Questions about bloat
I also just read on line that raised food bowls are bad. When they say no exercise at least an hour before and after eating or drinking. Do they mean taking a walk, or running around like crazy? When we walk I let him drink out of a water bottle when it's really hot out. Is that bad? Just curious if anyone has any thoughts. |
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| I, as I am sure many others share your concern. I always try to wait an hour or at least a half hour prior to walking Bailee. I also take along a water bottle since we walk about 2 to 2 1/2 miles twice a day. He gulps his water and also his food. We purchased a type of feeding dish that has "a couple of obstructions" in it to actually slow down the eating process. He figured that out in about a week and still woofs like every meal is his last. Another thing to think about is do not give your pup ice cubes. Some of the info about bloat indicates ice cubes can be problematic. |
| Ice cubes really? Frankie loves Ice cubes. Huh.... Lisa and Frankie |
| I've read that adding water to the dog's meal (to expand it before he/she eats) is beneficial. I guess the reasoning is that it is better to have the food expand in the bowl rather than the stomach. Don't know if that's true but I've always done it for Brick & Zeke. |
Bloat can be a VERY life thratening situation. There is much info if you search the archives under"bloat". There are also very different points of view as the the raised dishes, etc. But all the info seems to indicate no one is truly sure what causes it. However, some stuff just makes sense...Do not exercise your dog within at least an hour of eating. Wasn't that something our mothers told us and we thought they were crazy  We wait about an hour after running to feed. And at least an hour, preferably two, before running again after dinner. Now, a normal walking pace I doubt is a problem. But I would still wait at least an hour... I heard the ice cubes thing too. I stopped giving mine the ice cubes but still give small ones once in a while. You should always keep gas-x on hand. Any sign of bloating, even if its just a passing thought you ahve, give two gas -x ( we uses 2 - 60 miligrams)_....Can't do any harm and can buy you time to get to the Vet. Any time, EVER, your dog shows ANY sign of bloating. RUSH, don't wait, RUSH to the nearest Vet...Bloat can be fatal within a few hours...Learn the symptoms. Its really that important! |
Quote: ...TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Dogs with GDV can die in a matter of minutes without medical intervention. Don't stand around wondering if your dog is bloating. If he/she is restless, trying to vomit but not bringing anything up (or just bringing up clear liquid), has an increased heart rate or respiratory rate, assume it is bloat until proven otherwise, and seek help immediately. In most of the giant breeds, it's fairly easy to feel the heart beating on the left side of the chest. Make a habit of doing this and know what your dog’s normal heart rate is. It can vary considerably among individuals within the same breed, but you'll be much better prepared to assess your dog when there is a problem if you've learned how to monitor him/her in good health. just a section from: http://www.bigdogshugepaws.com/pet-health/emergencies/bloat |
One of my dog friends just lost his 5 year old female Gordon Setter to bloat this past week. He is a single guy, I've known him forever, and his gordon's are his life. Now he just has one  This is a very experienced dog person. He shows in conformation and agility, he co-runs most of the MN 4-H dog project, his dad was a dog friend of my parents. He's devistated He has no idea why it happened, she died in the night. |
| I am not sure about dogs and bloat, but they call it colic in horses. The equine vets have noticed more colic with big shifts in the weather. We just had a horrendous storm move thru NY and that night and the next day the vets were busy with tons of house calls for colic. I wonder if it might be the same with dogs. Maybe they change their eating or drinking habits and get dehydrated. That is the vets thoughts behind the horse colic. |
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