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Bloat / Torsion / Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus

 

Bloat is very common in many large breeds. It's an owners nightmare returning home or waking up to find a beloved pet has died of gastric dilatation-volvulus, or bloat and torsion as it is more commonly known, an agonizing condition that can strike suddenly and fatally. Sadly for many owners this nightmare has become a traumatic reality. Dogs that succumb to the condition suffer immense pain and an obscenely distended abdomen that can grow to as large as a beach ball.    Normal Stomach Stomach with Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus Or Bloat / Torsion Bloat is a condition in which there is a rapid accumulation of air in the stomach causing dilatation. Volvulus, or torsion, occurs when the dilated stomach twist, cutting off contact with the esophagus at one end and the small intestine at the other. This effectively isolates the stomach and traps the air. The very enlarged, twisted stomach puts pressure on the blood vessels, often twisting them in the abdominal cavity and thus impairing blood flow back to the heart. Because the heart receives an insufficient amount of blood to pump, blood flow decreases to the rest of the body. With this, there is the fairly acute onset the death of the tissues that are deprived of oxygen, including the stomach wall itself, which rapidly undergoes necrosis. The early signs of bloat include discomfort. The dog paces or repeatedly gets up and then lies back down.  There also is excessive salivation, panting and unsuccessful attempts to vomit. As the condition worsens, the abdomen distends in most -  But not all - dogs and feels taut like a drum. Shock follows (i.e., pale gums, weakness, shallow pulse, cool extremities, ect.) Often, dogs then go into a coma, and death is the ultimate outcome if they are untreated.   It tends to occur with dogs that like to eat there dog food quickly and gulp excess air. Some owners place a heavy chain in the food bowl.  Feeding small meals 2-3 times a day not shorting the amount they eat in total, but the amount they eat at one feeding.

 

Emergency Treatment GET PREPARED!! ** The following describes emergency procedures for treating bloat/ torsion in the life - threatening stages; however, owners shoulld consult their veterinarian for advice and instruction on administering any type of first aid and recognizing when intervention is necessary. This  is not meant as a replacement for such veterinary consultation.  Bloat can occur at any time - not just after eating - and when it does, it can happen very swiftly. If it is not treated quickly, the dog will die. Because it can have a rapid onset, owners may not have time to get  their dog to a veterinarian. When dogs are down and in shock, the only way to save them may be to perform emergency first aid. In this regard, the first thing to do is attempt to pass a stomach tube down into the dog's stomach to relieve the air. This is effective if the stomach has not already twisted. If it has twisted, however, the tube wont pass into the stomach. In that event, a large gauge needle called a trocar, which is much larger than one used for giving vaccines, should be inserted into the side of the huge, distended abdomen to allow the air to escape. There is a hissing sound as the air is released. (To be prepared, owners of high-risk dogs should have their veterinarians train them to do these procedures in advance to provide them with the necessary equipment.) * Note: Owners who fear they will injure their dog seriously or cause it to bleed to death by inserting the needle into its abdomen need not worry. A dog with a dilated abdomen will not bleed to to death after the abdomen has been punctured with the needle. But, even if an owner did do damage, the dog almost certainly would die anyway without emergency first aid treatment, so the owner has little choice. Whether emergency first aid is performed by the owner or veterinarian, it buys time to transport the dog to a facility capable of performing the necessary surgery.

 

Diagnosis and Treatment   A high percentage  of bloat cases can be confirmed clinically. When the dog has a huge, distended stomach and is in shock there is little question  that bloat is the cause. When bloat occurs without the gross, abdominal distention, however, diagnosis is shown what trickier. In these cases, it must be confirmed by X-ray, Although every veterinarian should be equipped to diagnose the condition, not all are capable of performing the surgery needed, which involves opening up the abdomen, emptying the stomach contents, repositioning the stomach in its normal position and fixing it  permanently to place so it cannot rotate.  The stomach permanently is fixed in place with a procedure called gastropexy. This prevents the stomach from twisting again in the future by attaching it to some fixed structure in the abdominal cavity such as a rib or the body wall. This may be done several ways; all work well. Gastropexy will not prevent dilatation from recurring, but it effectively prevents volvulus. Thus if dilatation recurs, it is not life -threatening because the stomach cannot twist.  It is important to not that if first aid is performed but not followed by gastropexy on a dog that has had a bloat episode, bloat likely will occur again. (Gastropexy commonly is performed after a bloat episode, even if torsion has not occurred.) In dogs that has acute bloat episodes, the one year recurrence rate in those that had only first aid was more than 90 percent, while the recurrence rates in those that gastropexy were about 2 percent to 4 percent in the following year. If gastropexy is performed prophylactically, the one year risk of bloat my be even lower.

 

Is Your Dog At Risk? NOTE: Not all dogs that fit the high risk profile necessarliy will bloat. They are however. at higher risk of developing the condition than are dogs that have none or few of these characteristics.

*Giant breed (e.g., Great Dane, Irish Wolfhound, Neapolitan Mastiff.) *Large breed (e.g., Bloodhound, Akita.) *Deep and narrow abdomen (e.g., Setters, Basset Hounds.) *Fear or Anxious * Fast Eater *History of adbominal distention after eating *Excessive flatulence or belching *First-Degree relative that bloated

 

Recently we have lost some of the greatest Neo's to Bloat / Torsion:  This is a tribute to the ones we have lost! Oh Lord my friend is hurting, how much I want to push away the clouds pain and make sunshine of the memories. "Do not miss me for I shall only be a memory away, Do not replace me for there shall never be another like me. Do not forget me for I shall be anxiously awaiting with a wagging tail. You did me no wrong, you gave your love and fed me well. For this I am grateful!"  Our friends are gone but not forgotten.    Keeso Raveena Owned By / Bred By: Keeso Kennles  Raveena was deceased December 2000.  Cause: Torsion   CH. Kong Owned By: David Zoni, Boxcar Neapolitan Mastiffs  Kong was 2000 U.S. Nationals Winner. October 6-8, 2000  Kong deceased on Christmas Morning 2000.  Cause: Bloat   CH. Vanguard's Nylah Owned By: Gothic Mastini  Nylah deceased on December 31, 2000  Cause: Bloat / Torsion

 

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