Bloat Checklist-References and Information

[dolmod]

http://www.danesonline.com/resources/danes-and-dogs-bloat-1.html

Checklist

20 Signs that your dog may be in trouble from bloat or torsion:

(1) distended abdomen
(2) rigid (hard) abdomen
(3) painful when touched in the abdomen
(4) vomiting foamy or liquid material
(5) unproductive attempts at vomiting or retching
(6) arched back
(7) praying position (down in front, rear standing)
(8) laying down on belly - crouched position
(9) curling up in a ball
(10) laying or sitting in an unusual location
(11) seeking a hiding place
(12) looking at their side
(13) frequent swallowing (aerophagia)
(14) hypersalivation (drooling heavily)
(15) drinking excessively
(16) lack of appetite
(17) quiet, any abnormal behavior
(18) lethargy, weakness
(19) panting, breathing rapidly or heavily
(20) red gums, or white gums (not normal pink color)

You know your own dog the best and you know when things aren't quite right.

If you notice any of these signs in your dog,call your vet or take him to an emergency clinic as soon as possible. Not all dogs show the classic signs of bloat or GDV, some may be very subtle or be at a pre-bloat stage.

Keep a copy of this list, your vets phone number, an emergency clinic phone number, and you pet's medical history in a convenient place in case of an emergency. Bloat and GDV occur very quickly, and a dog can be in shock within minutes.

[Oats Mom]

Thanks! This list will now grace my refrigerator. :e)

[Ellen]

Great list! Refridgerator is a good spot.

Got a call from my BIL two states away one night. He was in a panic because he could not find an all night vet for his cat in the phone book. I was able to find him one online but it took a good 20 minutes.

Minutes are critical with bloat. People should not count on finding the number while in a panic situation. Find one today or better yet right now.

[Mommy to Zeus]

I would also like to add that Zeus had unproductive attempts at pooping while bloating.

[Stellas Mom]

My two do about 5 of those things on a daily basis...should that be a concern? I know the basic signs of bloat, but I am so stressed out on a daily basis worrying about it...I know it's not uncommon in Danes, and I take every precaution I can, but sometimes I think I'm being paranoid :(

[wouldluv2haveadane]

Just want to add as something to do before bloat, or any other emergency occurs:

Locate your nearest Emergency Vet Clinic. Call them to make sure they're 24hr. Write down directions on where they are located, and their phone number. Keep this info on you and easily accessible at home. And lastly, share this information with your family in case something happens while you are away from your dog so your family won't have to do the clinic search routine.

Cindy

[Mommy to Zeus]

>My two do about 5 of those things on a daily basis...should
>that be a concern? I know the basic signs of bloat, but I am
>so stressed out on a daily basis worrying about it...I know
>it's not uncommon in Danes, and I take every precaution I can,
>but sometimes I think I'm being paranoid :(

Well, you know your dogs. Knowing your dogs and what is typical of them is key. If they do this on a regular basis, then it shouldn't cause a concern. Zeus has never done that. I didn't even know it was a sign of it until Friday night, while Zeus was in surgery. I came home and did some more reading on bloat.

His signs were:

1. Unproductive attempts to vomit
2. Extreme thirst
3. Unproductive attemps to poop
4. Distended, hard abdomen
5. Red gums
6. Malaise

[Smokeyblue]

That is so scary! Is Zeus OK now? I hope everything came out alright.

Edited" Oops, never mind that question, I hadn't yet seen the posts below. Sorry. Thanks for sharing.

[clueless]

hi

i want to add some othello did this weekend which was not included...

he showed most of the signs.. such as . vomiting.. praying position.. i gave him gas x.. he burped.. not farted..sorry about being graphic.. but it is important to know... after these attempts.. his stomach became less bloated... he was not able to fart bacuse of the twisting of his gut...i thought he was becoming better... my vet called and told me to bring him in... i thought he would be fine... little did i realize.. he has twisted at that point... whatever i could have was not enough.. surgery was needed...

i do hope this helps anybody out there.. just because you think he/she feels/looks better... you don't know what is going on inside of them... please..PLEASE take them to a vet asap... time is so important...

love and licks
sheryl

[jake monkey]

So did Jake, he was trying to vomit and defecate at the same time, with nothing coming out from either end.

