I know everyone is well aware of bloat but I was writing this out for someone else and thought it might be a useful reminder of what to be aware of:

BLOAT is gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV).

The stomach swells due to an abnormal accummulation of air, food or fluid ("gastric dilatation"). . Bloat can occur with or without "volvulus" (twisting). As the stomach bloats, it can twist between 90° to 360°, from one fixed point at the eosophagus (food tube) to the other at the duodenum (start of the small intestine). This twisting of the stomach traps air, food, and water. The bloated stomach can then obstruct veins in the abdomen, leading to a drop in blood pressure,followed by shock, and damage to internal organs. The combined effect can quickly kill a dog.

Symptoms
1.UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO VOMIT
2. Dog is not his/her usual self
3.Anxiety and restlessness
4.Hunched up appearance
5.Lack of abdominal gurgling sounds when you press your ear to dog's belly
6.Tight abdomen (like a drum). This does not always occur.
7.Unusual position
8. Obvious signs of distress - whining, pacing, licking the air, looking at sides or belly
9.Coughing / gagging
10.May drink excessively
11.Increased pulse which will get weaker
12.Shallow breathing
13.Collapse

1.The single biggest factor is exercise. Do NOT exercise your dog immediately before or after a meal. Ideally leave 1 HOUR before or after feeding.
2. Feed little and often. Divide your dog's daily amount of food between 2 or 3 meals or free feed (remembering to remove an hour before exercise). This is much better than one meal per day. Rapid eating/drinking is also a contributing factor.
3. Limit water at meal times as excessive drinking may dilute gastric juices thus slowing down digestion.
4. Stress can be a contributing factor. eg. change of routine, boarding, whelping, shows, new dog etc
5. Be aware it is more common in large dogs esp those with deep chests.
6. Bloat is also more common in males, older dogs, those with nervous or aggressive dispositions.
7. Familiarise yourself with the signs and symptoms of Bloat.
8. If you suspect Bloat get your dog to a vet immediately if not sooner. Time is of the essence. Speed is absolutely crucial in dealing with Bloat. Make sure you know where you would take your dog in this situation especially if your regular vet has no emergency service. Keep the phone number handy.
9. Phone ahead to warn your vet of what you suspect and how long you will be.

There is some thought that giving your dog Simethicone can buy you time. This can be found in baby colic remedies such as Infacol and is available at any large supermarket or chemist.



I'm not an expert, please feel free to add your thoughts and knowledge to this topic.

The B word terrifies me, thanks for that!
Seriously though, very useful and I may even print off and keep on the fridge just incase the kids are at home with him and anything like this should happen.

I,d also like to add;
You may notice an increase in eating grass not just a nibble but munching large quantities this alongside the other symptoms of increase in thirst, hunched, whining, trying to sit on your lap all prior to any visible bloat of the stomach or hardness to the touch.
Times to be aware I,d like to add after a dog has served a bitch, do not feed until well rested.
Caroline Dowsett always kept babies gripe water in stock just in case, it,s something I do to but cannot say that it would prevent torsion.
I know it is the dreaded word of large deep chested dogs but from experience it was recognisable with the early symptoms but as stressed you must act fast and if in doubt go to your vet immediately better to be wrong than take a chance on self diagnosis and lose a hound.
On a lighter note hounds that have received prompt medical attention do go on to have normal active lives.

Yes, we have a > 9 year old Scottish Deerhound who had bloat at about 18 months. She had her stomach then attached to the abdominal wall to prevent recurrence and has lead an incident free existence re bloat from then on. In her case we think the bloat occurred due to excessive chase games with a kong ball on a string. Yes, I know Deerhounds won't normally give these toys much of a look in but in this case the dog was obsessed and too much twisting and turning too close to eating we think caused the problem. So, with quick veterinary attention it is possible to have a complete recovery.

Excellent info Purple. In terms of avoiding bloat I don't think there are any guaranteed solutions. In the main I think Scottish Deerhounds like routine and to know what is expected of them in all situations. When that's achieved through early training of getting into cars, going to shows etc they relax and feel more comfortable in most situations which reduces the chance of bloat.

There's also an earlier thread re prevention here www.scottish-deerhound.co...mp;id=6478#6711

Final point to add - sometimes the unsuccessful vomit bit is bringing up mucus type/frothy material rather than digested stomach material.

PS Cusidhs now have limited Kong ball use!

Loki also has limited kong ball use after nearly dislocating my kneecap by enthusiastically throwing the kong at the floor and catching me with the ricochet.

Thanks for posting this topic...so important for someone like me new to the breed to know and remember. It is also something i need to talk with my vet about long before i bring home a puppy and have an action plan on hand should we ever need it.

Does a raw diet help?

