Bloat. Has Your Dog Bloated?

[ish]

What are others thoughts on the matter?

Mine get locked up - in crates, in the trailer if we're away etc so they have little chance to anything much other than rest. My house dogs are usually sensible enough to lay on their beds before tea, but if they start playing or won't settle, they get split up and crated.

I worry about my dog who is on cortisone - he drinks so much water and his whole life is about food. I can't restrict his water, and he rarely settles in an hour in his crate because he's so excited about his tea arriving. Not helpful things to keep bloat away Hopefully he will be able to come off the cortisone at some stage

[Lab_Rat]

Ours have learnt that its quiet time before dinner SecretKei - Zola has to go to her bed as she drools hugely everywhere otherwise . After they eat they usually go to their beds although Zola loves to rub her face all over her bed after eating, which then turns into rolling about, which im not too fond of . She usually gets told quite severely if she starts that!

I guess a bit of training sould be ok, mainly that theyre not panting heavily etc., like theyve been on a long hike of zoomy-ing round the yard!

Rat

[angelsun]

What breed?

Manchester Terrier

How old was the dog?

3 years old

Was there a familial component?

not to my knowledge

What was the dog being fed? Need some detail of what exactly - if dry food, which one, if raw, what it was

Raw

How often was he fed? Once daily or more?

once per day and in the evening

Was his bowl elevated, or on the ground?

ground

What was he doing when he bloated? (ie, at a show, at home, playing, at home alone)

at home, not any sort of exercise in fact if memory serves she was snoozing on the pillow in the hall when I noticed her start to get uncomfortable

Has he bloated more than once?

twice

Has he had a gastrowhatsit? LOL (too lazy to look it up, but you'll know ) no

Did he ever bloat after that?

n/a

Did the dog also suffer GDV

not to my knowledge as we did not use a vet on either case

Did it have surgery?

no

What was done to relieve the bloat?

[/b] I induced the dog to vomit and then walked about a million miles slowly in circles in my front yard to gently produce a swaying motion which in many cases will solve the problem and in this case it did. After about an hours walking (and stopping to vomit occasionally) it was clear that the tension in the stomach was reduced and the dog began to clearly be less stressed. Another hours worth of walking reduced the stomach to correct size and feel (was no longer drum head tight) and the situation was fixed. Had the change not begun, I would have been prepared to insert a large guage needle to releive built up air, but it's not recommended unless you REALLY know what you're doing as you can in fact kill the dog with this if it's not done right. It is in fact a last ditch manouver in many cases.

[Jed]

bump

[sas]

I have a question re bloat and exercise and feeding-

what exactly would you term as exercise? Obviously if the dog has been for a long walk or run you would not feed it for an hour or two. But what about a few minutes of training or spontanious bouncing around? Would you still wait a full hour before feeding?

I always try to leave at least an hour (if not longer) between exercise and feeding and no excercise for at least 2 hours after eating but often have the problem of my dog deciding to do zoomies before dinner or having a quick bouncy one minute training session in the morning then not knowing if I should hold off on feeding him In these cases I try and leave at least 30 mins of quiet time before his meal but I wonder if I should be leaving it longer...

What are others thoughts on the matter?

I have an old girl who zooms after food, I don't stop her, she's approx. 10 this year.

In general though in regards to walk we leave an hour either side of food.

[lovemyweim]

What breed?

Weimaraner Long Coat

How old was the dog?

1st time - 6

2nd time - 7

3rd time - 8

(she's now 12)

Was there a familial component?

No

What was the dog being fed? Need some detail of what exactly - if dry food, which one, if raw, what it was

All 3 times BARF (chicken carcasses the 3rd time) ... she's now on supercoat (soaked)

How often was he fed? Once daily or more?

Twice always, with a treat in between

Was his bowl elevated, or on the ground?

On the ground, but with BARF she usually lay on the ground chewing chicken carcasses etc

What was he doing when he bloated? (ie, at a show, at home, playing, at home alone)

First 2 times home with us, 3rd time home alone ... lucky I got home in time

Has he bloated more than once?

Yes, see above

First and second time was very minor & was just given something similar to buscopan

Third time was more serious, but she did not blow up any of the times ... to look at her you wouldn't have known, except she was rock hard & distressed, running in & outside trying to go to the toilet. Plus the smell was unbearable ... extremely gassy house I came home to.

Has he had a gastrowhatsit? LOL (too lazy to look it up, but you'll know )

No, she'd already been desexed & tubing relieved it, but I would have had gastroplexy done if required.

Did he ever bloat after that?

Not after the 3rd time, but she did manage to get bitten by a snake to ensure I continued with costly vet bills

Did the dog also suffer GDV

No

Did it have surgery?

No

What was done to relieve the bloat?

Buscopan 1st & 2nd, tubing 3rd

Also need to note she is not high strung at all ... very relaxed dog (for a weim). She is also not deep chested (she's not a particularly good example of the breed ;) but I love her anyway). She'd not been strenuously exercised, she met none of the known criteria for bloat.

