Avoiding canine bloat | Paws Around Berkshire

Posted by Sue, on July 29th, 2013

If you have never seen a dog suffering from canine bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus – GDV) be glad, and hope you never do. It is very distressing and, if not treated promptly, also life-threatening. A dog with bloat will have a severely swollen abdomen. He will be in great pain so he will probably pace or circle restlessly and he will also repeatedly and unsuccessfully try to vomit and defecate. He may also whimper and drool excessively.

Bloat occurs when gas builds up in the stomach, causing it to billow out like a balloon and cutting off the normal circulation of blood to and from the heart. Not only can this stretching and restricted blood flow cause cell death, the stomach can also twist at both top and bottom creating a total blockage and trapping the gas inside. Within a few hours, the dog goes into shock and then cardiac arrest. Remember, once bloat occurs, it is the speed at which treatment is administered to the dog that determines whether or not he will live or die.

Male dogs tend to suffer more than females and larger breeds, especially those that have narrow, deep chests (Afghan, Akita, Boxer etc) are seemingly more susceptible, as are underweight dogs, anxious dogs and older dogs. However, no dog is totally immune to this distressing condition.

The exact reasons why bloat occurs are still not known, but the following potential triggers have been identified and are always worth avoiding:

Large meals eaten at one time, especially for dogs that tend to eat too quickly. Consider two smaller meals a day, rather than just one big one.

Drinking a large amount of water after eating – especially significant for dogs fed dry foods. Some believe drinking too much water too quickly after exercise can be a trigger too, especially if the dog gulps a lot of air with the water.

Dry food that is high in grain, as this causes fermentation during digestion. A good dry food should have more meat than grain in its ingredients. Some people moisten dry food with water but it may be better not to add water to dry food that is high in grain as this will actually start the fermentation process!

Rigorous exercise either right before a meal or right after one. Many experts recommend waiting one hour after exercise before feeding, and one hour after eating before you let your dog run around again.