Another Empty Collar-Bloat - Page 1

 Last night at 10 pm-on a normal uneventful day as we prepared to go to bed my 9 yr old GSD went around to each of us and let us know that she wanted something but in a subtle way.  After dismissing her for 10 minutes I realized that she really did want to go out.  As I got to the door she started to get the "I gotta barf "look and I quickly ran her out in to the yard.  After 5 minutes of her walking and trying to vomit (a little bit of kibble dinner 2 hrs previous) I saw that her abdomen was swelling quickly and becoming tense.  I immediately knew what that meant and we made a trip to the vet's.  By the time we got there her stomach had rotated pretty severely and she was in agony.   The vet got to work on her but by midnight the decision was made to put her down.

I am in absolute shock.  In the 50 yrs I have been involved in dogs and several different breeds (this is my 2nd GSD)  I have never had a bloat situation.  One minute this dog who had never been sick a day in her life and was always fit and trim was just her happy mellow "enforcer" of the family and then within 2 hrs she is gone.....

I have researched bloat immensely over the years and pretty see that we know just as much abt this problem  now as we did 15 yrs ago.  It is the #2 killer of dogs after cancer.

All the the usual questions like did she gulp water and/or feed then exercise???BLAH BLAH BLAH...no no no.  Dixi was a sound in the head calm working dog with responsibilities who was an absolute pleasure to live with.  She was the "enforcer" here and all the bird dogs respected her skills.  Plus they all thought she was fun to hang with...relaxed and vigilant yet fun-loving and knew where all the gophers and squirrels hung out on the farm.

Unbelieveable....one minute she was fine then wham I no longer have her.  I am in shock.