[cointreau]

Jed some more information for your research.

What Breed?

Great Dane

How old was the dog

10 years 4 months

Was there a familial component?

No, to my knowledge

What was the dog being fed?

Nutrience normally but had been given a small amount of dry kibble with chicken mince, cooked rice and vegetables before she bloated, this was part of her normal routine at a daycare facility. She also got bones to chew on.

How often was she fed?

Twice a day

Was her bowl elevated, or on the ground?

Elevated

What was she doing when she bloated?

Had been to visit a friend, she did get a bit stressed earlier in the day but had been settled for hours, I was driving home and ran into a shop for three minutes maximum, on my return she was bloating - strings of saliva from her mouth. I went straight to the vet from there, had I taken her home first and then gone out I don't think she would have survived.

Has she bloated mre than once?

Yes, exactly one month later at 8 PM, had had a very relaxing day, eaten earlier and was just lying on a rug. Signs she wasn't okay were her eyes looked didn't look happy and she had a drop and I mean a drop of saliva on each side of her mouth. She stood up for me while I rang the vet, tried to vomit and couldn't, I could see and feel her tummy swelling.

Has she had a gastropexy?

Yes, after she bloated the second time

Did she ever bloat after that?

No

Did the dog also suffer GDV?

From memory I think we stopped the bloat before it got to that stage.

Did it have surgery?

Yes stoma creation and then gastropexy at least a week later.

What was done to relieve the bloat?

1st time a tube down the throat to relieve the gas, and IV fluids with observation for a few hours, I stayed with her when the vet was happy we went home and again I observed her overnight.

2nd time a tube down the throat to relieve the gas, everytime the tube was removed she would bloat again we tried at least 4 times and a decision was made to create a stoma into the stomach to make sure gas couldn't build up, although it sounds messy and horrible I am a human nurse and blood and guts don't worry me especially if it is to save my dog, IV fluids were also given. I took my girl home that night again I watched her carefully. Because she was stable there was no rush to do the surgery (gastropexy) and my vet needed some large retractors to make the job easier for him and his nurse, I was happy to wait, when all the equipment was there a day was decided on and no other elective surgery was done so they could concentrate on my girl, everything went well and I took my girl home the next day.

There were no further issues with bloat for my girl after that. She died in my arms aged 11 years 9 months following complications after a leg amputation for osteosarcoma.

My current Dane had a prophylactic gastropexy when she was desexed.

[idigadog]

Hey Jed. We have had two Malamute bitches bloat but cross fingers, none of our Sibes. I've done answers for both girls separately.

ASPEN:

What breed?

ALASKAN MALAMUTE

How old was the dog?

5

Was there a familial component?

NO

What was the dog being fed? Need some detail of what exactly - if dry food, which one, if raw, what it was

I THINK IT WAS PEDIGREE PERFORMANCE. WAS BACK IN 2001

How often was she fed? Once daily or more?

TWICE DAILY

Was her bowl elevated, or on the ground?

GROUND LEVEL

What was she doing when she bloated? (ie, at a show, at home, playing, at home alone)

AT HOME. ASPEN HAD JUST COME BACK FROM A VISIT TO THE CHIROPRACTOR AND BLOATED AFTER WE FED HER

Has she bloated more than once?

NO

Has she had a gastrowhatsit? LOL (too lazy to look it up, but you'll know smile.gif )

YES

Did she ever bloat after that?

NO

Did the dog also suffer GDV

YES

Did it have surgery?

YES

What was done to relieve the bloat?

WHEN WE FIRST TOOK ASPEN TO THE VET THEY TUBED HER TO RELIEVE THE GAS. KEPT HER THERE FOR A FEW HOURS FOR OBSERVATION AND THEN WE BOUGHT HER HOME. I KNEW SHE WASN'T RIGHT AND KEPT SAYING TO THE VET THAT I THOUGHT SHE HAD GDV BUT WAS ASSURED THAT THE TUBE HAD GONE ALL THE WAY DOWN HER STOMACH.

ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER, SHE WAS VERY UNSETTLED AND THEN STARTED ROLLING IN PAIN SO WE RUSHED HER TO VET AGAIN. THIS TIME, WE WATCHED THEM TUBE HER AND THE VET CALLED IN THE HEAD SURGEON. TOGETHER WE MADE THE DECISION TO OPERATE ON HER.

NOT ONLY DID SHE HAVE GDV BUT HER SPLEEN HAD BEEN DISPLACED AND HAD STARTED TO DIE. ASPEN HAD ABOUT HALF OF HER BOWEL AND SPLEEN REMOVED AND ALSO HAD A GASTROPEXY PERFORMED.

Did she ever bloat after that?

NO. SHE WENT ON TO RACE IN OUR TEAM AGAIN STRONGER THAN EVER IN 2002 UNTIL SHE DIED IN 2004 FROM IMMUNE MEDIATED HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA

PHOENIX:

What breed?