[gunnarsdad]

Ive beed told about bloat before by my vet and by others, this is the first time ive seen a list like this, and i understand dogs may do some of those things in everyday life. That being said after seeing all of these symtoms im it made me pairinoid. So.. i have a few questions for those of you who were unlucky enough to have to go through it. One, when you noticed the symtoms i am asuming it was loud and clear that something was wrong.( dog wasnt walking around waging is tail) and the other is not really pertaining to the symtoms but comes out of curiosity, were any of your dogs agressive when you tried to help them, i remember as a child that our dog was agressive twords my parents when they tried to help her. THANKS

[Mommy to Zeus]

It was obvious to me pretty quickly that Zeus was bloating. You can just tell when something is wrong...he was in great discomfort and showed numerous signs (unproductive attempts to vomit, hard, swollen abdomen, salivating profusely, bright pink gums...).

To answer your second question, no, he never became aggressive. Even at the emergency vets office, he was very tolerant of everyone around him.

[grace_under_fire]

So is the main cause of bloat exercising directly before or after they have eaten? Is that correct? I free feed my three girls with no problems. And the Dane puppy is very playful and likes to run and jump around most of the day. I also take her to the park during the day and let her off the leash to run. So she pretty much romps about thoughout the entire day, and she eats whenever she feels like it. Now that I am thinking about it, I am assuming this could possibly increase her risk of bloat? (So far, no problems, but I've only had her for three months, and she's my first dane.) What do you guys think? Are there any other primary causes of bloat that can be avoided?

Thanks! :-)

Grace

--------------------------------------------------

Sadie - 7 yr. old Husky Mix
Siouxsie (pronounced "Suzie") - 6 year old Vizsla
Stori - 5 month old Great Dane puppy
Spooky - one annoyed 10 year old cat

[Lexis Mom]

Thank you for this information; it saved Lexi's life last Sunday.

I came home from church and my girl was her normal, happy-go-lucky self.

Within 20 minutes of my coming home, she threw up what looked to be stomach bile, then started to retch and drool excessively.

She laid down very gingerly, and was looking at her side, all the while gagging and bringing up massive amounts of ropy drool and saliva.

I couldn't see any abdominal bloating, but I knew it was bloat.

I called the emergency vet, and took her there. They diagnosed her within an hour of her first showing symptoms, and she was in surgery by 6:00 p.m. Sunday evening.

The vet called me after surgery to let me know that Lexi had survived it, and to thank me for bringing her in so soon. Apparently, her spleen got involved when her stomach twisted, and it was bleeding and on the point of bursting by the time she went into surgery. The vet said if I had been slower in responding to Lexi's illness, that her spleen would have burst, and we would have lost her.

Lexi's home now, and being treated like the precious treasure she is. She has staples from her breastbone down her abdomen, and looks pretty pitiful. She's on oral antibiotics twice a day for the next 7 days, and has to be kept quiet. She's also only allowed a cup of soft, moist food every 6-8 hours, but she's ravenous, which is a good sign.

The vet tacked her stomach, so I don't have to worry about her bloating ever again. I asked WHY she had bloated, when I've done everything humanly possible to prevent it the last 2 years. The vet told me that sometimes it just happens, no matter how careful you are.

I thank God I knew the signs for bloat from reading it here, as well as knowing my own dog so well to know right away that something just wasn't right with her the minute she got sick.

[moe]

Great success story - and such fast action on your part - the info and YOU saved her life as well. So glad she's recovering nicely and doing fine. Best wishes to smooth sailing from here,

Moe
Reb's Mom

The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too. ~Samuel Butler, Notebooks, 1912

[dolmod]

The vet tacked her stomach, so I don't have to worry about her bloating ever again.

I'm glad this info was able to help you out.Please be aware tho, that tacking will help prevent your dog from torsioning, not from bloating.

[Lexis Mom]

Dolmod, what's the difference? I'd really like to know, since the vet said they tack their stomachs a lot of times when they go in to spay, to help prevent it.

I know that it'll keep the stomach from twisting again, but I thought that's what caused the bloat?

[dolmod]

Bloat describes a stomach which has become abnormally enlarged or distended. The stomach is filled with gas, food, liquid, or a combination thereof. Torsion is the abnormal positioning of the stomach which is caused by the stomach's rotation about its axis, i.e. twisting of the stomach. Bloat usually leads to torsion, although torsion can occur without bloat.

[Lexis Mom]

Yep, read up on it after I got your message. Thanks for the info.

So now that Lexi's had bloat, and at such an early age (2), the consensus is that it might be genetic, so I need to take steps to make sure she doesn't get it again.

