Bloat
Bloat is a very serious life-threatening condition in dogs. It needs urgent attention. Contact the vet immediately as bloat can cause death within several hours. Even with treatment, a quarter of dogs with bloat will die. Prompt action will reduce your dog’s chances of this.
In bloat, the stomach fills up with air and puts pressure on the other organs and the diaphragm. The pressure on the diaphragm makes it difficult for the dog to breathe. The air-filled stomach prevents blood from returning to the heart. Filled with air, the stomach can easily rotate on itself, pinching off its blood supply. Once this rotation occurs and the blood supply is cut off, the stomach begins to die and the entire blood supply is disrupted. The dog’s condition begins to deteriorate very rapidly.
For reasons that are not clear, dogs with bloat do not release swallowed air from their stomachs. It appears that dogs who are fed only once a day are more at risk from bloat, and that there is a genetic predisposition amongst dogs with deep narrow chests. Other factors seem to be dogs who eat rapidly or exercise soon after a meal. It also appears that dogs who are anxious or fearful have an increased risk.
Symptoms of bloat include:
· Swollen belly
· Trying unsuccessfully to vomit
· Hunching body up
· Gurgling or strange sounds from the dog’s stomach
· Whining and anxiety
· Panting
· Pacing the floor
· Pale gums
· Thirst and excessive drinking
· Unable to poo
· Drooling and salivating
· Air licking
· The dog won’t sit or lie
· Weak pulse
· Collapse
Vets will stabilise dogs with bloat and perform abdominal surgery and reposition the stomach. The stomach is stitched to reduce the chance of bloat occurring again. If areas of the stomach or spleen have been irreversibly damaged, they are removed, although the chances for recovery in these circumstances are poor.
Bloat is a very serious life-threatening condition in dogs. It needs urgent attention. Contact the vet immediately as bloat can cause death within several hours. Even with treatment, a quarter of dogs with bloat will die. Prompt action will reduce your dog’s chances of this.
In bloat, the stomach fills up with air and puts pressure on the other organs and the diaphragm. The pressure on the diaphragm makes it difficult for the dog to breathe. The air-filled stomach prevents blood from returning to the heart. Filled with air, the stomach can easily rotate on itself, pinching off its blood supply. Once this rotation occurs and the blood supply is cut off, the stomach begins to die and the entire blood supply is disrupted. The dog’s condition begins to deteriorate very rapidly.
For reasons that are not clear, dogs with bloat do not release swallowed air from their stomachs. It appears that dogs who are fed only once a day are more at risk from bloat, and that there is a genetic predisposition amongst dogs with deep narrow chests. Other factors seem to be dogs who eat rapidly or exercise soon after a meal. It also appears that dogs who are anxious or fearful have an increased risk.
Symptoms of bloat include:
· Swollen belly
· Trying unsuccessfully to vomit
· Hunching body up
· Gurgling or strange sounds from the dog’s stomach
· Whining and anxiety
· Panting
· Pacing the floor
· Pale gums
· Thirst and excessive drinking
· Unable to poo
· Drooling and salivating
· Air licking
· The dog won’t sit or lie
· Weak pulse
· Collapse
Vets will stabilise dogs with bloat and perform abdominal surgery and reposition the stomach. The stomach is stitched to reduce the chance of bloat occurring again. If areas of the stomach or spleen have been irreversibly damaged, they are removed, although the chances for recovery in these circumstances are poor.
Dogs should be fed twice or even three times daily rather than once. After your dog has eaten, encourage him to rest for a couple of hours. It’s not a great idea to play or take your dog for walks immediately after he’s eaten.
If your dog has an anxious or fearful temperament, making him more at risk from bloat, it would be worth exploring the flower remedies, which are designed specifically to balance the emotional state. Homeopathy and herbs can also help. I’ve found Emotional Freedom Technique to be one of the most effective ways to help both humans and dogs to overcome emotional discomfort. Dogs, being empathic, also take on their owners’ emotions, so don’t neglect yourself in this.
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