This information was taken in part from www.globalspan.net and www.canismajor.com.
Bloat is the second leading killer of dogs after cancer. It is one of those deadly dangers I don’t think a lot of people are aware of, and which I hadn’t heard of until several years ago. Deep-chested dogs are more susceptible to bloat and gastric torsion than other dogs, but all dogs can get it; breeds most susceptible breeds include Akita, Great Dane, German Shepherd, St. Bernard, Irish Wolfhound, Irish Setter, Sighthounds, Doberman Pinschers, Weimaraners, Bloodhounds, and other similar breeds, as well as deep-chested mixes. Bloat or gastric torsion is an emergency and the dog should be taken to the vet immediately. Do not try home remedies for this one, but you can buy a little time for your dog by giving it a product containing simethicone, such as Mylanta-Gas (not Mylanta), and Gas-X; but remember, this is only a temporary measure to buy you some time while getting to the vet. Keep this on hand!
Bloat or gastric torsion occurs when dogs gulp in air with their food or water, especially in dogs that are fed only once a day, and then are subject to strenuous exercise on that full stomach. A dog should not be subject to strenuous exercise for about an hour before feeding and two hours after feeding especially if they are fed only once a day.
Bloat is a danger to your dogs especially during early hunting season when temperatures are still hot. With the opening of dove and forest grouse season in Idaho this week, the forecast is for sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 80’s to low 90’s and about 10 degrees cooler in the mountains. For a hard-hunting dog, especially one that may not have gotten a lot of exercise since last hunting season, this is a serious concern.
There are several ways to mitigate gastric torsion. One is to feed your dogs 2-3 times a day so they are less likely to eat large amounts of food at one time. Ugly Dog Hunting Company carries a product called the Brake-Fast Bowl that has three posts formed in the center of the bowl, forcing the dog to eat around the posts and thereby slowing down how fast it can eat. We have not yet purchased these bowls so I can’t attest to how effective they are, but they are on our shopping list. Another remedy is to put the dog food on a cookie sheet or pizza pan.
When hunting, keep your dogs hydrated throughout the day and provide them with snacks as well. When I hunt upland game birds, I am probably not gone from the vehicle much more than an hour at a time. Each time I get back to the Jeep, I water the dogs with half a bowl of water; at lunch, they get a can of dog food. Sometimes they share whatever I am snacking on, but in this you need to be very careful what they eat – there are a lot of ingredients in human food that are toxic to dogs, which I will discuss this series of 8 articles.
Typical symptoms often include some (but not necessarily all) of the following, according to the links below. Unfortunately, from the onset of the first symptoms you have very little time (sometimes minutes, sometimes hours) to get immediate medical attention for your dog. Know your dog and know when it’s not acting right. Symptoms include:
Attempts to vomit (usually unsuccessful), which may occur every 5-30 minutes; Doesn’t act like usual self; Significant anxiety and restlessness; “Hunched up” or “roached up” appearance; Lack of normal gurgling and digestive sounds in the tummy; Bloated abdomen that may feel tight (like a drum) Despite the term “bloat,” many times this symptom never occurs or is not apparent; Pale or off-color gums, Dark red in early stages, white or blue in later stages; Coughing; Unproductive gagging; Heavy salivating or drooling; Foamy mucous around the lips, or vomiting foamy mucous; Unproductive attempts to defecate; Whining or Pacing; Licking the air; Seeking a hiding place; Looking at their side or other evidence of abdominal pain or discomfort; May refuse to lie down or even sit down; May stand spread-legged; May curl up in a ball or go into a praying or crouched position; May attempt to eat small stones and twigs; Drinking excessively; Heavy or rapid panting; Shallow breathing; Cold mouth membranesApparent weakness; Unable to stand or has a spread-legged stance, Especially in advanced stage; Accelerated heartbeat, Heart rate increases as bloating progresses; Weak pulse; Collapse.
Tags: bird dog, bloat, gastric torsion, hunting dog