Cheers!
Pet

[/img]Yes..raw diets help..they encourage proper chewing and aid in providing gastric juices.
Lots of good info in previous section in here on diets - raw
Cassandra (been usung it for years)

Good information. Just to add but not to frighten anyone when the stomach twists it usually takes the spleen with it. As soon as you notice something is wrong please get the dog to the vets as quick as possible. I have been on the other end of bloat and I am pleased to say in all the cases the vet and I have seen we only ever lost 2 dogs unfortuately, one after the operation (shock) and one before as the owner did not get the dog to us quick enough.Shame.

We have also been on the wrong end of bloat, with our Deerhound X. Not sure what happened because he had not been running around or eaten for a good couple of hours. We noticed he was drooling a bit and his side looked a bit 'big'. Stright to the vet who proceeded to put a needle into his chest to relive the pressure. Then over to the Royal Vet Collage who operated to untwist and sort things out. He was in for 2 weeks and appered to be getting better. We were on the verge of bringing him home when we got a call saying he has relapsed and had multiple organ failure (Liver, kidneys), had to go and say our goodbyes and PTS. The thing was we could tell he had had enough by his eyes, and really it was the only thing we could do.
Spring

It seems like Bloat is like Cot Death, no one knows what causes it, it just seems to happen.
Spring, I have tears in my eyes reading your story

such a cruel thing.

One of my pups went off to his new home recently, and the owner took him into her veterinarian for a health check-up (as part of my contract). I was most surprised to learn that the vet recommended tacking the pup's stomach as a preventive measure for torsion. Apparently this vet has done it for local Great Dane breeders and other large deep-chesed breeds with good results.

What do you think? Have we come to that with Deerhounds, that we would feel the need to take such preventive means?



BTW since the causes of bloat are still not clear, a survey has been developed that focuses on some of the factors that might contribute to its occurrence. It is being conducted by Dr. Carmen Battaglia of the AKC and Dr. Cindy Otto of UPenn Vet School. You can take the survey by following this link www.breedingbetterdogs.com/ and clicking on "bloat survey."

skye is like that with the rope tugger!! lethel infact,she launchs at great speed and hit me in mouth splitting my lip!!!

It would probably work ironstone - but i dont think i could put
a youngster through an op like that just as a precaution.





I would also limit water after excersize, especaly if its warm
excesive driking can lead to bloat aswell.

I would never limit water after excercising especially if it is warm. I think if we all do the raised feeding, not excercising before or after feeding, then we can do no more, if it happens, then it is going to happen. I would not
I had never heard of bloat when I had the lurchers and greyhounds, though common sense tells you not to feed after excercising and never had a dog sugger from it.
They need their water, especially in the heat.

I wouldn't operate on a dog eith for preventitive reasons if they didn't need it. I wonder what the survery is of dogs dying of bloat?

Bloat can be brought on by over drinking, was talking to someone who works in a vets
last year, they had just had a dog in that died through bloat, due to over drinking,
if you think about it, with horses its recomended after being excersised, to limit water
as it can cause colic, i dont see it any different with dogs, ive seen them drink excessively after excersize and been violently sick afterwards.
studdys now indiacte that bloat can be brought on by useing raised feeders aswell

I too would not dream of limiting water after exercise..thirsty work all that running...temperature of the water affects horses..they are more likely to colic (similar to bloat) if the water given after extreme work is really cold...working dogs are not " run" on prey wihin 8 hours of a meal...
As to the "preventative" operation...I have never heard of anything so daft in my life...think I might get my testicles,prostate and lungs removed in case I develop Cancer later in life..oh and while I'm there..better have my heart taken out in case of a heart attack..

When you say the vet said it was because the dog was over drinking, how can they be so sure? it is just one of those things that we never know what causes it, a bit like cot death.
My dog has a good drink when we come back home, but I have never seen him 'over drink' even on hot days, at home, I say to him "have a drink" and he never does. As for the raised feeders, yeah, I heard that too, but will continue to use mine or Murph looks like a giraffe trying to eat off the floor!

The other night on the golf course, he was thirsty and I forgot my bottle, he was cratching at the sprinklers on the edge of the green, trying to turn them on, it was hilarious, we then went to the fountain and he jumped up and drank straight from the tap. Times like that you need your camera.

Bloat is one of life's mysteries and as others have said on this post, they have done all that they can and they still got it.

I wonder if it is heredetary, I do hope it isn't as it is on my dogs maternal side.

hairybeasty wrote:


Sucking in air can also cause colic and bloat, after excersize an animal is more likily to suck in air whilst drinking, than one thats been rested

It stomach was packed full of water and air, before it was rushed in,
it had been drinking,the vet nurse was as suprised as you are,
but if you think about it when they have been charging round
and are nackered, they tend to gulp as they drink which is a bad comanation,
i dont mean restrict water if they are resting or have just been for a gentle walk,
its when they are totaly nackered and and heavly panting.

we do the same if we have been running, we gulp water and air,
if you read what purple wrote.

The stomach swells due to an abnormal accummulation of air, food or fluid ("gastric dilatation").

But one of the signs of bloat is drinking, so maybe the dog had been doing just that after it started to bloat and before it was taken to vets?? just a thought.