July 2011
Until recently we thought we understood bloat and would recognize it if we ever saw it in person. We were wrong. In early January Erin went to Enumclaw to pick up a dog found as a stray. She brought him to us, and she and Kathy spent several hours grooming. He had a bath that evening and seemed to be doing well. The next morning when we checked on him he was dead. Our vet told us it was bloat, which we hadn’t recognized.
Bloat happens when the stomach dilates and twists into an abnormal position. Technically it’s Gastric Dilation and Volvulus, generally abbreviated GDV. If the stomach inflates it’s called dilation; when it distends and twists it’s called volvulus. It’s a life-threatening condition for your dog. Bloat does not resolve itself without immediate care, and if you don’t get your dog to a vet quickly he will die. Even with treatment there is a mortality rate of 10%-60%.
As the stomach twists, it closes off both ends. There is no way for air to escape and the pressure stops blood flow until the tissue dies.
What causes GDV? The answer is complex and has many factors. It happens primarily in large, deep chested breeds, but Dachshunds and Pekingese are also subject to it. Some causes are:
- · Feeding only one meal a day
- · Having a family history of bloat
- · Eating rapidly
- · Being thin or underweight
- · Moistening dry foods (if citric acid is listed as an ingredient)
- · Feeding a dry diet with animal fat in the first four ingredients
- · Fearful or anxious temperament
- · Male dogs and dogs older than 7 have an increased risk
Although a study many years ago claimed that elevating food bowls decreased bloat, the study author later disclaimed that result saying there was a flaw in the way the study was done.
What do you do at home? First, listen to the heartbeat on the left side just behind the elbow (with a stethoscope if possible). A regular heartbeat is often irregular and nothing to worry about. The pulse should be between 60 and 80 in a large dog. The easiest way to check the pulse is in the femoral artery just inside your dog’s rear leg; it feels like a cord.
PHASE 1 BLOAT
Pacing, restlessness, panting, and salivating. Unproductive efforts to vomit. Abdomen begins to enlarge. Call your vet and tell him you are on the way with a bloat case. Leave immediately.
PHASE 2 BLOAT
Whining, very restless, heavy salivating. Unproductive efforts to vomit every 2-3 minutes. Dark red gums. Heart rate 80-100 beats/minute. Abdomen swollen, emits hollow sound when thumped. Apply first aid if dog is more than 10 minutes from vet, then transport immediately.
PHASE 3 BLOAT
Gums are white or blue. Dog can’t stand or has a shaky spread-legged stance. Abdomen very enlarged. Heart rate over 100 beats/minute. Death is imminent. Apply first aid immediately, preferably on the way to the vet.
A bloat first aid kit should contain:
- · Instructions for use
- · Stethoscope
- · Rolls of tape (3 rolls, 1 in. x 10 yd)
- · Stomach tube (2) (different diameters). 5 ft. length beveled at one end, with two holes drilled in tube 2 & 3 inches up from the beveled end. Pre-measured and marked for each dog in household
- · KY jelly
- · Gas absorbent (Digel, GasEase, etc)
Instructions for using this kit are available many places on the internet, but you should talk to your vet and use his/her instructions. If you want a copy of the instructions before you visit your vet, contact rescue@nwsams.com.
After your dog survives bloat, give serious consideration to a surgical procedure called Gastropexy. It’s commonly referred to as stomach stapling, and the recurrence of bloat is reduced from 75% to less than 5%.
Most of us know someone with a Samoyed who has bloated. This is a serious issue in our breed, and being ready for it may save a life.