What the vet did was tack her stomach to her ribcage so she won't get torsion again, but that doesn't guarantee against bloat.

Lexi is now on small, moist meals several times a day, and I'm going to continue that for the remainder of her life. I'll also make sure that she doesn't drink or exercise heavily before or after she eats.

I imagine with good care, and the fact that I know what to look for, I should be able to keep the odds down of her getting it again.

[CourtneyClan]

Hello everyone... We just started browsing this site and was really surprised (or disturbed) as to the amount of danes that have bloat or torsion. We have two danes that are 2 1/2 and 1 1/2 , we have had them from birth but this is the first time either of us have owned them. My husband used to be involved in rottweiler rescue and is more familiar with large dogs than I am, but for some reason I was under the impression that bloat happens mostly in pups. I see now that I was wrong on that. We have found that our dogs maintain weight better and thrive better now that we leave food out to "graze" on at will.. They never eat a lot at one time... Where as when we were feeding them 3 times a day they would scarf it all down quickly. Should we not be doind the grazing thing? Just wanted some opinions...

thanks

[Lexis Mom]

Lexi was what you'd call a "grazer". Had dry food available at all times, day and night. I would also give her canned food once a day.

She seemed to do okay on it, until 3 weeks ago, which is when she bloated w/torsion. She just turned 2 y/o on 10/07/05.

The thing to remember is that your dogs should not have food or water available to them right before or after they've exercised.

The rule of thumb with Lexi now is no water/food before she goes out, and if she runs around like a nut, as is usual for her, she gets nothing to drink or eat for at least an hour. I do bend the rules if she's extremely hot and let her have a gulp or two of water, but no more than that for at least an hour, sometimes two.

I've encountered a few problems with not letting Lexi have free choice with food, but that's just the way it goes now. All her food is soft, and she gets fed twice a day. No more kibble, although she does still get crunchy treats once in awhile. And she's also on a gas reliever, which seems to help.

However, nothing is a cure-all, and once your dog has had bloat, they're more susceptible to it. Lexi was very uncomfortable last night, and I could tell it was because of her stomach. Made for a very long night for me, because I sat with her head in my lap until 2:30 a.m., when she started feeling herself again.

I'm just glad I'm not a breeder because I'd never breed her now, knowing what might be in store for the puppies. Her littermate died in November from heart complications, and with Lexi's bloat, there's no way I'd want those defects passed on to future generations.

[CourtneyClan]

Thanks Lexis mom.. Since I read this sight I have been paranoid about the bloat thing. The thing with our dogs is that they stay outside except in the evenings when I get home. Not sure if I should change to two feedings instead of grazing.. We used to do that and they would scarf the food down so quickly its like they could not breathe and that was with me feeding them three times a day.... Now I watch them and they dont eat but a little each time. I guess there is no way to be sure, just to watch them closely...huh? Is bloat something that they are more apt to get if their ancestors suffered?

P.S. By the way I have a daughter named Lexi...

[Lexis Mom]

Hi Courtney, very cool that you have a daughter named Lexi!

Actually, Lexi's "real" AKC registered name is RDK Grand Duchess Alexia, but I shortened it. Lexi thinks her actual name is Dammit-Lexi-No! :9

The problem with bloat is that the health professionals don't really know what the factors are that cause it. They think genetics play a part, but neither of Lexi's parents were prone to it, nor her paternal grandparents. I don't know about her maternal grandparents, since they belonged to someone other than the breeder I got Lexi from.

I know about the bolting food problem since Lexi does it now, but there's not a lot I can do about it. She's not allowed a dry, hard food any longer, and I feel I need to be there to supervise her when she eats.

I don't know what kind of dry food you're feeding, but you might want to water test it. Take some of the dry food and place it in a bowl. Pour water over it, covering the food. Wait 25-30 minutes, and see how much water your kibble has soaked up. If there's no water left, and your kibble has expanded a lot, you've got bloat waiting to happen with your guys. If it'll expand in water like that, it's going to expand in your dogs' stomachs like that too, when they drink. And the fact that your dogs are outside, able to romp around all day, you add another problem to the equation.

I'm not saying that your dogs are going to bloat, but you have several factors there against your favor. Deep chested breeds like the Dane are prone to bloat, and with heavy exercise, then immediately eating and gulping down water, you've got the makings of a disaster on your hands.

