bloat
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I lost a dog to bloat...more formally called "gastric torsion." Any dog can get it, but the very large, deep chested breeds are more prone to it. The dog I lost to bloat was a female aussie/rottie mix and it was just before her 2nd birthday.
The symptoms are usually composed of a tight, firm abdomen and a dog that appears very restless and uncomfortable. Most common is a dog that tries to throw up and nothing comes up. They gag and act like they are going to vomit but they can't produce anything more than maybe a little foam etc.
Usually, you can tell that something is seriously wrong. The dog can seem almost panicky.
No one knows for sure what causes bloat. There are many theories. Raw diets are suppose to be better for preventing bloat.
The symptoms are usually composed of a tight, firm abdomen and a dog that appears very restless and uncomfortable. Most common is a dog that tries to throw up and nothing comes up. They gag and act like they are going to vomit but they can't produce anything more than maybe a little foam etc.
Usually, you can tell that something is seriously wrong. The dog can seem almost panicky.
No one knows for sure what causes bloat. There are many theories. Raw diets are suppose to be better for preventing bloat.
Check out the info on bloat at www.greatdanelady.com 
I like that site Renee. Came across it the other day when looking for ear glueing diagram for an Irish owner. Hi Ruckus' mom... it is not common in Shelties. As showpug stated, specific breeds, deeper chested breeds seem to be more at risk. Also, a raw diet will not be a cause for bloat in a dog. I've dealt with this in dogs, as well as horses. Always a good rule of thumb... do not feed and water just before strenuous physical activity. Monitor water after exercise. (Don't allow them to drink excessive amounts) And do look up site that referances signs of bloat, so that you know what it looks like. It comes on very quickly and you have very limited time to make it to the vet if the intestine has actually flipped.
i don't think it's genetic but i could be wrong. i know there was one time i had a scare... yoshi was throwing up and hadn't gone to the bathroom in a while. but she was acting fine other than that. the vet told me to listen to her stomach and see if i heard llittle pops and gurgles that the stomach makes normally i did and they said she should be ok but if she wasn't in an hour more to take her in. don't know if that helps at all but that's what happened with me ^^:;
Actually there is some thought that Bloat is at least partially caused by gentics.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/exocrine_pancreatic_insufficie.html
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/exocrine_pancreatic_insufficie.html
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I have also lost a dog to bloat.
They say that one of the risk factors is having a relative that bloated. In my case, my dog's full brother had bloated and was saved a few years before my dog bloated and torsed and couldn't be saved.
The half sister of these two also had a minor bloat episode that I caught very early, and she was tubed. One of her puppies has been lost to bloat, another suffered a bloat but was saved. And one of her half sister's puppies was also lost to bloat.
I think it's extremely reasonable to consider that it's genetic when you look at the above scenario. OTOH, it's a deep chested breed that is prone so is it the simple risk of being that breed or is it genetic? Who knows?
One should definitely read all they can on it and BE PREPARED. Your own vet may not be able to deal with a torsion case and you may get sent on to another emergency or after hours clinic. KNOW where these are, and know how to get there.
Do not think you are safe by feeding a raw diet. I have occasionally read of dogs that bloated on the raw diet. As far as I'm concerned, no one is safe. Don't ever be complacent about something so deadly.
You can follow all the guidelines that float around out there and still experience it. The dog I lost ate his breakfast and went back to bed and bloated. He wasn't doing anything. He wasn't exercising. He didn't drink too much. He wasn't anxious or nervous. He absolutely didn't fall into most of the risk factors other than being a Doberman and having a relative that bloated.
They say that one of the risk factors is having a relative that bloated. In my case, my dog's full brother had bloated and was saved a few years before my dog bloated and torsed and couldn't be saved.
The half sister of these two also had a minor bloat episode that I caught very early, and she was tubed. One of her puppies has been lost to bloat, another suffered a bloat but was saved. And one of her half sister's puppies was also lost to bloat.
I think it's extremely reasonable to consider that it's genetic when you look at the above scenario. OTOH, it's a deep chested breed that is prone so is it the simple risk of being that breed or is it genetic? Who knows?
One should definitely read all they can on it and BE PREPARED. Your own vet may not be able to deal with a torsion case and you may get sent on to another emergency or after hours clinic. KNOW where these are, and know how to get there.
Do not think you are safe by feeding a raw diet. I have occasionally read of dogs that bloated on the raw diet. As far as I'm concerned, no one is safe. Don't ever be complacent about something so deadly.
You can follow all the guidelines that float around out there and still experience it. The dog I lost ate his breakfast and went back to bed and bloated. He wasn't doing anything. He wasn't exercising. He didn't drink too much. He wasn't anxious or nervous. He absolutely didn't fall into most of the risk factors other than being a Doberman and having a relative that bloated.
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Technically, any breed can bloat.