ALASKAN MALAMUTE

How old was the dog?

6

Was there a familial component?

NO

What was the dog being fed? Need some detail of what exactly - if dry food, which one, if raw, what it was

EITHER PEDIGREE PERFORMANCE OR EUKANUBA PREMIUM PERFORMANCE

How often was she fed? Once daily or more?

TWICE DAILY

Was her bowl elevated, or on the ground?

GROUND LEVEL

What was she doing when she bloated? (ie, at a show, at home, playing, at home alone)

RACING AT A SLED RACE IN VICTORIA

Has she bloated more than once?

NO

Has she had a gastrowhatsit? LOL (too lazy to look it up, but you'll know smile.gif )

YES

Did she ever bloat after that?

NO

Did the dog also suffer GDV

NO

Did it have surgery?

YES

What was done to relieve the bloat?

THE RACE VET DID NOT BELIEVE US THAT SHE WAS BLOATING. I COULD TELL AS SOON AS SHE CROSSED THE FINISH LINE THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. WE ARGUED WITH THIS IDIOT VET FOR HALF AN HOUR WHILE HE TOLD US THAT SHE HAD JUST DAMAGED HER BACK DURING HER RUN AND GAVE HER A PAIN KILLER.

IN THE MEANTIME MY HUSBAND WAS HOLDING PHOENIX DOWN TO STOP HER FROM CROCODILE ROLLING WHICH OFTEN CAUSES GSD. SHE WAS IN EXTREME PAIN AND IN THE END I GOT THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE LOCAL GREYHOUND VET IN THE AREA AND HE AGREED TO OPEN UP HIS SURGERY AND WE MET HIM THERE. THIS WAS AT AROUND 10PM. THE GREYHOUND VET TOOK ONE LOOK AT HER AND PUT HER STRAIGHT UNDER. HE DIDN'T EVEN ATTEMPT TUBING AND STARTED THE OPERATION WHILE WE WERE THERE WITH HER AND THANKFULLY, SHE WAS JUST IN THE EARLY STAGES OF BLOAT. THE VET PRAISED MY HUSBAND FOR KEEPING PHOENIX FROM ROLLING AS SHE WOULD HAVE DONE MORE DAMAGE TO HERSELF.

Did she ever bloat after that?

NO. SHE WENT ON TO RACE AGAIN BUT IT CERTAINLY AGED HER QUICKLY. SHE IS NOW 11 YEARS OLD.

BOTH OF THESE BITCHES GAVE THEIR ALL IN HARNESS. IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION, THEY WOULD GIVE US 110%. THEY LIVED FOR WORKING AND EVEN WHEN IN PAIN, THEY TRIED VERY HARD TO MASK IT.

ASPEN WAS NOT HIGHLY STRUNG HOWEVER PHOENIX IN HER YOUNGER DAYS DEFINATELY WAS. SHE STILL IS IN FACT!

[cointreau]

How horrible for you to have to go through that with Phoenix. Soome vets just don't seem to understand bloat I know of a Rottie that bloated and was made to wait over30 minutes before seeing the vet that meant approx 1 hour had past before any treatment was considered the vet acted very slowly taking x-rays etc before conceding the dog was bloating the dog was given a gastropexy at some stage, never really making a complete recovery. I often wonder if the outcome would have been happier if the vet and their staff acted quicker.

Well done for being so adament about Phoenix's condition and saving her life.

[Blue Fox 001]

I would like to find out more about bloat. Read the scientific papers, read the theories, now am looking for some hands on. If your dog has bloated, I would be very grateful if you could answer some questions about it.

If I get a few replies,I'll post the results here. And maybe we'll all learn a little

What breed?

GSD

How old was the dog?

10 years 7 months

Was there a familial component?

No

What was the dog being fed? Need some detail of what exactly - if dry food, which one, if raw, what it was

Raw with some Bonnie Working Dog

How often was he fed? Once daily or more?

Once daily

Was his bowl elevated, or on the ground?

On ground

What was he doing?

Had been playing with our other dog, but had been settled for about 1 hour before episode

Has he bloated more than once?

No - did not survive

Has he had a gastrowhatsit? LOL (too lazy to look it up, but you'll know ) N/A

Did he ever bloat after that? N/A

Did the dog also suffer GDV -

Don't know for sure but I suspect yes

Did it have surgery? No

What was done to relieve the bloat? PTS

We are a long way from a vet so the decision was made to PTS

Our second dog is a standard poodle so as you can imagine we are paranoid about bloat. Even after zoomies in the yard he waits an hour before being fed, and no exercise for 2 hours after feeding (although we usually don't exercise at all afterfeeding) He is only allowed small amounts of water after exercising and some times I'm sure he is so thirsty but we make him wait. I hope everything we are doing will ensure this does not happen to him but as someone else said sometimes it just happens.

I might think of more questions later, but this about covers what I would like to know.