And if your animals DO bloat, you have a finite time to get them to the vet's before they can't be helped. Thank God I was home when Lexi started to bloat, because I knew in a matter of minutes what it was, and had her in the car and to the vet's within the hour. Not all cases can be saved of course, but time is of the essence with this horrible condition. If you're at work when it happens, it might be too late by the time you get home.

Since Lexi had torsion (stomach twist) with bloat, she had no way to relieve the pressure, which would have killed her without surgery. The surgeon did a gastropexy, and said that at least she won't torsion should she bloat again. Not too comforting though, since even bloat without torsion can kill them in extreme cases.

I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but from my own emotionally painful and financially costly position as someone whose dog has gone through it, I would recommend that you take away as many possible causes as you can.

Danes are very special dogs and I'll always have one, but from now on I'm going to be uber sensitive to the potential dangers for bloat, and eliminate them wherever I can.

I'd hate to think that anyone else's dog has to go through what Lexi did. It's painful, scary, and they go downhill so fast it's terrifying.

Sorry, didn't mean to write a book. I hope I gave you some good info.

[CourtneyClan]

Thanks again. All your information is something to think about. I appreciate you taking the time to fill me in on all that. I will try the dog food test for sure.

You've been a great help!!!

[bondanes]

Thanx for the informative list but I Live in a hot humid country (India) and my danes here drink a lot of water esp when fed dried food.
In this case what should I do?
My danes have attained the height of over 42 inches (at withers) and are perfectly healthy though one died due to bloat.
Please pin point the signs of bloat.
navedzahir@yahoo.co.in

[Lexis Mom]

That list ARE the signs of bloat. Can't pinpoint them any better than that.

Just drinking excessive amounts of water when they're hot doesn't constitute bloat. Read the signs over more carefully, and if you know your dogs as well I know mine, you should be able to spot abnormal behaviour immediately.

If you've already had one die from bloat, you should have received tips from your vet on how to try to prevent it from happening again. Or did you just have a dog die and assume it was bloat, without actually taking them to a vet?

[wackyfiasco]

Yes, I am also alarmed at how many danes here are getting bloat. This is our second dane (lost the first to Wobblers Syndrome), and although some people may be squeamish about this diet option, our vet swears by it, and some of the local dane rescue folk recommend it, and I did notice many positive differences while using it for our dane. One of the main reasons I agreed to it is because, apparently, virtually no dogs on this diet ever get bloat. There is information on the raw food diet, here http://www.rawlearning.com/ and dane-specifics regarding the diet here http://experts.about.com/q/Great-Danes-2275/Nutrition-raw-food-diet.htm
Kymythy Schultz has a good book out, ULTIMATE DIET: NATURAL NUTRITION FOR DOGS AND CATS.

[ksrenaud]

I'd just like to add that I give my dog Nzymes which is a product that helps aid in the digestion of food and helps a dog have a healthy good bactieria count. One of the items that seem to have been found to contribute to bloat is not having a good balance in the stomach which leads to digestion problems.

I did lose a Dane to Bloat and Torsion and I'd like to add that having a complete plan if the emergency happens is extremely important. When I was choosing a vet/animal hospital for my puppy I had asked the question if they were experienced in emergency surgery for bloat and torsion. They said yes, I didn't know I had to ask at what times of the day! When my dog bloated I recongnized it as his stomach was huge. I immediately called my Vet/hospital and was told to bring him in (the time was 6:15pm). I took him there, they brought him in back, I sat and waited, the Vet came out told me yes he is bloating but, he could not do the surgery because there would be no one there overnight to take care of him and they proceeded to tell me instructions on how to get to the nearest overnight emergecy vet, which was another 25min away (they were so calm about it I felt like he had time) I had to walk this poor dog back outside and put him back in the car and drive in the dark to a place I was totaly unfamiliar with which took more alot more time. There the Vet said his insides were too far gone and he needed to be put down. The sad thing is, I knew of another 24hr vet in the other direction of my house I couldv'e been there in 20-25min. My Vet at the time was 10-15min away and when they told me to bring him in I thought that meant they were prepared to do the surgery. (silly me). You think they would have told me on the phone we can't do the surgery at this time of the evening you need to take him to a 24hr place. so much precious time was waisted.:(

[Mojo]

Has anyone here had the endoscopic tacking of the stomach done on their Dane? I was told it was a fairly new proceedure, but worth it... however they want $2200 to do it. Has anyone had this done?