Bloat Articles:
http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm
http://www.irishwolfhounds.org/GDV.htm#first
http://www.greatdanerescueinc.com/bloat.html
http://www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/berner1/bloat.htm
http://www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/berner1/bloat2.htm
http://www.eclipse.net/~bobaloo/bloat.htm
Tubing A Bloat Dog:
http://www.twinoaksbh.com/gdvbloat.html
Gastropexy (Stomach tacking)
http://members.fortunecity.com/houndfancy/procon.html
20 Signs that your dog may be in trouble from bloat or torsion:
(1) distended abdomen
(2) rigid (hard) abdomen
(3) painful when touched in the abdomen
(4) vomiting foamy or liquid material
(5) unproductive attempts at vomiting or retching
(6) arched back
(7) praying position (down in front, rear standing)
(8) laying down on belly - crouched position
(9) curling up in a ball
(10) laying or sitting in an unusual location
(11) seeking a hiding place
(12) looking at their side
(13) frequent swallowing (aerophagia)
(14) hypersalivation (drooling heavily)
(15) drinking excessively
(16) lack of appetite
(17) quiet, any abnormal behavior
(18) lethargy, weakness
(19) panting, breathing rapidly or heavily
(20) red gums, or white gums (not normal pink color)
Bloat Articles:
http://www.globalspan.net/bloat.htm
http://www.irishwolfhounds.org/GDV.htm#first
http://www.greatdanerescueinc.com/bloat.html
http://www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/berner1/bloat.htm
http://www.jersey.net/~mountaindog/berner1/bloat2.htm
http://www.eclipse.net/~bobaloo/bloat.htm
Tubing A Bloat Dog:
http://www.twinoaksbh.com/gdvbloat.html
Gastropexy (Stomach tacking)
http://members.fortunecity.com/houndfancy/procon.html
20 Signs that your dog may be in trouble from bloat or torsion:
(1) distended abdomen
(2) rigid (hard) abdomen
(3) painful when touched in the abdomen
(4) vomiting foamy or liquid material
(5) unproductive attempts at vomiting or retching
(6) arched back
(7) praying position (down in front, rear standing)
(8) laying down on belly - crouched position
(9) curling up in a ball
(10) laying or sitting in an unusual location
(11) seeking a hiding place
(12) looking at their side
(13) frequent swallowing (aerophagia)
(14) hypersalivation (drooling heavily)
(15) drinking excessively
(16) lack of appetite
(17) quiet, any abnormal behavior
(18) lethargy, weakness
(19) panting, breathing rapidly or heavily
(20) red gums, or white gums (not normal pink color)
I think the breeder you work for is very smart. I would never breed to a line of dogs prone to bloat.
My dog's bloat story goes like this. We had a aussie/rottie mix and we took her to the park for a game of fetch with my sister and her dog. My dog, Riegon, was a nervous dog by nature and despite my early puppy classes with her and gobs of socialization, she remained fearful of strangers and nervous in new situations. She played fetch for quite some time and then we went back to my sister's house. She seemed nervous when we got back so my sister gave her a rawhide to chew to help calm her. Well, she scarfed it down and within 15 minutes started crawling around my sister's back yard acting very uncomfortable. She was also wretching and trying to vomit and was producing nothing. I was working at the vet clinic at the time and new I was dealing with a bloat case. We took her to a near by vet that kept trying to tell me she had a blockage from the raw hide. I kept telling them that she was acting like she had bloat! Well, when we got the x-rays back unfortunatley I was right. She did have bloat and a horribly torsed stomach. It looked like a figure 8 on film. They could not treat her and we had to rush her to the emergency vet where she was given a poor prognosis even after surgery. She was in shock, would probably have to have her spleen removed and they suspected a lifetime of heart trouble after this. My husband and I decided to humanley euthanize. She was just short of 2 years old.
I have read that nervous dogs are more prone to bloat. I have also read that dogs that are underweight are also more prone to bloat because they don't have the extra fat in their abdominal cavity to help prevent their stomach from torsing.
After this episode with my mix, we decided to have my dane's stomach tacked so he could not torse.
My dog's bloat story goes like this. We had a aussie/rottie mix and we took her to the park for a game of fetch with my sister and her dog. My dog, Riegon, was a nervous dog by nature and despite my early puppy classes with her and gobs of socialization, she remained fearful of strangers and nervous in new situations. She played fetch for quite some time and then we went back to my sister's house. She seemed nervous when we got back so my sister gave her a rawhide to chew to help calm her. Well, she scarfed it down and within 15 minutes started crawling around my sister's back yard acting very uncomfortable. She was also wretching and trying to vomit and was producing nothing. I was working at the vet clinic at the time and new I was dealing with a bloat case. We took her to a near by vet that kept trying to tell me she had a blockage from the raw hide. I kept telling them that she was acting like she had bloat! Well, when we got the x-rays back unfortunatley I was right. She did have bloat and a horribly torsed stomach. It looked like a figure 8 on film. They could not treat her and we had to rush her to the emergency vet where she was given a poor prognosis even after surgery. She was in shock, would probably have to have her spleen removed and they suspected a lifetime of heart trouble after this. My husband and I decided to humanley euthanize. She was just short of 2 years old.
I have read that nervous dogs are more prone to bloat. I have also read that dogs that are underweight are also more prone to bloat because they don't have the extra fat in their abdominal cavity to help prevent their stomach from torsing.
After this episode with my mix, we decided to have my dane's stomach tacked so he could not torse.
