My dog has bloat symptoms. What is bloat, is it dangerous, what now?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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  Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

  Licensed Veterinary Technician

  Published on July 24th, 2018

  I am sorry for the loss of Patch. Unfortunately, the symptoms listed have many causes. The standout symptom is the "twisted stomach". If this was the case, Patch may have had Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV), more commonly known as "Bloat". This is a life threatening condition requiring rapid and aggressive treatment. The cause of the condition is not fully understood, but large, deep chested dogs are at higher risk of developing bloat. You can read more about the condition at the link below. https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/gastric-dilatation-volvulus

  

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  Answered By Jenna Beyer, DVM, MBA, cVMA

  Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

  Published on October 12th, 2017

  If you are concerned about a GDV, Ronnie should be evaluated by a vet immediately. This a life-threatening issue that needs emergency surgical correction. Other possible causes of the symptoms you have described include dietary indiscretion, food allergy, intestinal parasites, GI blockage, gastroenteritis, bacterial or viral infection, IBD, pancreatitis, among others.

  

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  Answered By Anna M., DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on April 28th, 2020

  I'm seeing a radiology (x-ray) report that states that Sharon initially had a GDV (Gastric dilatation & Volvulus, also commonly referred to as "bloat"), but repeat x-rays were taken 5 minutes later and again 18 hours later, and those x-rays looked ok. GDV is a condition where the stomach first becomes distended, then twists or flips on its axis. The distention causes discomfort, but the twist/flip of the stomach is what makes this condition a true life-threatening emergency, as it prevents flow of food & gas in and out of the stomach, and cuts off the blood supply to the tissue in the area, as well as through major vessels of the body. Without knowing more about the situation, I'm not sure if the vet decompressed the stomach and helped correct the GDV, or if it spontaneously corrected (which can occasionally happen). If surgery was not performed to tack Sharon's stomach to the side of the body wall to prevent future stomach flipping, then Sharon remains at risk for this to potentially occur again. Here's some further information on this condition. If you'd like to discuss Sharon's specific case in more detail, feel free to request a consultation. https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/bloating-in-dogs/

  

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