09/06/2023
The warmer temperatures have arrived and that means that you might be considering taking your Best Furry Friend on an adventure today. Be aware that to help avoid Bloat in your dog, never allow dogs to run or exercise heavily after eating a large meal and do not allow dogs to consume large amounts of water at one time. Deep chested dogs and giant dog breeds are at a greater risk of developing bloat.Here's why.
Bloat In Dogs
By Margit Maxwell
The medical term for bloat is "Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus" ("GDV"). In this medical condition the stomach sac of the dog becomes excessively full and distended due to food, water, or swallowed air causing pain. This is known as dilatation. Then sometimes the distended stomach sac can also twist off. This is the volvulus part of this condition.
Knowing the signs of BLOAT may save your dog. With this condition you MUST seek medical help immediately especially if there has been a twist because the blood supply has been cut off due to the twist of the stomach sac. The longer the blood supply is cut off the more damage from necrosis will happen. Also, food and water cannot pass through the flipped stomach into the intestine and this will cause pain and distention from gas and toxin build up in the stomach.
Common Symptoms of Bloat In Dogs
Knowing the common symptoms associated with Bloat may help save your dog’s life.
Be able to identify these symptoms as Bloat in your dog:
- Dog acts restlessly, anxious, pacing, whining, and crying. -The dog most likely will not be comfortable lying down but instead stands and adopts a unique hunch backed posture with head hung low. This posture is the hallmark symptom identification for Bloat.
-The dog attempts to cough or vomit but will not able to vomit after the first expulsion. After the initial vomit, attempts to vomit only produces foam or mucous.
-The gums will look pale or bluish.
-The dog will usually excessively lick, drool, and pant.
-The dog may drink water excessively.
-The dog’s abdomen will eventually look bloated and feel very hard to the touch.
-The dog may try to attempt repeatedly to have bowel movements but cannot pass any f***l matter.
-Eventually the dog will have a very rapid heartbeat, weak pulse, become weak and have trouble standing. -Lastly, the dog will no longer be able to stand and will collapse.
Why Does Bloat Occur In Some Dogs?
There are some dog breeds that are more susceptible to this serious and life threatening condition. Giant dog breeds and dogs with deep chest cavities (the space is needed for greater lung expansion in running breeds) will have a bit more room in the upper abdominal area for the stomach sac to freely move. Stomach sacs are free floating between the attachment of the esophagus and the beginning of the attachment site of the small intestine which is why they can easily flip and twist. Also highly strung dogs that gulp excessive amounts of food, water, and air are more likely to have this stomach distending medical problem.
7 Things That You Can Do To Prevent Bloat In Your Dog
There are certain that conditions that create a danger for stomach distention and flips and twists of the stomach sac.
Things you can do to help prevent Bloat in your dog:
1. Dogs, especially dog breeds susceptible to Bloat, should eat several smaller meals rather than one large meal. A large meal makes the stomach sac bulge out making distention and flipping more likely.
2. Eating a kibble only diet makes bloat more likely. The reason for this has to do with the texture and consistency of kibble. Kibble is dry and can potentially absorb large amounts of liquid in the stomach. When kibble has been soaked in liquid it expands and becomes very heavy. This large heavy lump of soggy kibble now sits in your dog's stomach sac. Imagine placing a large amount of marbles into a pillow case and then moving the pillow case around causing the heavy marbles to shift and move around.
Two things you can do to help with this problem if you do feed a kibble diet:
A. Feed smaller kibble meals rather than one large kibble meal,
And,
B. Make sure that your dog has plenty of water available with the meal. If you have lots of water in the stomach (past the saturation point of the kibble) then the digesting kibble won't set up like a semi solid heavy lump of food in the stomach. You want the food to be able to move easily through with the digestion process. BUT, be please monitor and regulate water consumption because too much water will also add to the distention of the stomach.
3. Consider feeding a mixed diet rather than an all kibble diet. Adding other food textures means that kibble is not as likely to set up in the stomach. But please do be aware of mixing certain foods as not all foods have the same digestion rates. Also, adding gas forming foods are not a great idea because they will can cause further distention of the stomach sac. The more full the stomach sac, the easier it is to move, flip, and then twist.
4. Consider feeding a well-balanced raw or lightly cooked diet to your dog instead of kibble. Whole food does not swell up in the stomach like digesting kibble and may be less likely to cause stomach distention and then flipping or twisting of the stomach sac.
5. Never allow dogs to run around after they have eaten a large meal. Dogs, especially at risk dogs, should be encouraged to be calm for about an hour after eating.
6. Discourage dogs from consuming huge amounts of water at one time as this creates a heavy distended stomach sac. Yes, make sure that your dog stays hydrated as this important but don’t set out huge vats of water for the dog to drink all at once. Instead use a smaller dish filled up more often to limit how much water is consumed at one time.
7. If you have a dog who ravenously gulps kibble perhaps invest in a bowl that is designed to slow down his eating. This will help to prevent large amounts of air being swallowed along with the food.
Preventing Bloat from occurring in the first place is the best way to keep your dog safe from this serious condition. Being able to quickly recognize the symptoms that Bloat has occurred in your dog may just mean that he will get the immediate medical attention that he needs.