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Tacking the stomach does not prevent bloat or torsion. A tacked dog can still bloat, however, the tacking helps to reduce the chance of the dog going into torsion. It is not fool proof, however, as tacked dogs have been known to torsion and die.
It's just an added precaution and it reduces the risk of your dog dying from volvulus.
It's just an added precaution and it reduces the risk of your dog dying from volvulus.
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It depends on the breed. Great Danes are at the highest risk, with statistics showing one in every four will bloat in their lifetimes.
As far as cost - a gastropexy can be done for under $500, however if your dog bloats and torsions, you could spend anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 in treatment, with no gaurentee of survival.
As far as cost - a gastropexy can be done for under $500, however if your dog bloats and torsions, you could spend anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 in treatment, with no gaurentee of survival.
Many years ago I lost my 11 yo Great Dane to bloat. Other than being a deep chested breed he didn't fit any of the other typical reasoning - he was a very slow eater & had a very low activity level. He was fed from an elevated dish.
3 years ago I almost lost Farley, standard poodle, to bloat & torsion. We got up in the morning & he went outside where there was alot of snow. He didn't do his normal morning zoom around before going potty. He just sat on the sidewalk just off the porch. When I brought him in he just laid down. No retching, panting or any other signs. Just very quiet and being a total "velcro" dog. My daughter was home so I went to work leaving her instructions to keep a close eye on him. I called the vet to make an appt. for him & the 1st opening was at 6 PM. I called home every 1/2 hr to find no change at all. At noon I called the vet & said we were on our way as I was too uneasy. They said I'd just have to wait in the waiting room because they were so busy but I said that was OK, that we'd at least be in the building.
I drove home, got Farley & headed to the vet. When we got there they had a room waiting for us because when they told the vet about my call he felt for me to be that concerned he'd see him immediately. After a full exam nothing showed out the ordinary except for his lack of energy - he didn't have the "Farley spark". I said it was 1 of 3 things: constipated, a blockage or bloat. The vet said he had no signs of any of those but took him back for an xray to put my mind at ease. Within 10 mins he was back in the room saying Farley was being prepped for e-surgery. He was in full torsion. He lost his spleen but made it through. It was a tough few days with him spending it at the e-vet for round the clock care & monitering. It cost me $2000 but I didn't care. They did tack his stomach so hopefully it will greatly reduce another incident of torsion but it will not reduce the chance of bloat.
My vet he has heard of many different breeds getting it and it is not limited to deep chested ones although they tend to be the most susceptible to it.
My warning is that not all dogs will exhibit any of the textbook warnings of this deadly condition. Only you know your dog and know when something definitely isn't right. If I hadn't listened to my gut instinct Farley wouldn't have made it to the 6:00 appointment. My vet told me that he knew I really know my dogs and it was due to my feeling that although he found nothing on the physical exam he went and recommended an xray. He said had it been a dog and/or owner he didn't know it might have had a much different outcome. So it is also important to have a good relationship with your vet and for him to be familiar with your furpals including their normal personalities especially when things out of the ordinary happen.
3 years ago I almost lost Farley, standard poodle, to bloat & torsion. We got up in the morning & he went outside where there was alot of snow. He didn't do his normal morning zoom around before going potty. He just sat on the sidewalk just off the porch. When I brought him in he just laid down. No retching, panting or any other signs. Just very quiet and being a total "velcro" dog. My daughter was home so I went to work leaving her instructions to keep a close eye on him. I called the vet to make an appt. for him & the 1st opening was at 6 PM. I called home every 1/2 hr to find no change at all. At noon I called the vet & said we were on our way as I was too uneasy. They said I'd just have to wait in the waiting room because they were so busy but I said that was OK, that we'd at least be in the building.
I drove home, got Farley & headed to the vet. When we got there they had a room waiting for us because when they told the vet about my call he felt for me to be that concerned he'd see him immediately. After a full exam nothing showed out the ordinary except for his lack of energy - he didn't have the "Farley spark". I said it was 1 of 3 things: constipated, a blockage or bloat. The vet said he had no signs of any of those but took him back for an xray to put my mind at ease. Within 10 mins he was back in the room saying Farley was being prepped for e-surgery. He was in full torsion. He lost his spleen but made it through. It was a tough few days with him spending it at the e-vet for round the clock care & monitering. It cost me $2000 but I didn't care. They did tack his stomach so hopefully it will greatly reduce another incident of torsion but it will not reduce the chance of bloat.
My vet he has heard of many different breeds getting it and it is not limited to deep chested ones although they tend to be the most susceptible to it.
My warning is that not all dogs will exhibit any of the textbook warnings of this deadly condition. Only you know your dog and know when something definitely isn't right. If I hadn't listened to my gut instinct Farley wouldn't have made it to the 6:00 appointment. My vet told me that he knew I really know my dogs and it was due to my feeling that although he found nothing on the physical exam he went and recommended an xray. He said had it been a dog and/or owner he didn't know it might have had a much different outcome. So it is also important to have a good relationship with your vet and for him to be familiar with your furpals including their normal personalities especially when things out of the ordinary happen.