Pet Article

BLOAT IN DOGS AND CATS

Just as we humans get bloated, our cats and dogs can too. Unfortunately in cats and dogs, unlike in humans, bloating can be very dangeroud. If your veterinarian says your dog has a bloat, they mean that your dogs stomach is full of excess gas, fluid or foam. Bloat can be caused by a number of different things, most often, dogs and cats get bloat because they swallow excess air. It can also occur when the valve at the bottom of their stomach is blocked and the gas and other material produced by the digestive process cannot exit the stomach.

Bloat happens rapidly and can even be fatal in 30 minutes if it's severe. If your dog or cats abdomen is distended, or your notice nausea, vomiting, attempts to vomit, sudden weakness or collapse, you should contact your veterinarian immediatly. Bloat is a life threatening conditions.

Quite often with boat, the stomach becomes enlarged or dilated, it can then twist somewhere between a quarter and a full turn, this twisting is called volvulus. When your cat or dog has gastric dilation and volvulus (GDV) the openings at the top and bottom of the stomach twist, blocking all materials from entering or leaving. As the digestive process continues, the stomach will swell more and more, as the stomach gets larger, it can press against blood vessels and decrease circulation. This in turn can eventually lead to death of the tiuuse in the stomach walls. It can also take up some of the room the diaphragm needs to expand, which makes it hard for the cat or dog to breathe. If left untreated, the circulation and breathing problems caused by GDV and bloat can cause infections, bleeding disorders, heart failure and sudden death. GDV is usually found in larger dogs that have eaten larger or abnormal meals.

The most obvious sign of bloat is a distended, swollen looking belly, particularly one that appears quickly. There may be other noticeable symptoms of bloat occur when your cat or dog tries to empty their stomach. With GDV, dogs and cats will try to vomit or belch but will not be able to, they will retch and seem restless and nauseated. They may become short of breath as their abdomens become compressed, some dogs and cats may also show signs of depression or pain. In severe cases, the pressure the stomach places on blood vessels can cause irregular blood flow, abnormal heart rhyths and shock, which in turn may cause the cat or dog to collapse and can lead to repid death.

Bloat must always be treated by a veterinarian. If they suspect your pet has bloat, your veterinarian will stabilize them and treat them for shock by giving them intravenous fluids and monitoring their heart rate, breathing and blood pressure. They can check for the condition by performing a physical exam and abdominal x rays. They will also check for gas in their stomach by inserting a tube through the esophagus or inserting a needle through the abdomen. If the dog or cat is diagnosed simply with bloat, that is if the stomach has not become twisted, sometimes the veterinarian can simply decompress the stomach with the tube or needle and no other treatment is necessary. If, on the other hand, your dog or cat has GDV they will most likely need to be treated surgically. During surgery your veterinarian will untwist and reposition your cat or dogs stomach so that material can move through it once more. Then they can examine the tissue of the stomach to ensure it was not injured or deprived of blood when it swelled. They will also check the spleen, which is attached to the stomach and can be damaged when the stomach twists. Often veterinarians will also perform a gastropexy during surgery, this involves attaching the stomach to the abdominal wall so it will not twist again some time in the future. A dog that has had bloat is at a great risk of GDV in the future if a gastropexy is not done.

Because it is unclear what the causes of bloat are, there is no known way to prevent it. Veterinarians do know that large breed dogs with broad, deep barrel chests are more likely to develop bloat than some other animals. If you are the owner of a breed like this, you can watch carefully for bloat. You can also feed your dog with small, regularly spaced meals which are less likely to stretch your dogs stomach. Presoak food in water for 30 minuts before feeding your dog. You should also prevent them from drinking large volumes of water at any one time. Limiting exercise after meals can also help, when dogs run on a full stomach, the stomach swings like a pendulum and has a greater chance of flipping over and twisting itself. Eating something out of the garbage, or eating other things they are not used to can also cause dogs to develop gas, which Prevenin turn can lead to bloat and GDV.

The best way to protect your pet against bloat is to keep a close eye on them and watch for any strange behavior. If you notice anything about your dog or cat that seems new or unusual, contact your veterinarian immediately.

Mark Woodcock
1 Flea Control