
Every dog owner would have heard about the Deadly Bloat for dogs. Bloat is a very serious health risk for many dogs, yet many dog owners know very little about it.
It is the second leading killer of dogs, after cancer !
The technical name for bloat is "Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus" ("GDV"). Bloating of the stomach is often related to swallowed air (although food and fluid can also be present). It usually happens when there's an abnormal accumulation of air, fluid, and/or foam in the stomach ("gastric dilatation"). Stress can be a significant contributing factor also. Bloat can occur with or without "volvulus" (twisting). As the stomach swells, it may rotate 90° to 360°, twisting between its fixed attachments at the esophagus (food tube) and at the duodenum (the upper intestine). The twisting stomach traps air, food, and water in the stomach. The bloated stomach obstructs veins in the abdomen, leading to low blood pressure, shock, and damage to internal organs. The combined effect can quickly kill a dog.
This usually happens when owners let their dogs eat or drink immediately after a run or exercise. Or the dog itself eat and drink too fast.
Symptoms
The most noticeable symptoms are:
- Swollen abdomen
- Extreme restlessness often with pacing
- Excessive salivation and drooling
- Attempts to vomit or defecate without results
- Whining and cries of pain
- Pale or off-colour gums
(Dark red in early stages, white or blue in later stages) - Foamy mucous around the lips, or vomiting foamy mucous
- May refuse to lie down or even sit down
- Heavy or rapid panting
Prevention
It seems there is a high risk of GDV if the dog is given one meal a day, if the dog is allowed to drink excessively and indulge in vigorous exercise after eating. All these factors should be avoided.
- Do not feed your dog one meal a day, spilt this into two. One in the morning one in the evening
- Do not exercise or excite your dog straight before/after feeding time. Allow at least 1 hours for him to digest his food.
- Do not put your dog in a stressful situation straight after feeding time. Again as above allow plenty of time for him to digest his food.
- Excessive drinking should also be avoided, especially right before and straight after feeding time.
- Avoid feeding food that are known to cause flatulence (gas), e.g. soy, beans, peas, onions, beet pulp, etc.
- Never allow you dog to eat bread dough or anything that contains un-cooked yeast.
- When switching dog food, do so gradually (allow several weeks).

Breeds At Greatest Risk
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