Canine health problems: What is bloating?

Bloat is a common health problem in deep-chested breed of dogs. The dilation of the stomach due to entrapment of the fluids/food/gas is typically called bloating in dogs. However if along with the entrapment there is also the rotation of the stomach on its long axis then the condition is called gastric-dilation volvulus which could even prove fatal to the dog. Let’s just say that bloat could be an early sign of volvulus. Therefore if you notice any of the following symptoms then immediately take your pet to the veterinarian.

Common signs of bloat/gastric-dilation volvulus are:

• Unproductive bouts of retching


• Trying to belch/vomit without producing anything


• 
  Dry mouth or excess salivating


• Weakness/lethargy


• Uneasiness while walking


• Pale gums


• High heartbeat rate


• Shortness of breath


• Cold body temperature


• Extreme anxiety or depression


• Stomach feels slightly tight


• Hollow noise made on patting the abdomen

Apart from these common symptoms there could sometimes be no warning at all before your dog goes into hypertensive shock due to stomach rotation. Therefore if you suspect that your dog’s stomach is bloating then immediately take him to a veterinarian. Bloat or volvulus mostly occurs in deep chested dog breeds like Irish setters, German Shepherds, Great Dane, Akitas, Saint Bernards to name a few. However this problem could affect any dog.

Here are some common causes of bloat or gastric-dilation volvulus:

• Vigorous exercise immediately before or after meal


• Eating one large meal once daily/quickly eating lot of food


• Drinking water immediately after eating dry dog food.


• Eating meals from bowls kept on a raised platform etc.

Gastric dilation volvulus or bloat should not be taken lightly for they have a 50% chance of recurring and most of the time prove fatal for your beloved pooch. Also since the time it takes for the bloat to get worse is just a few hours. Therefore on slightest suspicion of bloat in your dog rush him immediately to a nearby veterinarian. Hope these tips will help you in providing excellent pet care. Remember a healthy dog is a happy dog. Good luck!

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  True Cause of Bloat Goes Under The Microscope (3/20/2013) – By Susan Chaney It won’t be this year, and most likely not next, but sometime in the next few years, we may actually find out – once and for all – what causes gastric dilatation-volvulus, more commonly known as bloat, and what triggers its occurrence. Read the entire article here:  http://www.bestinshowdaily.com/blog/2013/03/true-cause-of-bloat-goes-under-the-microscope/
  

Dog health -Bloat - know the symptoms

As some may remember last year my Bentley went through bloat and I write this today even though bloat can happen at any time, because with the fast approaching warmer weather comes the threat of thunderstorms and with thunderstorms for some dogs comes the threat of anxiety or panic. If the dog hides in the closet or the tub and doesn’t move much during a storm, chances are bloat will not be an issue. However if your large breed dog is like Bentley who will run the yard wildly, constantly bark and move about getting overheated from the anxiety, then start drinking water quickly to compensate for the overheating , there is the threat that the dog will take extra air , fluid, or foam into the stomach which cannot be expelled properly. Bloat , a twisting of the intestines , restricts any emptying of the belly which means the dog cannot vomit, or burp to relieve the gas buildup. You will see the stomach start to swell and feel hard, the dog will be dry heaving (classic sign), the dog may not respond to you when you call the name, excessive drooling, breathing problems ,restlessness , pacing, and discomfort will occur. All of the above signs together need immediate care so call the vet on your way there and tell them you think your dog is bloating so they can be prepared for your arrival. Bloat can take your dog’s life in a matter of hours.

Bentley was indeed lucky to have come out unscathed as luck was on his side. Initially I was due to leave for a meeting when this happened and because I was knowledgeable enough to know what symptoms to look for and recognized them as soon as they started his life was spared. Had I not been home he probably would not have made it through.

