Dog's Help

Canine bloat, also known as Gastric Dilation-Volvulus, or GDV is a rare and extremely dangerous condition in dogs. This health condition is known to be responsible for the death of numerous dogs. Since the problem is so deadly, knowing all about it is even more important.

What is canine bloat or GDV?
Canine bloat or GDV is characterized by the excessive formation of fluid, foam or gas in your dog's stomach. When this happens, your dog's stomach twists at an angle that varies between 90 and 360 degrees. As a result, the stomach is sealed from the rest of the digestive tract.

Even when the stomach is secluded from the rest of the digestive tract, the digestive processes continue, further increasing the amount of gas present in the stomach. This causes the stomach to enlarge. Pressurizing blood vessels and the surrounding area. As a result, it ends in the death of the dog. The entire process takes as less as 30 minutes.

Are there any symptoms?
This condition in dogs is characterized by various symptoms. Some of these include nausea, collapse, sudden weakness, distended abdomen, abnormal heart rate, collapse and excessive drooling. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is suggested that you take your pet dog to the vet immediately.

What is the prescribed treatment?
In most cases, the doctor will take abdominal X rays to ascertain the situation. If the stomach has not yet twisted, a tube is inserted into the stomach to release the excessive air. However, if the stomach has already twisted, then the vet may use IV fluids to stabilize your dog. Besides, a surgical procedure may also be performed to bring the stomach back to the normal position.

Can GDV be prevented?
Exercising a little extra care and caution can help you prevent bloat in your pet dog successfully. It is believed that gulping large volume of food or water and eating too quickly can contribute to the development of a bloat. When your pet is eating too much or too quickly, he ingests a large amount of air, which leads to a bloat.

So, you need to make sure that your dog is not drinking too much water or eating too much at one go. You could use especially made bowls that offer just the right amount of food or water to your pet dog. Some of these bowls even contain obstacles, ensuring that your pet dog eats slowly.

Also, make sure that your do not feed your dog with foods that can make him feel acidic. If you are changing your dog's food, make slow changes instead of changing the entire food all of a sudden.

Keep these simple tips in mind and you could prevent your pet dog from suffering from deadly diseases like bloat or GDV.