Bloat in Dogs

Bloat in dogs (Gastric Dilatation Volvulus or GDV): it is debatable whether this condition is a genetic or behavioral problem. Or both. If the key cause is behavioral, the exceedingly painful and often fatal, condition is largely preventable. Here we err on the side of caution and share what we have learned about the simple steps that can be taken to prevent non-genetic bloat conditions.

Think Thanksgiving, or all you can eat ribs, think about sitting in your easy chair after the meal, enjoying the game and enjoying the relief you feel in your belly when that wonderful and inevitable burp comes!

Now, imagine that you ate so fast that your belly "bloated" quickly enough to cause your abdominal cavity to actually twist- blocking off both the entry point (esophagus) to your stomach (where the gas is supposed to eventually be released through your mouth as a burp,)and the exit point (duodenum) where the digested food is supposed to passed on to the intestine.(see pic from Pet-Health-Pro, below)

The dog can neither pass the food to the intestine, nor vomit the food out- and meanwhile, the gasses continue to accumulate.

This condition is essentially what we call "bloat". The twisting motion of the abdominal cavity is known as "torsion".

Symptoms

The symptoms of this condition are often difficult to spot early enough, in Boxers, to help- Boxers are by their nature both energetic and pain resistant. Whereas other breeds may immediately show symptoms of abdominal discomfort and lethargy at the outset of an attack, Boxers - like a good linebacker - often attempt to "play through the pain". That is why it is VERY important, with our breed, to take the preventitive actions outlined below.

An obvious symptom requiring immediate medical attention is swelling or distention of the belly. In a fit Boxer, this distention can be quite obvious (Boxers tend to be barrel chested with small stomachs).

Dry heaves, are a dead wringer. If your dog soon after eating, attempts to, but cannot, vomit, you must get emergency medical attention.

Sometimes the dogs gums will go gray as well. This isn't a good sign as it suggests she may becoming shocky.

Prevention

Naturally, prevention of bloat in dogs is good for all breeds, but we think it is particularly important for Boxer owners, for two reasons:

1) Barrel chested dogs- and the Boxer is a proto-typical "barrel-chested" dog- tend to be more susceptible to torsion.

2) The Boxers uniquely high level of energy, combined with a tolerance level for pain, can lead her to "play through the pain" until it may be too late.

There are some dietary measures we have online researched and learned from veterinarians, but first nere a few "common sense" measures we taken over the years with our own Boxers.

(As we say everywhere on this site, we ARE NOT VETERINARIANS though we have over the years had extensive ocntact with lots of Vets, for numerous reasons. These recommendations are based purely on what we have learned from vets, and on what has worked for us . As always, check first with your Vet before applying any of the below- to ensure the measures are appropriate for your particular Boxer. And please, if you find anything you disagree with or have anything you would like to add, contact us here. )

Our tips:

- feed smaller meals twice or more times a day. Firstly, the smaller meals are themselves peventive. Secondly, the more frequent meals do not allow the dog to grow too hungry between meals, and thus makes her less likely to "gulp" (or at least to gulp less violently) her food.

- even if you go the "all natural" or "red meat" routes or plan to feed canned food, mix in at least some, high-quality, kibble. Though dogs can, and often do, gulp dry food, we have noticed that just a few crunchies in their food enourages them to chew at least a little more before they swallow. Slowing the eating process down is a key factor in preventing bloat.

- go for a good walk (not run) before feeding. Give your dog about 20 minutes to wind down after the walk and then serve his food. It is critical that Boxers rest (preferrably sleep) for at least 90 minutes after eating. It is important to ensure the dog is quited down after the walk, and before presenting her dinner. We note that some doctors feel there is possibly no correlation between physical activity and torsion. But we just know of too much anecdoctal evidence to the contrary. Why not play it safe?

Dogs in Canada recommend low to the ground feeding bowls, and separation during feeding in multi-dog households.

Others suggest feeding some yogurt or other commercial probiotics to help prevent bloat in dogs. We believe in probiotics in general, for other reasons which we detail elsewhere. So by all means, use them, as they will do lots of good.

However, in our layman's opinion, the main preventitive measures to be take with regards to prevent bloat in dogs are mostly bio-mechanical and we have listed those measures above.

In conclusion, in spite of our best efforts, most doctors we have talked to or have researched conclude that bloat in dogs just "seems to happen sometimes".

I guess we can only do our best!

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