What is GDV (Bloat)?
In the bloated stomach, gas and/or food stretches the stomach many times its normal size, causing tremendous abdominal pain. For reasons we do not fully understand, this grossly distended stomach has a tendency to rotate, thus twisting off not only its own blood supply but the only exit routes for the gas inside. Not only is this condition extremely painful but it is also rapidly life-threatening. A dog with a bloated, twisted stomach (more scientifically called gastric dilatation and volvulus or GDV) will die in pain in a matter of hours unless drastic steps are taken. Classically, this condition affects dog breeds that are said to be deep chested, meaning the length of their chest from backbone to sternum is relatively long while the chest width from right to left is narrow. Examples of deep chested breeds would be the Great Dane, Greyhound, and the setter breeds. Still, any dog can bloat even dachshunds and Chihuahuas.
Signs of Bloat include:
- drooling of saliva
- frequent retching and attempts to vomit (occasionally victims may be able to regurgitate a pool of foamy saliva)
- anxiousness, restlessness, and pacing
- depression and shock
- Stretching in the “prayer position”
If you suspect that your dog may be bloated CALL YOUR VET. Immediate surgery may be necessary to correct this life threatening condition. |