BLOAT/GI PROBLEMS IN CERTAIN LINES - Page 2

Dogs with a very deep chest and very clear tuck up are supposed to be more prone to bloat. My dad's Irish Setter got it, she was very deep chested. Never heard a whippet getting bloat though... Also a very deep chested breed. Firethorn - have you noticed any difference in built of the affected dogs you have encountered? People I talked to in the past that had bloat cases also noted large intake of water just before bloat occurred. We had noticed the same with my dad's setter. What has your experience been? Cheers, D.

firethorn - a few more thoughts... It'd also be interesting to hear about success rates of operations, and surival rate. I understand its a lot better than it was when our dog had it. Vet gave her 20% chance of suvival and she made it. Bloated stomach had crushed spleen, which was removed, stomach was stapled to inside of stomach cavity. She was at the vet for 10 days. What does your vet recommend as first aid measurements for a dog with bloat?

What, here as well, DH - must be a new game plan!

I worry about it but not to the point of going crazy about it. I believe in all the factors contributing, food, activity, anxiety, build - genetics certainly contribute to how you're put together - inside and out. I had a good mentor a long time ago that made sense to me -- Don't feed foods that ferment - I know I mentioned this before. So we try very hard to stay away from SOY, CORN, WHEAT, TOMATO, BEET products and don't use an extruded food that swells when water is added. My biggest dogs do not get more than 3 cups TOTAL at any meal -- and that is RAW MEAT and MEAL combined - and it's all served wet - you can compare it to loose mashed potatoes !! I heard that many police departments are so concerned about it now - that they are routinely tacking down stomachs as a preventative - When my male bloated from the accidental ingention of about 3-4 pounds of dry (meal) food, he certainly drank a lot and since we were there in the morning - he was saved and also lost his spleen - Other than his "accident" I haven't had another one in 33 years - but that doesn't mean I don't think about it, and am ever watchful for signs of trouble.

Cheers Pineridge, Like everybody else, wish I could say with some certainty as to what bloat is really all about. But, in first place, bloat must be caused by a build up of gasses, right? I don't think anyone has suggested that it's sheer bulk of food alone that causes the excess pressure. Admittedly, what I've always been afraid to ask is: Well, if such is the case, why doesn't this pressure simply disappear from stomach by the gas escaping - food blockage? Gas contained in isolated pocket? Must ask vet! With horses and cattle etc, the problem doesn't seem to occur much as long as nature of feed remains the same - I know at least that much. It's when feed is changed too drastically from one kind to another that farmer starts to worry. Now, the degree of relevance this has to dogs I simply don't know, but it seems worthwhile to keep in mind. Thus, I haven't seen average farmer worry much about any genetic links here. But who knows, perhaps it's some genetic trait related to a particular animal's stomach physiology that causes the problem - in dogs as well as other animals. By the way, I think DH mentioned something about emergency assistance. Now, I'm not suggesting for an instant anyone should attempt this with dogs, but with cattle etc in 'olden days', I think farmer often slit the stomach to release the excess gas! As we're dealing with gas pressure in stomach, I just can't see any direct connection with the chest - deep or otherwise - but I'm probably wrong! Sort of wish I hadn't started this, without something clearer to offer. Here's a thought, has anyone ever considered that if dogs were only fed 'natural' food, rather than highly processed, manufactured extrusions, that incidence of bloat might be far less? Worthy research? Cheers.

Hi All, My belief is that a Big factor for cause of Bloat can be when bitches are in season. Dog eats but get scent of bitch in season and paces up and down, adrenalin running, excited, etc unable to rest and the gasses build up in stomach. I have experienced Bloat on three occasions over the years, each time affecting only the males. On all occasions we had at least one bitch in full heat. One was 13yrs of age and already suffering a degree of CDRM and so although I caught him very early in the onset, decided not to put him through the operation. Second time was two years ago with my then 7yr old male, he too was caught early, stomach ok but had twisted around spleen which had to be removed due to damage from restricted blood supply. He had a second torsion only twelve days after having stitches removed from first operation. Still caught early, hence still no damage to stomach, however vet stitched stomach to muscle this time to prevent reacurrance. This male now 9.5yrs old and still going strong with no reacurrance. However, apart from feeding two smaller portions of food twice a day the only difference I have made is to keep him and all my other males entirely out of scent of bitches in season and if unable to do this during the day just do not feed the dog until said bitches are well tucked away for the night. After these experiences I feel rightly or wrongly that I now understand the experience of Nature and it's possible reasons in why Males go 'off' their food when a bitch is in full season. Nature has this wonderful way of knowing what is best, it is only our interference in our worry that our dog isnt eating and finding ways to entice it to that perhaps causes some problems unduely. Might be totally barking up the wrong tree, but that's what I now believe is a major cause of bloat/torsion in males anyway. Never have had a female with bloat, fingers and toes crossed. Best Regards Sue B