[KathyVL]

I would not recommend the pexy being done endoscopicaly. I don't think they can see well enough. My girl was done this way and suffered very severe complications. A part of the stomach flapped over the opening into the intestines, but they didn't see that until a month later when they opened her up to determine why she was still vomiting. They released the tack, but because of all the vomiting, holes were burned in her esphogas. She is now fed through a feeding tube inserted into her stomach. I am sure that others have had great success with this procedure, but I would never have it done this way again because of our experience.
Kathy VL

[fredalina]

One of my danes bloated last November. i had the dogs' food stored in Rubbermaid containers in the kitchen, and never had a problem, until that day. i fed them their usual dinner, and went to dinner with a friend. When i returned a half hour later, i found the food bin open (turned over sideways and lid off) and it looked like a lot of food had been eaten. All the danes seemed fine as far as i could tell at that point. i got the food cleaned up and sat down, and Shamrock acted like he needed to vomit. (He's a dog who has occasionally vomited for no apparent reason, which got much better when we switched to Innova but is still an occasional problem, so this wasn't immediately frightening for me.) i kind of pushed him into the kitchen so he'd go on the linoleum, and then he seemed fine. Then when he seemed to need to vomit again, i took him outside. i checked on him again about a minute later, when he'd had time to vomit, and he wouldn't come inside. He was standing by the side of the house sort of hunched over. His belly never got distended, but i did feel it and it was taut. i knew immediately what was wrong, because of the hardness of his stomach being a typical sign of bloat, so i had my friend call the emergency vet on the cell phone while i got my bloat kit and tried to pass a tube to his stomach. Didn't work, so we jumped in the car and ran to the E-vet right away. Between this point he started trying to vomit and only getting out this white frothy stuff. At the vet, he continued to do the not vomit thing. The E-vet was really really slow to react, and it really pissed me off to be honest. When we got to the vet, his gums were still normal pink and the right slickness (i.e. no sign of shock yet). It took what felt like FOREVER (probably 20 minutes) to get him under the X-ray machine, and then another three FOREVERS (probably almost an hour) before they actually did anything. i kept asking them why they weren't tubing my dog, or operating on him, or SOMETHING. Finally when his gums did get bright pink i started to have a hissy fit talking loudly about how i'm standing here watching my dog DIE (i had been trying to remain calm because it's important to keep a bloating dog calm), and they finally got the vet to come out and talk to me. Surgery was initiated quickly at that point, and he did survive and come through it fine. He made his 9th birthday and will be 9 1/2 in another 10 days. Anyway, i'm not sure someone not so well versed in bloat would have recognized the early warning signs, and if they took him to the vet an hour later and the vet was still that slow to act, then maybe he wouldn't have made it. Luckily none of the tissue had started to die out yet, but that might not have been the case for someone who just thought their dog was vomiting.

[gabis mum]

Hi!
Can someone please pleeeeeeeeze advise.
Last night I got the fright of my life, my five year old boy seemed to have some of the symptoms of bloat. Having lost three danes to this dreadful thing in the past 20 years maybe I'm just paranoid but it really scared the daylights out of me.
He had the runs (VERY watery!) in the afternoon, and by evening he was aggitated and restless (he's normally a floor mat!), drinking excessively, panting, swallowing a lot, licking his lips, eyes were HUGE. I gave him some charcoal tablets and eventually persuaded him to lie down beside me and just cuddled him and prayed til he fell asleep about an hour later. Today he is fine, like it never happened. OK it HAD been hot but he's adjusted to the heat and never goes out until it's cool.
My problem is I live on a tiny island and the "emergency" vet service is a bad joke x(
The calls are handled by a call centre and might or might not get there!! I've tried to find a vet who WILL come out in an emergency, but so far havent found one.
Is there something I could do to buy valuable minutes should the same thing happen again and I have to wait for a vet? I feel soooooo helpless. He's busy lying in front of the tv and my head's been full of "what if's" and panic!!
Incidentally, my younger dane (who's normally a hooligan and beats him up) just followed him round, sniffing his face and looking concerned, which worried me even more!!
Please can someone offer some sort of advice??? I know you all come to the rescue when help and advice is needed :e) :e)
many thanks
Gabi's mum

[Devil Dog]

Bloat is a very scary thing and I don't care to ever see it again as long as I live. :( :(

Have you thought of a tacking?? Gastroplexy it's called. Check the archives here on this procedure. It does NOT prevent bloat but done correctly will prevent the torsion.