Factors of bloat

1)The age of the dog can play a part in bloat, normally dogs that are five years or older,
2) hereditary factors are also concern,
3) feed smaller meals twice a day instead of one big meal a day.
4) It used to be thought that elevating the food dishes would help prevent bloat but this has recently been disproved by the Cornell study.
5)Do not exercise the dog 1/2 to 1 hour before or after feeding
and do not allow large intakes of water before and after a meal.
6)There are dog bowls that have cylinders in them to prevent a dog from eating too fast which is another cause of bloat so if your guy is a fast eater you may want to invest in one. Until you can get one, placing an unopened can of vegetables in the middle of the dog’s dish can also slow down eating. dog bowls: http://www.brake-fast.net/

There is a way to make a bloat first aid kit , although you must be confident enough to be able to use it. http://www.kifka.com/Elektrik/BloatFirstAid.htm#kit

Here are great sites (video) on recognizing the signs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-AMhcQaGNE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwr9dVEG72w&feature=related

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Bloat: A Top Dog Health Threat

Pet Dog Health: The Danger Of Stomach Torsion

Author: David McMahon

It may be the worst thing that can happen to a dog owner: coming home and finding your “best friend” suddenly dead-when the dog had seemed completely healthy. Unfortunately that’s exactly what happened to me one October afternoon, when I came home to find one of my German Shepherds dead on the floor. What could it be? A stroke? A heart attack? After getting over my complete state of shock-the dog was not “aged” and seemed completely healthy-I began digging for answers.

It turned out that the cause of death was an event called “stomach torsion” that comes about from “bloat”. This is a serious issue in pet dog health, its the second leading cause of death for large dogs. But at the time, I didn’t know very much about it.

Becoming educated on this issue could mean the difference between death and several extra years of life for your dog.

OK-so what is it? Let’s try and describe it in laymen’s terms. Bloat is basically a condition where a lot of gas or fluid gets trapped in the dogs stomach. This really isn’t all that different from what might happen to you if you drank too much root beer on a full stomach, but in dogs, and in particular large dogs, this is a serious problem. This is because the stomach isn’t as well set in the body cavity as ours is, a dogs stomach is kind of hanging loose if you will. When it becomes over-engorged with fluid or gas, it can twist around.

When it does, the result is a medical emergency. The blood supply to many vital organs gets cut off when this happens, and the dog goes into shock. Death will result if surgery is not performed. A symptom that this is happening is that the dog will be throwing up clear liquid or attempting to throw up.

One tragic aspect of this condition is that onset can happen rapidly, and so you may become aware of it when its too late. That’s what happened in my case, my dog was fine when I left the house. I was gone for a few hours, and when I got back she was dead. Its a sad state of affairs but the progression from bloat to stomach torsion to death can happen in as little as an hour.

We can’t be with our dogs 24 hours a day 7 days a week, but what we can do is take steps to reduce the risk of it happening. Here are a few things you can do:

• Break up your dogs feedings. The less food a dog takes in when it eats the lower the risk. A dog that eats just once a day has a higher risk than a dog that has its meals split into two or three portions a day.


• Watch out for dry food. Dogs that eat all dry food have a higher risk. Consider feeding canned food, or mixing dry and canned together. When you do this substitute a can of moist dog food for a cup of dry food. This helps because dry food tends to expand when liquified in the stomach adding stress to the stomach.


• Feed using raised bowls. There is a bit of controversey about this one, but feeding using raised bowls may help reduce the risk. This is because some dogs gulp down air when they eat, and its believed by some that bowls raised off the floor cut down on the amount of air gulped in. This in turn cuts the risk of bloat happening. Raised pet bowls are available for sale on the internet.


• Watch out for diarrhea. If a dog has chronic diarrhea, it may increase the risk. Make sure to get diarrhea treated.


• Never exercise right after feeding. Let the dogs stomach “settle” for an hour or two before going out for exercise.


• Avoid feeding immediately after exercise. After a long walk, a dog probably wants to drink lots of water. Doing that and then eating can be a fatal recipie.


• Don’t feed late at night.

Before this happens I had no idea what a serious problem this was in pet dog health. Interestingly, it often takes dogs in their prime: most victims are aged between 4 and 7 years of age. But dogs of any age can get it, and although males have a higher risk, female dogs die from it as well.

In the end we can’t prevent every bad event from happening. But at least taking these steps will put your mind at rest since you’ll know you were aware, and took responsible steps to control the risk.

More information on pet dog health: click here

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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/pet-dog-health-the-danger-of-stomach-torsion-815044.html