Bloat, Part Two: Signs of bloat, what to do

Bloat, Part Two: Signs of bloat, what to do

Bloat is ALWAYS a medical emergency.  I cannot stress this enough! If you notice any of these signs in your dog, don't wait - load her up and head to the vet.  Maybe it will be a wasted trip, but the outcome of untreated bloat will almost always be death, so don't hesitate.
Bloat can come on at any time, and it generally comes on quickly.  Some of the signs are:

• Restlessness, pacing, just not acting "quite right" in a way you may not be able to put your finger on.
• Salivating
• Unproductive retching as if to vomit, vomiting small amounts of foam, foam around the mouth
• Hard or distended abdomen, frequently described as feeling "drum-like"
• Lying in a "sphinx-like" position, with head up, instead of stretching out on her side, or curling into a little ball.
• Turning to look at abdomen
• Get down on the floor and listen to your dog's stomach.  Normally you hear gurgles and grumbles, normal gut noises.  In bloat, you will not hear these sounds
• Panting
• Mucus membranes may be bright red at the onset of bloat (due to the increased heart rate and higher blood oxygen content due to panting) but will become paler as the bloat and its' associated shock continues
• Rapid heart rate

If your dog is showing any of these symptoms, it's time for a trip to the vet.  NOW.  Don't wait around to see if she improves.

• Call your clinic (or the emergency clinic, since most bloats seem to occur at night) and tell them you are bringing in a possible bloat.  This allows them to get ready before you arrive, since time is of the essence. Stay calm and be prepared to tell them your dog's age, breed, and approximate weight. When you arrive, depending on your dog's condition, they may start an IV containing a steroid.  Antibiotics and anti-arrythmics to prevent heart damage may be given.  X-rays or an ECG may be done, as well as blood counts and chemistries. Giving them proper information before you arrive will save time in the long run.
• If possible, have someone else drive, while you stay with your dog helping them maintain balance and stay comfortable on the ride to the clinic.
• Remember that your dog is far more adept at reading you than you are at reading her.  She will pick up on your panic, so do your best to take a deep breath and assure her that everything is OK.
• Once you arrive at the clinic, your vet may tube your dog (inserting a tube down the esophagus and into the stomach to remove gas and accumulated fluid) or "tap" the stomach, which involves inserting a trocar (a large bore needle) through the abdominal wall and into the stomach.  If caught before the stomach twists, this may be sufficient.  If the stomach has already twisted, your dog will need immediate surgery.

Be proactive. Get to know your dog in a healthy state.  Get down on the floor and listen to her normal stomach noises (she won't care, it'll just make her feel loved), lift her lip and look at her gums.  Put your hand on her chest and feel her heart beat so you know what is normal. Feel her abdominal area before and after a meal so you know how it should feel.
I always keep simethicone tablets (Gas-X or Phazyme are two common brands) on hand, since I have dogs who are at risk for bloat. It helps break down large gas bubbles in the stomach and can sometimes prevent a bloat if given early enough.  It has a very wide margin of safety, meaning you can give your dog a large amount without causing problems.  Talk to your vet about its usage and keep it on hand.
Many people with bloat prone dogs keep a "tubing kit" on hand.  This is a block of wood with a hole drilled through the middle, tubes of a couple different sizes, and tape.  The block of wood is placed in the dog's mouth and held in place with tape, the tube is passed through the hole in the block of wood and into the dog's stomach.  I feel that in most cases you will waste valuable time trying to tube your dog yourself.  Your dog can die from bloat in under an hour.  Your vet can give you more information and the necessary training if you live far away from the closest clinic and have a breed susceptible to bloat. Otherwise it's best to just load up and go.
Hopefully you and your dog will never have to go through this traumatic experience.  But forewarned is forearmed.  Knowing the signs and being prepared are the best ways to keep your dog safe from this horrific killer.

Posted at 04:12 PM in Care & Health | Permalink

Bloat, Part One: What it is, how you prevent it...

Bloat, Part One: What it is, how you prevent it...

http://www.naughtydogcafe.com/2008/09/what-is-bloat.html
Bailey was one of my favorite cocker's.  A black and white parti-color, she was a gem of a dog.  She belonged to our tenants, who lived in our upstairs apartment, and I would talk to her from the yard as she stood watching me from a window, wiggling her little nub of a tail with great energy. In the morning, she would sit on the front porch steps with me, soaking up the sun and "helping" me read the newspaper.  Her owner's took her running, fed her excellent food.  Made sure she was groomed and played with every day.  They even picked up her poop when they walked her.  Bailey led a fabulous life. Right up until the morning her owner's awoke to find their beloved girl dead at the foot of their stairs.  She had died a horrible death while they were sleeping. A necropsy gave the results.  She had been killed by GDV - Gastric Dilatation - Volvulus. Commonly known as bloat.
Bloat is one of those unexpected killers, a train wreck in your dog's gut.  Bloat occurs when food, fluid, air, and/or foam accumulate in the dog's stomach, stretching it far beyond its' normal size.  For reasons not fully understood, this may cause the stomach to rotate and twist, cutting off both the blood supply and any possible "exits" for gas or food.  It is incredibly painful, and is always a medical emergency.
The following uncontrollable factors contribute to an increased risk of bloat:

• Large, deep-chested breeds (greyhounds, great danes, etc), although ANY dog of any breed can bloat.
• If the dog has a close family relative who has bloated (mother, father, sibling, or offspring).
• Older dogs - those 7-12 or older.
• Anxious dogs

The following bloat increasing factors are controllable. Check to make sure you are not inadvertently increasing the chances that your best friend will suffer this horrible affliction:

• "Gulpers" - does your dog seemingly inhale her food?  Take measures to slow her down:  place several fist sized rocks in her bowl (you may need to get a bigger bowl), eating around them will slow her down.  Distribute the food among the cups in a muffin tin.  Use a buster cube or other food releasing toy and really make her work for her meal. Try a brake-fast or dogpause bowl.
• Grab your dog food bag and check the ingredients, if one of the first four ingredients is citric acid, it's increasing your dog's risk of bloating.  If it includes fat among the first four ingredients, it's increasing your dog's risk of bloating by 170%
• Moistening of food caused no increase in bloat risk, unless the food contained citric acid.  Moistening these foods increased the risk of bloat by an amazing 320%!
• If one of the first 4 ingredients is rendered meat meal with bone - congratulations - you've just reduced your dog's risk of bloating by 53%
• Feeding your dog from a raised bowl increases the risk of bloat by 110%.  Feed your dog from a bowl on the ground, unless he suffers from mega-esophagus or some other disease where raised bowl feeding is a must.
• "Gastric Indiscretion" - the medical term used by veterinarian's after your dog has found a food source and "pigged out".  Every owner deals with the issue of their dog stealing a loaf of bread (or some other delicious-ness) and inhaling the entire thing at some point.  Do your best to keep anything that your dog will find irresistible out of her reach.

These days, when there is a wealth of high quality kibbles on the market, there is no need to feed one which will actually increase the chances that your dog will suffer an extremely painful and possibly fatal medical emergency.  So check your food, and, if necessary, change brands.  Don't feed your dog from a raised dish unless medically necessary.  And read Bloat, part 2, to learn what the signs of bloat are, and what you should do if you think your dog might possibly be bloating, because no matter how diligent your are, there is always the chance that your dog will suffer this problem.