Dee

[DaphneandRoscoe]

Do you have a bloat kit?

Michele

[DaphneandRoscoe]

Also, that is a lot of Danes to lose from bloat. No offense, but are you aware of exercise and food/water before and after feedings?

[Shana Ruess]

I don't think 3 in 20 years is all that many, especially if the poster has had more than one dane at a time. I believe the statistic is nearly 50% of danes will bloat once in their lifetime. So if she has had 6 danes in 20 years, that would make sense.

Sorry I don't have any information to help you about saving time in case of bloat :(

[alicat613]

Do you have Phasyme or another gas relief pill to give in those cases? I know many keep these on hand to give some extra time.

There are also bloat kits that include tubing to help release the gas - in an experienced hand this can even at times untwist the stomach - and in a severe emergency could be used to release the gas by going directly to the stomach (yes cutting through the side into the stomach). This is not something I would normally recommend to anyone unless in a situation where vet help is not close enough to get to in time. If this is something you want to consider, you can google to find a bloat kit, or your vet should be able to help you put together, and your vet absolutely should go over with you when to use it and how.

What are you feeding? Do you feel that this dog or prior cases have been picky eaters? Do you give raw fat supplements for Omega-3's and 6's, any joint supplements?

[gabis mum]

Thanks a lot for all help and advice, I'm still picking my way through vets in the hope ONE will answer in an emergency!!
I'll try and source bloat kit and ask the chemist about the Phasyme or similar.
No, the boy's not a picky eater, nor a gulper - in fact I say he eats with a fork, knife and napkin :* And I'm really strict about resting long before and after meals, feeding from a height, and twice a day, etc. It's a mystery.
Yep, normally have two or three danes at a time, sometimes more - all the more to cuddle!!
My first bloat was a dane being treated for CDRM so he WAS stressed, my second was his Best Buddy, who never got over losing his pal (even though I had other danes), and bloated EXACTLY one year and a week after the first. My third was a 7 year old who was a bit excitable, but again no indication or warning - just BLOAT.
No, this boy's not on supplements, do you think he should be, and what do you suggest?
Thanks again for taking the time to help - really do appreciate it.:e) :e)
Gabi's Mum

[alicat613]

What a horrible thing to have to go through all that. I have been through bloat once, but my girl survived and lived a long full life after. Still, it was terrible.

Unfortunately why dogs bloat is not well-understood. Really there are mostly theories than anything else.

I have heard a theory about the loss of elasticity in the stomach and the ligaments holding it in place as a factor in bloat. Essential fatty acids (Omega 3s and 6s) would play a role in this as well as joint supplements for ligaments. My dogs eat raw and especially get things like trachea as sources for the building blocks of the ligaments. There are some excellent joint supplements out there.

I also have to say that personally -- and I am not looking to start a debate here -- I think kibble is a factor. Whether it is the swelling of the kibble, gases from added vitamin c in the kibble or what, I do not know. I do not know any raw or home cooked fed dog that has bloated and I know of many cases where changing from kibble to a real food diet - including my dog who lived another 10+ years bloat-free - kept a dog who bloated from doing so again. As an alternative to changing the diet, you could look into adding some brown rice or sweet potato to the meals, as well as goodies like sardines, organs etc on top. The first two grains are nutritious and very soothing, but I would add some more meats to the diet so you aren't turning kibble into an even less meaty meal than it is.

[Devil Dog]

Altho I respect your opinions..those thoughts have been around a long time. Along with all the rants about elevating feeding dishes and exercise before and after feeding. Hashed and rehashed.

From a person who has lived thru many. many cases of bloat in my own and other dogs of different breeds...I will go to my grave believing the primary cause could be eliminated by NOT breeding any dog who has bloated nor breeding any offspring or "first degree" relative.

I remember the days when Danes bloated 30 or more years ago and the memorial ads for these dogs also carried the message..."But not to worry because he/she leaves behind many offspring to carry on." :( :(
And so they did, carried on to produce more Danes that bloated.

I also was guilty at one time.. not realizing or giving thought that there may be a connection among related dogs. Somewhere along the line other people may have gave pause also, because it has been years since Bloat has been mentioned in any ads and now is passed off as another cause of a dog's passing.

