Bloat and what it can do to your dog

by Jackie Muller

I recently lost my dog Heidi to bloat.  Heidi’s breeder had informed me that German Shepherds were susceptible to bloat, so I took the precautions that she suggested.  Two small meals instead of one large meal, and no exercise after she ate.  I was under the impression that doing these things would assure me that bloat was not something for me to worry about.  I was very wrong.

The following was obtained from the Internet:

Bloat, Torsion.  Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a life threatening condition of large deep chested dogs, usually fed once daily.  Typical breeds affected are Akita, Great Dane, German Shepherd, St Bernard, Irish Wolfhound and Irish Setter.  Sighthounds, Doberman Pinschers, Weimaraners, Bloodhounds and other similar breeds, and large, deep chested mixed breeds are also affected.

Factor in the habit of bolting food, gulping air, or drinking large amounts of water immediately after eating.  Then add vigorous exercise after a full meal, and you have the recipe for bloat.

Simple gastric distention can occur in any breed or age of dog and is common in young puppies who overeat.  This is sometimes referred to as pre-bloat.  Belching of gas or vomiting food usually relieves the problem.  If this occurs and is caught by a veterinarian in time, a large tube can be fed down the dog’s esophagus and on into the stomach.  The audible hiss of escaping gas can not only be heard but also smelled.

Torsion or volvulus are terms used to describe the twisting of the stomach after gastric distention occurs.  The different terms are used to define the twisting whether it occurs on the longitudinal axis or the mesenteric axis. When torsion occurs, the esophagus is closed off, limiting the dog’s ability to relieve distention by vomiting or belching  Often the spleen becomes entrapped as well and it’s blood supply is cut off.  The blood return to the heart decreases, cardiac output decreases and cardiac arrhythmias may follow.

The most noticeable symptoms are the grossly distended abdomen; extreme restlessness often with pacing, excessive salivation and drooling, attempts to vomit without results, whining and cries of pain.  Unfortunately owners often don’t recognize the problem until it is too late.  For the dog to be saved, the owner must notice the symptoms of gastric torsion early in the onset to have any chance of saving their pet.  If the condition is not caught early enough, the dog will usually go into shock, become comatose and die.

GDV is a true emergency and timing is critical!  If you know or even suspect your dog has bloat, immediately call your veterinarian or emergency service.

If you remember nothing else from this article, commit the symptoms to memory.  While I took what I felt were the necessary precautions, (the night she died, our routine was no different than any other night) she  got bloat anyway, and I did not know what the symptoms were.  According to my Veterinarian, bloat is rare.  It is an accident of nature, but it is acute.  In addition to the above symptoms, Heidi would drink water and vomit the water and “foam”.  I took her to Animal ER at 10:30pm and while they were preparing her for surgery, her heart stopped.  Even with the surgery, they only gave her a 50/50 chance of survival.  Bloat is very expensive to treat and there are no guarantees they will survive.  I was quoted a price of between $4,000 and $5,000, and was told that even if she survived the surgery, she could die in the post op recovery period, which can last up to 7 days.