All about BLOAT

What to do if you suspect your dog is suffering from bloat and how to avoid this condition

BLOAT in dogs is a term that describes the condition of gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV)

When the stomach becomes enlarged (or dilated), it then twists somewhere between a quarter and a full turn; the twisting is called volvulus. When an animal has gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV), the openings at at the top and the bottom of the stomach twist, blocking all materials from entering or leaving. As the digestive process continues, the stomach will swell more and more. As the stomach gets larger, it can press against blood vessels and decrease circulation. This can eventually lead to death of the tissue in the stomach walls. It can also take up some of the room the diaphragm needs to expand, which makes it hard for the animal to breathe. If left untreated, the circulation and breathing problems caused by GDV and bloat can cause infections, bleeding disorders, heart failure and sudden death. GDV is most often found in larger dogs that have eaten a large or abnormal meal.

What are the symptoms of BLOAT?

this excellent description of the textbook bloat signs comes from Alan Cowen from the Irish Wolfhound list:

The first sign you will see is RESTLESSNESS and just strange or NQR (not quite right) behavior. PACING back and forth and an unwillingness to lie down on their side is a good indicator. Many will lay down in a 'down' (Sphinx-like) position but will not roll onto one side or the other and will generally get up and pace again after a minute or so.

RAPID BREATHING is another sign that something is amiss. Very often I have seen the dog lay down in the 'down' position and then stretch its muzzle towards the ceiling as if to clear an airway. Sometimes the eyes roll back in their sockets at the same time.

DRY RETCHING normally follows, and then more rapid and shallow breathing. You may not notice any swelling of the abdomen at all. Irish Wolfhounds are very good at hiding a bloat.

In my experience bloat seems more likely to happen at night. It may or may not happen after eating. I am not a great believer in diet or the manner of eating as the major contributing factor. Obviously a dog that gulps and snorts its food is going to be a higher risk, but I have seen more bloat/torsion episodes following a stressful situation than anything else. Stress of whelping ... Stress of a dog show circuit or traveling... Stress of boarding.. Unusual changes in the routine due to house guests, etc.

(taken from the "bloat" link at

http://www.magdrl.org/

Mid Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League)

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Where to put the bowl?
•	Feeding "up" or "down?"

Pros and cons:

Many folks will tell you that the dog (especially a large breed dog) should be fed from bowls elevated above the floor. For some reason this is supposed to prevent episodes of bloat (although no research has shown that this is the case).

I am inclined to disagree. I have had many newfs over the years, and suffered only one episode of bloat. My dogs have always eaten from bowls which are on the ground (or floor, as the case may be).

It seems to me the reason is apparent. Mother Nature made it so that dogs and other carnivorous animals ate from the ground, actually usually lying down..

It just seems to me that nature's way is usually the best way.

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King Arthur: His Bloat Episode:

I experienced bloat first hand one horrible summer day several years ago. To this day I am not sure what caused it, but I suspect that perhaps it was the heat, drinking cold water too fast, the stress of playing with other dogs in the heat....who knows?

The scenario: several dogs playing out in the front year (in the shade, to be sure) but still...a hot day, in the high 70's. I went out and emptied the water bucket and filled it with fresh water...(had a well, the water was COLD)...King Arthur, my big male, 8 years old at the time, took the first LOOOONG drink.

I went back in the house, where visitors were just leaving...King went in with me. As the visitors began to get ready to go, King began to pace restlessly. Within the space of five minutes, he began to retch, without gringing anything up. He ran back and forth etween the front hall and the back hall, restlessly, stopping to retch often. As I watched, I could see that his sdies and abdomen was visibly getting larger. I immediately called the vet, (this was on a Sunday) so the vet had to meet me at the clinic. I told him the symptoms, told him I was sure it was bloat. He immediately said: "Meet me in 20 minutes at the clinic".

Somenow, I will never know how, I managed to lift my King into the van, having quickly pulled out the crates and thrown them out so there was just a big bare space in the back end...and drove frantically to the vets.

He did meet me there, bless his heart, and I assisted in the surgery, since there was no assistant vet available for a little while..The surgery was performed to "tack" the stomach walls to the rib cage, to prevent this from happening again....some hours later I took my dog home....and he lived, for five more years,when I finally had to put him down because he was no longer able to walk.

King was a glorious dog, a great friend and companion, and I was so glad to be able to hang onto him for awhile.

The best thing about this awful episode was that I DID get him to the vet immediately. Bloat is absolutely something you can not mess around with.

NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE WHAT CAUSES BLOAT. ARE PROCESSSED FOODS PART OF THE PROBLEM? I DON'T KNOW....BUT IT'S WORTH SOME THOUGHT. YOU MIGHT WANT TO INVESTIGATE THIS BOOK ABOUT CORRECT DOG FEEDING: Click Here!