Dee

[gabis mum]

Yep, agree entirely about kibble and about bloat being in lines. With hindsight I came to that conclusion some years ago but was shot down in flames by many "senior" breeders.
Anyway the boy is fine, on supplements too as suggested. I've still not been able to find emergency vet but having had a fright am not resting until I do.:o Many thanks for support and advice!:P :P

[Meadow910]

Hello all! It's been qutie awhile since I've posted on this site, so bear with me. I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician at an emergency clinic on Long Island in New York. I have a 6 year old mantle female named Meadow who bloated (with torsion) yesterday afternoon. This was the scariest thing I have been through to date with my girl and she's gone through alot over the years(eye surgery, knee surgery, hip dysplasia, allergies, a torn cruciate ligament and cancer). It just goes to show that even Danes owned by trained professionals such as myself are not safe. Meadow's only saving grace was that I "happened" to bring her to work with me yesterday (remeber that I work in an ER clinic) and we noticed what was happening to her almost immediately. She began gulping the air around her at about 1:30pm so we took her out of her cage to check on her. I took her for a short walk outside where she urinated and had a small bowel movement, but seemed ok. At about 2:00pm she began dry heaving in her cage, we once again removed her from her cage to check her out. She continued to attempt to vomit bringing nothing up but a foamy, stringy, white substance. I immediately alerted my boss, who happens to be the surgeon at the clinic. After quickly examining her we noted that her abdomen was extremly distended. By 2:15pm she was getting x-rayed which confirmed that she had bloated and her stomach was indeed twisted. Meadow was in surgery by 3pm, all fixed and in recovery by 4:30pm. We have no idea why this happened to her, there was nothing I could have done differently. I hope never to have to go through this again. I guess what I'm trying to say is that time is working against you when your baby is bloating. The quicker you get them to the ER the better, you CANNOT cure bloat at home. There is too high a chance that they may be twisted as well, and that in itself is a virtual death sentence. Sorry if I've written a novel here but I felt compelled to share our story with you. Thanks for reading.

Meadow's Mommy

P.S.- Meadow is resting comfortably as we speak in the ICU and we hope to bring her home tomorrow.

The greatest happiness in this world is owning a GREAT DANE

[alicat613]

Dee, are you responding to me? I think you've misunderstood me if so. Although I would never recommend to anyone to just allow their dogs to run wild before and after feedings, I do not feel that really is the cause of bloat, and my dogs do exercise freely before and after eating. I do not encourage it, but if they need to do zoomies, who am I to argue with them about what their body needs?
In my experience with bloat and the majority I've heard from others, feeding and water were not implicated in the incident.

Stress and genetics IMO are the biggest factors. I only brought up the idea of laxity in tendons (and other ideas) because this specific poster is in a very difficult spot.

[Devil Dog]

http://www.xceldanes.com/Fireworks.JPG

Sorry Ali..didn't see your reply till just now.

I also agree about exercise before and after feeding..try to stop, but not the end of the world if they do run around.

Also let me clarify my opinion on Bloat.
I believe it's an inherited problem that lays dormant till something triggers it. Stress, kenneling a move or a change of household circumstances. Sort of like a bomb..does nothing till lit.

Danes are such a sensitive breed and pick up on every nuance in our lives. Which is one reason I love them so much but this can also lead to Bloat.

Dee

[gabis mum]

Sad news. Many thanks for all your responses and suggestions to my plea about Bacchus, my five year old boy. Unfortunately at 2.30 this morning he bloated and despite getting the emergency vet, we decided it was so advanced that it was kindest to let him sleep. He had gone into torsion but was still able to wag his tail when I held him in my arms and said my goodnights. He has left a huge hole where my heart was. Many of you will know that feeling.
His hooligan young companion senses our grief and is quietly looking for her best buddy. I can't thank you all enough for taking the time and interest to share your experience and knowledge. I can only tell you he was a gentleman, kind and calm. He loved everybody and everything. At least the lady vet was sincerely sympathetic and very gentle with him, for which I will be eternally grateful. His passing was dignified and peaceful, like his life.
Give your danes an extra hug and kiss today in memory of Bacchus.
Gabis mum

[Devil Dog]

I'm so very sorry to hear the sad news. I too had a Bacchus..that I lost from Bloat.

Thinking of you and his companion. Will give my 2 an extra tickle and hug.


Dee
http://www.xceldanes.com/Fireworks.JPG

[Meadow910]

I am sincerely sorry for your loss. You will be in our thoughts and prayers.

Meadow's Mommy

The greatest happiness in this world is owning a GREAT DANE