Canine bloat is a life-threatening condition in which your dog’s stomach swells. This can be caused by excess fluid, gas, or both. Bloat is one of the leading causes of death for dogs and can be fatal in under an hour.
Causes
There are a few things that can cause canine bloat. One of the most common causes is exercising too soon before or after a meal. Your dog can also get canine bloat if he eats with a raised food bowl. Two other common causes include stress and gulping too much air.
Symptoms
The symptoms of canine bloat can be difficult to spot easily. Your dog’s abdominal area will be swollen, but it may be difficult to notice. He will also pant and salivate excessively. Dogs with canine bloat will also walk around agitated and may whine. Some dogs also retch or vomit, although nothing will come up.
Diagnosis
As mentioned earlier, canine bloat can kill in less than an hour. Therefore, treatment is usually administered even before a definitive diagnosis has been made. Two of the most common methods of diagnosis include blood tests and x-rays.
Treatment
If your dog gets canine bloat, the vet will likely administer steroids, IV fluids, anti-arrythmics and antibiotics. Then, he may insert a tube down your dog’s throat to allow the excess gas or fluid to escape. If this method of treatment fails, then the only solution is to perform surgery. A cut will be made into the stomach to give the gas or fluid a passage for escape.
You should be aware that many dogs that suffer from canine bloat have another episode in the future. To avoid a second episode, your dog may have his stomach anchored into its normal position. This will prevent it from blowing up or twisting if the dog has another case of canine bloat.
Prevention
There are a few things you can do to minimize the risk of your dog getting canine bloat. You should make sure that your dog doesn’t exercise too soon before or after eating. The amount of time should be at least one hour. Also, since stress can cause canine bloat, you should try to make sure your dog doesn’t experience too many stressful situations. Dry food can also cause the condition, so you should avoid feeding your dog too much dry food.