Gastric dilatation-volvulus

Bloat, Torsion. Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Call it what you will, this is a serious, life-threatening condition of dogs, with deep chested, large breed dogs most at risk. While the diagnosis is simple, the pathological changes in the dog's body make treatment complicated, expensive, and not always successful.

A typical scenario starts with a large, deep-chested dog, usually fed once daily. Typical breeds affected are Akita, Great Dane, German Shepherd, St. Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, and Irish Setter. Sighthounds, Doberman Pinschers, Weimaraners, Bloodhounds, other similar breeds, and large, deep-chested mixed breeds are also affected.

Factor in the habit of bolting food, gulping air, or drinking large amounts of water immediately after eating to this feeding schedule and body type. Then add vigorous exercise after a full meal, and you have the recipe for bloat.

Of course, the fact that not all bloats happen in just the same way and the thought that some bloodlines are more at risk than others further complicates the issue. Bloat is often related to swallowed air and can occur with or without "volvulus" (twisting of the stomach which leads to damage to internal organs).

Be aware that while this can be life threatening for some dogs, it still is quite a rare occurrence - we have not had one instance at Lonely Pets Club in over 110,000 pet care visits.

It is thought walking and feeding the dog within 2 hours can increase the risk. This of course is what occurs during our normal Dog Holiday Service visits.

To reduce the risk, suggest the following to your Members at Initial Visits:

• DHS x 2 - walk in the morning, feed only in the afternoon.
• DHS - if only one visit is preferred, consider only having the dog fed and not walked.
• See if you can have someone else feed your dog and book Lonely Pets Club only for dog walking.
• You can use the following measures to reduce the risk if the dog will be fed shortly after walking:
  • Keep the dog on the lead during walking to make the walk less strenuous.
  • Always exercise the dog prior to feeding, not the other way around.
  • Dry dog food has been implicated as higher risk; switch to canned food.
  • Use a flat-bottomed dish for feeding - this makes it harder for the dog to gulp their food.
  • Wet dry food before serving it.
  • Slow release feeders/time release feeders/food inside kongs etc. Experiment with the feeders prior to going away.

Be aware of the symptoms of bloat. The dog becomes very uncomfortable, usually starts pacing, repeatedly attempts vomit, gagging noises. Salivation is common. If you suspect your dog may be suffering from bloat take them to the vet immediately - quick treatment can save their life.