Canine Bloat: A Stealthy Killer
Feb 2007
By Lane Fisher
To assess whether a dog might be in bloat, it helps to know how tapered the dog’s waist normally is and how his abdomen normally feels when pressed lightly with both hands, as shown above. If the waist seems even slightly expanded and the abdomen is tight and tense, call your veterinarian
Your dog has been restless all evening, changing positions frequently and panting a lot. When you take him out at bedtime, he acts as though he wants to throw up, but doesn’t. Should you call your vet? Or should you wait and see how your dog acts in the morning?
The symptoms can be deceivingly subtle, but this dog may be in the midst of a red-letter emergency known as bloat or, in veterinary parlance, gastric dilatation-volvulus. Bloat occurs when gas builds up in a dog’s stomach. Because the stomach hangs in the dog’s abdomen like a hammock, it tends to twist when it expands with gas. This twisting—also called torsion—is quickly fatal. It cuts off the blood supply to one-third of the stomach and all of the spleen, leading to shock and death in a matter of hours.
For a dog whose stomach has rotated, “wait and see” is not an option. A veterinarian needs to X-ray a dog in bloat to determine whether its stomach has turned and, if so, perform surgery. If the stomach has not rotated, the vet will pass a tube to release gas and avert emergency surgery. Sometimes a dog continues to bloat and needs to have a tube passed again.
Know the Symptoms
Most dog owners will never encounter bloat, but veterinarians see it too often—two to four times per year, according to two midcoast practices. The difference between the dogs who survive bloat and those who do not often comes down to owners who notice symptoms that can seem like mild exaggerations of normal canine physique or behavior.
The symptoms include swelling in the abdomen, i.e., the waist is a little thicker than usual; a tight, tense abdomen; continuous panting or rapid breathing; acting restless or unable to get comfortable, or lying in unusual places; drooling; whining or whimpering; pale mucus membranes inside the lower eyelid or cheek; and retching or unproductive attempts to vomit.
Anyone observing a combination of such symptoms should call a veterinarian immediately. If the stomach has already rotated, every minute counts.
Statistically, large-chested breeds, such as Great Danes, Standard Poodles, German Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers are at highest risk of gastric dilatation. However, smaller dogs, including Dachshunds, and even cats have also bloated. Puppies can suffer bloat from overeating, but the normal victim is an adult, 2 to 10 years old. Most cases occur at night, between 6 p.m. and midnight.
Reduce the Chance
Fortunately, owners can apply several ounces of prevention to reduce the possibility that their dogs will bloat. In general, manage it so that a dog doesn’t gulp a lot of food or water and that he stays relatively quiet when his stomach is full. Because dogs that have bloated are likely to do so again, their owners should be especially vigilant in their preventive management. Veterinarians recommend these measures:
- Divide food into two or three meals daily or feed “free choice” so that the dog doesn’t gorge.
- Make sure that fresh water is always available so that the dog can drink small amounts frequently and doesn’t develop extreme thirst.
- After heavy exercise, however, give limited access to water until the dog’s excitement and breathing return to normal levels.
- Avoid exercising the dog strenuously for an hour before meals and two hours afterward.
- Avoid high-calcium diets for mature dogs.
- Feed a kibble that does not have fat or a rendered meat meal with bone listed among the first four ingredients.
- Many vets recommend wetting kibble so that the dog won’t be so likely to gulp water after eating. However, research at Purdue University has found this to be counterproductive if the kibble contains citric acid.
- Do not use a stand that elevates the food and water bowls. Some used to think this prevented bloat, but it actually increases the likelihood.
- Above all, be watchful—especially if your dog has been under unusual stress or has ingested garbage or debris that might contain foreign bacteria—and get him or her to a vet immediately if you think your dog might be in bloat. Your dog’s doctor would vastly prefer to say it’s a false alarm than to tell you it’s too late.
For more information, see research by Lawrence Glickman MD, DrPH at Purdue University’s veterinary school: www.vet.purdue.edu/epi/bloat.htm.
Lane Fisher is an obedience trainer offering group classes, puppy preschool and private instruction in Belfast. In 2004, her Rottweiler Jolly survived gastric volvulus, thanks to middle of the night help from Drs. Mimi Moore and Laura Buckley at All Creatures Veterinary Hospital and Capt. Tom Daley of Islesboro’s Quicksilver. This article is adapted from a client-education handout Lane developed for All Creatures Veterinary Hospital, Rockport.
