BLOAT in dogs: Signs to watch out for to keep your dog safe

BLOAT in dogs: Signs to watch out for to keep your dog safe

BLOAT in dogs: Signs to watch out for to keep your dog safe. Image - Pixabay

Gastric dilation volvulus is a life-threatening disorder that happens when a dog’s stomach fills with gas and becomes twisted. Also known as BLOAT due to clinical signs.

B: breathing problems

L: large stomach

O: overproduction of saliva

A: anxiety, restlessness, and pacing

T: trying to vomit.

We really don’t know why BLOAT happens but anxiety and diet are triggers. Exercises are discouraged immediately before or after eating. Any dog can have bloat, but it’s much more common in deep-chested. Some breeds are at a higher risk than others, including Great Danes, Gordon Setters, Irish Setters, Weimaraners, and St. Bernards.

BLOAT happens when a dog’s stomach fills with gas, food or fluid, making it expand. The stomach puts pressure on other organs. It can cause dangerous problems. The dog’s stomach will rotate or twist and traps blood in the stomach and blocks it from returning to the heart and other areas of the body. This can send your dog into shock. If it is, your dog will have emergency surgery to untwist it and put it back in its normal position. The vet also will fix the stomach to prevent GSV in the future. 

There are ways you can keep it from happening to your dog:

– Avoid exercise immediately before or after eating.

– Feed several times a day in moderate amounts instead of one large meal.

– For predisposed breeds, the stomach can be surgically fixed to prevent twisting. This surgery can be done laparoscopically avoiding large wounds.


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