the potential to bloat. Also, exercise after eating is ill-advised. Dogs should not exercise for at least two hours after eating, as this may also increase the amount of air they swallow and expedite unrelievable gas forming in their stomach.

Dry foods that contain a lot of carbohydrates and Brewer's yeast are also factors in bloat. Dogs who eat "wet" foods that contain meat have a lower statistic when it comes to bloating. Also, raised water bowls and dog dishes were once thought to decrease chances of bloat, but new information suggests the opposite: raised water bowls and dog dishes actually increase the amount of air a dog swallows.

There is a surgical procedure called gastropexy that you may elect to have your dog undergo to prevent bloat. Gastropexy involves stapling the dog's stomach to his internal body wall to prevent it from turning.

Though there is not much known about the causes or reasons for bloat, the best thing a dog owner can do is educate themself on it and be prepared. It is ranked as the #2 killer of dogs behind cancer, and possibly the #1 killer of larger dogs.

I watched my dog King suffer intolerably through the illness and it's heart-breaking for an owner to see their unconditionally loyal friend go through something they don't deserve. This is dedicated to King and all the other best friends, past and present, who made and continue to make their owners' lives so much more richer.