Bloat in Working Dogs

Bloat can be a deadly killer in dogs and is not heard of by many dog owners. We thought it was important to highlight the main symptoms, causes and actions to take if your dog experiences bloat.

Bloat is a condition in dogs where the stomach twists and fills with gas.

Once the stomach becomes distended with gas, this puts pressure on the diaphragm, causing difficulty in breathing.

Further complications can be the spleen being twisted with the stomach also leading to this having to be surgically removed as part of treating the dog.

Symptoms

In certain instances, bloating is noted when the dog exercises immediately after
Usually happens straight after eating
Difficulty breathing
Excessive drooling
Vomiting
A weak pulse
Paleness of the nose and mouth

Treatment

Rush them straight to the vets if you suspect your dog is suffering from bloat.
There is nothing you can do from home, so urgent veterinary attention is crucial.
The vets will usually run blood tests and x-ray the dog to confirm that it is bloat
Vets then surgically untwist the abdomen.
The longer bloat is left untreated the worse it can get, so make sure you don’t wait till the morning, rush them straight there or ring a vet to check.

Causes + Prevention

Causes are relatively unknown but here are some suggestions as to how to try and prevent bloat from occurring:Large dogs should be fed twice a day rather than once
Water should be available always of the day, but limited straight after eating
Vigorous exercise should be limited one hour before and two hours after eating
Dietary changes should be made gradually over a period of 3-5 days
Dogs that have suffered from bloat are more susceptible to getting it again in the future, so surgery may be needed to prevent it from happening again.